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).
Technical discussion on Bensport brakes, considering increased drum size and automatic adjustment for high-speed cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179b\1\ img101 | |
| Date | 4th October 1932 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} ORIGINAL C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BT.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} BENSPORT BRAKES. X483 Very rightly I think HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} is of the opinion that these, as arranged on Peregrine, would not give satisfaction on such a high speed car. It is not, to my mind, that the high speed car requires more actual braking, but that it requires something more robust and lasting, or it will be always worn out and requiring adjustment. The first move then would be to have an increased size of brake drum. These one feels would be the 14" drums as on the 25HP. We do not see how to make a very complete automatic adjustment of the brakes, but with the hydraulic system we are considering we can without undue complication take up the amount of release, and keep the clearance between brake and brake shoes constant on each of the four brakes, so that they would go on as if automatically adjusted for a long period, and then the pedal would begin to reach the floorboards, and the brakes would require readjustment on the axles. It will be noted in this scheme that the automatic adjustment does not have to carry the load of putting the brake on, but only the load of the pull off spring. Should it fail at any time it would appear that the pedal would begin to approach the floorboards, and suggest an examination. I pointed out that any single system of automatic adjustment cannot be relied upon to keep all the brake shoes clear of the brake drums, as the brake with the least friction, or the stiffest pull off spring, would take up all the slack in the cables, and the other three would be left rubbing or approaching too near the drums. (1) | ||