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).
Vehicle suspension design, including tyres, steering, springs, and shock dampers.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\O\January1926-March1926\ Scan183 | |
| Date | 31th March 1926 guessed | |
| (3) (12) You will see that I have been persistently working for medium pressure tyres from when I first saw the full balloons, and that I would go further more carefully and let people have <u>semi-balloons</u> when we wished to give the maximum comfort, (<u>we cannot</u> do the same any other way.) (13) I do not think we can look upon ourselves as being in any trouble with steering and springing not shared by even the best of other makes, and there are many reasons for keeping to medium pressure tyres on the front wheels - shunting and lock, risk of front wheel skid on muddy roads, etc. (14) That to avoid any wrong impression we might (as soon as we can fit them) describe our hydraulic shock dampers and their virtues of avoiding high speed wobbles, providing CJ. thought there was nothing against this, and our patents were secure - (i.e. make a demonstration say on Brooklands, and issue a bulletin.) (15) I do not think sufficient has been said in Mr. Day's extremely good report on the relative behaviour of our 20HP. which is a car in which the centre of gravity and other conditions are so entirely different. (16) I do not think front road springs with rebound leaves will help us, but they ought to be tried as they are simple+eligible. I am also doubtful if springs with a stiffer centre (i.e.flexible at the ends) would control the axle better. (17) You will remember that in our suggestions of parallel control for the axle other than by the springs was included the use of a rod above the axle. It was thought the shock damper arm might be used. I was not aware, until Mr. Robotham's visit that this has been tested at Derby with some success. At WW. we could not get it in to meet all the conditions but it might be investigated again. I do not think any such change would improve the present situation, which is only very slightly affected by any change in the stiffness of either road spring that is possible within the limits of weight etc, but is more a question of friction according to my reading of the Derby demonstration reported by DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||