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Fatigue break in an engine's connecting rods.


Identifier  WestWitteringFiles\B\March1918\  Scan5
Date  26th March 1918
  
To WOR. {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from R. {Sir Henry Royce}
Copy to CJ.
" " BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}
" " BN. {W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}
" " EPC.
" " P.

ORIGINAL.

2.
26th March 1918.
R7/G26328
RECEIVED
28 MAR 1918

X:2750. RE CONNECTING RODS.

We telegraphed some days ago to say that we thought the engine that went to pieces during test indicated that the trouble was a fatigue break, and that we think the sample engines have been sufficiently tested by Mr. Hives to prove that it was not a fault of design.

Personally, I think it must be the fault of the connecting rod breaking, due to a longitudinal forging crack spoiling the section of the rod as a strut, by dividing it lengthways into many struts, some very weak, and others with a load thrown out of centre.

R. {Sir Henry Royce}
  
  
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).


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