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).
Experiments and improvements to a car's steering system, specifically the pendulum lever.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\2October1927-November-1927\ 164 | |
| Date | 24th November 1927 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ORIGINAL Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/LG24.11.27. EAC.7. (14-EX) STEERING. X7430 X7450 Originally we had trouble with the steering on this car. To improve the geometry we altered the length of the pendulum lever from 9.5" to 7.5" as an experiment. The result was a marked improvement. Several schemes were produced to alter the geometry of the steering permanently but none instructed. Therefore we have retained the 7.5" lever. The steering is now the lightest and best for road shocks we have ever had. It is so light that the lowering of the gear ratio by 20% due to the short pendulum lever does not make the increased steering wheel turns as noticeable as we expected. It does appear that increasing the leverage before the load reaches the worm and nut outside the steering box has a very beneficial effect on road shocks. While we are continuing experiments so far we believe we shall get a better steering by a slightly lower over-all ratio and stronger springs in the s.s. tube. We have no confirmation at present of the statement by Springfield that a steering ratio lower than 13-1 makes the car uncontrollable at high speeds. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham. | ||