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).
'Bethlehem Torque Amplifier' and its potential application for power steering in vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\3\ scan0049 | |
| Date | 24th October 1927 | |
| S/W HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X3682 OY12.R.102427 ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC., Springfield, Mass. October 24th 1927. For the attention of London-File. Mr.Royce. (Copy for attention of London File) " " " " Mr.Hives. " " " " Mr.Maxley. Mr. Basil Johnson, Rolls-Royce Ltd., London, England. Dear Mr.Johnson, Re STEERING. BETHLEHEM TORQUE AMPLIFIER. The idea of power-steering for commercial vehicles has been in the wind for some time, but the first device to be widely applied is Nieman's Torque Amplifier, developed by the Bethlehem Steel Company and described in attached folder. This is being applied to commercial cars very widely experimentally, but is not yet announced by any maker as a standard fitting. On large front drive busses which are being developed, some such "assisted" steering seems inevitable. Mr. Nieman, the inventor of the device, called on us this morning. ORIGINAL APPLICATION The device was not originally intended for steering gears, but for the sensitive control of numbers of anti-craft guns from a central control station equipped with a "Vickers-Computator." In this form it is being taken up actively by the U.S.Army and Navy, and the gun-laying being done entirely by an electrical control assisted at the gun by a "battery" of two amplifiers in series. Since each amplifier gives a ratio of about 40 to 1, two in series give 1600 to 1, which is enough to move a 3000 lb.gun barrel from the magnetically operated control needle. SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS. The amplifier has now been applied to gyroscopic control for ships and gyroscopic control for large aeroplanes, both by L.G.Sperry. Control of large valves in power stations. Steering gears for commercial vehicles, tanks and large tractors. Passenger cars. PASSENGER CAR STEERING. Mr. Nieman loaned us his Buick car, fitted with this steering experimentally, and four of us, including Mr.Nadin and myself drove | ||