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).
Internal memorandum discussing the design, patent implications, and experimental nature of a new hydraulic shock damper for the Phantom model.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\N\2July1925-September1925\ Scan78 | |
| Date | 11th September 1925 | |
| TO BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} FROM DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} Copy to - HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ORIGINAL NEW PHANTOMCodename for PHANTOM I HYDRAULIC SHOCK DAMPER. Herewith we send N. scheme 2052. shewing the hydraulic damper for the front axle. This shock absorber is double acting, but not with equal resistance each way. Its special feature is the reservoir above the working chamber ensuring that the latter is continuously supplied with oil. It is possible that this feature is patentable. Would you kindly look into this, and also into the Houdaille and Berkshire patents. We are not exactly sure what those of the Houdaille people are, but we believe the central control is one of them, which we have not utilised. Another one we believe is the recuperating system, which we have not used in exactly the same form. Regarding the Berkshire patent, we believe this refers to a double beat valve, which again we are not using. We understand this is a provisional patent only at present. Mr. Royce has no objection to paying royalty to Houdaille if necessary, but we believe we do not infringe their patents. This shock absorber will not go into the place of the existing friction absorber. The holes however do not interfere, with the exception of the central hole, which in the case of existing chassis would have to be elongated. We shall send you a drawing of the connecting rod in the course of a day or so. It is intended to follow the practice used on the 20HP. We think it should be realised that the whole of this hydraulic shock absorber is experimental, and in our view it would not be wise to go into production parallel with the experiments, or anything of that sort. | ||