Performance report on an American Mechanics Joint after extensive road testing over 14,000 miles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 105\2\ scan0103 | |
| Date | 9th November 1926 | |
| To R. {Sir Henry Royce} from HA/AJL. c.c. to EJ. WOT. c.c. to RE. E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. to De. BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c.c. to GV. X5340 Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /AJLL/T9.11.26. AMERICAN MECHANICS JOINT. X4183 We have run a 20 HP. car (S-CIII) with the propeller shaft fitted with American Mechanics Joint to G.5263. The joints were fitted up filled with gear oil and have not been lubricated during service. After 1623 miles the cardan shaft was dismantled and the joints examined. No appreciable wear had taken place and no oil had been lost except for a small quantity from the sliding serrated sleeve. After examination the joints were re-erected and have run a further 12,592 miles without extra lubrication. Upon second examination it was found that no oil had been lost from the joints themselves, but no surplus oil was found in the sliding sleeve. The serrated surfaces, however, still maintained a film of oil and were in perfect condition. Very little wear had taken place in the joints themselves. Although the brushes individually were slightly slack on their pins, no slack could be detected when built up as a unit. The total mileage run up to the present without other lubrication than that supplied upon erection is 14,215. This performance shews up the superiority of this type of joint over the present standard type. Contd. | ||
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).