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).
Complaints and proposed improvements for Bentley headlamps.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 61a\2\ scan0166 | |
| Date | 5th December 1933 | |
| Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} c. to C. c. to En. c. to Er. c. to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} BENTLEY HEADLAMPS. Following complaints of the inefficiency of the new Bentley headlamps for high speed driving we visited Messrs.Lucas on Monday to discuss with their Technical experts what improvements could be made to the lamps. They agreed with us that the front glass was too prismatic, spreading and reducing the intensity of the beam at the expense of long distance illumination. A new experimental front glass and arrangement of reflector had already been produced in their laboratory anticipating complaints in this direction and we were able to see a direct comparison between this new lamp and the existing one in their dark room. The new lamp has a front glass with only a few vertical ribs at the bottom giving a slight spread of the beam at the bottom and over the central portion of the reflector front is mounted a small circular piece of glass vertically ribbed to give extra side illumination for cornering etc. Another improvement is the fitting of a new 48 watt lamp bulb of much improved brilliance. The new lamp, from an impression in the dark room, should be a considerable improvement over the existing one and looks quite "special" but obviously the final impression must come from actual road tests. Messrs Lucas are rushing through a pair of experimental lamps for us for road test and these are promised in about a fortnight's time. Upon receipt of these lamps we will test same and report further. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. | ||