From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Effects of unequal brakes on steering and potential solutions for consistent braking.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 73\2\ scan0207 | |
| Date | 23th January 1924 | |
| X.9940 To HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} RG.{Mr Rowledge} ) E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} SECRET. R1/M23.1.24. c. to CJ. BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} PN.{Mr Northey} FRONT WHEEL BRAKES. X.9940. RE. STEERING. Regarding the effects of unequal brakes on steering it is evident that from this and other reasons we must have consistent brakes. This is outside any scheme of operation and also refers to back brakes, and back axle braking only. How to get these is one of the problems we must not lose sight of. I have suggested many things for this purpose but they have not mixed up with other things. The first was the floating fulcrum. This should be consistent if the lapping shoe is short or jointed. I have also suggested a shorter lapping shoe, and jointed shoe with fixed fulcrum. I believe it will be found that semi-flexible shoes are not good for consistent braking. They must be stiff and short, or quite flexible and jointed. You will remember in my last memo. on this subject I suggested that unequal braking affecting the steering might be caused by the re-action of the brake anchoring forces passing through the inclined steering pivot. My own investigation of these forces I make out would make the car steer away from the heavy brake. These forces are pretty heavy ones and should amount to something, and it occurred to me that if they cause a torque and if they steer the car away from the brake, might they be used to balance an out of centre steering force that tends to make the car steer towards the more effective brake. Contd:- | ||