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).
Steering geometry and methods to mitigate road shocks.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 182\M20\M20.1\ img010 | |
| Date | 1st April 1924 | |
| ORIGINAL TO R[REDACTED] & HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to [REDACTED] & DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} By [REDACTED] STEERING. Handwritten notes: Y963- Y9430 Y3465 We are anxiously awaiting the test of the low rating, ample clearance, slightly set up buffers in the longitudinal tube. Upon some variety of this depends our greatest, and nearly our only hope for the present output. Many things have passed through my mind, the best of which I give below:- I now understand that if we could have all the following perfect - i.e. (1) Centre point steering. (2) Vertical pivots - (i.e. pivot within wheel.) (3) Perfect geometry. we should still get the worst of the road shocks, which might however be modified by:- (a) Balloon tyres. (b) More flexible road springs (small degree.) } Wheels rise easier. (c) Lighter unsprung weight. The shocks might be prevented from reaching the steering box by:- (I) Flexible buffers mentioned above. (II) By damped flexibility in pendulum lever-(suggested by me long ago.) [Diagram of a pendulum lever with springs] Diagram labels: Friction damper. Flexible set-up buffers. Pendulum lever. Or the shocks might be [handwritten: less] felt by the driver by the use of lower geared steering, and gearing which is less perfectly reversible (HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} having condemned completely irreversible steering) combined with (I) and (II) to reduce the risk of shocks destroying steering gear. So that we cannot trace any advantage of following the indications of BY's theory. To backward lean the pivots should lessen the shocks from some points of view. Nearly centre point steering and good geometry should be maintained in spite of it appearing to have little benefit. R.{Sir Henry Royce} P.S. Make further comparisons. I understand gyroscopic forces have no influence on these worst shocks. | ||