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 to Wilmot-Breeden Ltd. regarding the development of steering wheels, comparing cast iron and aluminium hubs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\4\ scan0170 | |
| Date | 26th September 1941 | |
| ( To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} ) Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/EAG. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/JD.{J. Draper - Frames}14/JH. 26th. September, 1941. Messrs. Wilmot-Breeden Ltd., Eastern Works, Camden Street, BIRMINGHAM. 1021 A For the attention of Mr. Spicer. Dear Sirs, Steering Wheels. We enclose herewith blue prints of steering wheels, we have been developing. PL.851 Cast Iron Hub Steering Column Head. PL.871 Cast Aluminium Hub - Steering Column Head. The above schemes shew a steering wheel with a cast iron hub and an aluminium hub, of the two we prefer the cast iron, as it has a smaller centre which we believe is more attractive, this feature is obtained because the cast iron hub needs less metal round the spokes than the alternative aluminium hub. These designs were submitted to your Mr. Spicer during his last visit here and he did not see any serious objection to producing a wheel with a cast iron centre. He pointed out, however, to produce a wheel it would involve quite a lot of money in making temporary dies, particularly in the moulds for cellulose round the rim and round the hub. To overcome this difficulty we propose the hub should be cast to size, cleaned up and painted for the first wheel, the method of fixing the spokes in the casting and the rim centre we shall leave for you to decide. Mr. Green of R.R. will try to find someone to cover the rim with wood or some suitable plastic that does not require dies. In the course of a few days we will send you a completely dimensioned detail of the wheel of how we wish you to make it. We should also like your comments on making a P.T.O. | ||