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Dynamometer test report on a Wraith gearbox, detailing component failures at different running times and speeds.


Identifier  ExFiles\Box 8\11\  11-page154
Date  26th January 1939
  
628

To By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} From Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /Gry. {Shadwell Grylls}
c. DA. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design}
c. Da {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} /Hdy. {William Hardy}
c. RHC. {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}
c. HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}

WRAITH GEARBOX.

We have now completed our dynamometer running on this gearbox. The total running time is 149 1/2 hours. During this time there have been 10 involuntary stops. The B.50 box ran a longer test without a stop. Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /FJH. {Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} 1/JH. gave an account of the troubles experienced up to Dec. 12th. 10 1/2 hours were run on 2nd. gear and the rest on 3rd., all running full throttle at 1,500 r.p.m. on a 4 1/4 Bentley engine.

As regards the running on 2nd. speed

After a run of 3 hrs. the nut at the rear of the side shaft was undone.
" " " 7 hrs. The 2nd. speed bush flanges failed.
" " " 10 hrs. teeth were cracked in the driven gear.

As regards 3rd. speed

After 54 hours teeth failed in the driven gear.

A similar failure occurred on new gears after 69 hours.

The strengthened S/ZNX 1st. motion shaft with 45° helix ran 70 hours without failure.

The standard Hoffmann 1st. motion shaft ball bearing running with a 35° helix shaft failed after 35 1/2 hours.

An R & M Duplex bearing with split inner race running with a 45° helix shaft failed after 44 hours.

Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /Gry. {Shadwell Grylls}
  
  
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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