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).
Letter regarding Houdaille Shock Absorbers, contrasting the American and French manufactured designs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 25\2\ Scan127 | |
| Date | 2nd February 1927 | |
| X1152 SW HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/ Oy5-L-2227 February 2, 1927. Mr. F.{Mr Friese} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Royce, Rolls-Royce, Ltd., London, England. (Copy for attention of Mr. Hives " " " " Mr. Haldenby " " " " Mr. Beaver " " " " Mr. Nadin " " " " Mr. Hulley) Dear Sir: Re Houdaille Shock Absorbers At the request of Mr. B. D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Schultz, our Buffalo agent, whose brother manufactures the Houdaille shock absorbers in this country, we are sending you the descriptive pamphlet of the Houdaille instrument and a statement contrasting the manufacture and design of the French instrument with the American. I am afraid we are rather late in the day in describing this instrument, but it appears that such a description may be useful, because it seems that the complete prevention of high-speed wobble may depend on making a hydraulic shock absorber which is almost instantaneous in its action. The American Houdaille by the small size of the valves appears as though it might come very close to instantaneous action. It has a very high reputation in the U.S., is free from leakage, and all instruments are calibrated in seconds (for complete fall of the arm under a standard load). The difficulty of viscosity changing with temperature has been overcome to a great extent by using glycerine diluted with 15 percent of alcohol. No oil is used in the American Houdaille. | ||