Proposed omission of an oil scoop from the Wraith gearbox.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 8\11\ 11-page123 | |
| Date | 7th May 1938 | |
| Secret To. Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} ... From RHC. {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} RHC. {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} 1/MC.7.5.38. WRAITH GEARBOX It is observed from Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /FJH. {Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} 6/MH. {M. Huckerby} 27.4.38., that the proposed omission of the oil scoop from Wraith 3rd Motion Shaft is not agreed to. The scoop in question was introduced on Bentley III. Overdrive Gearbox because trouble arose with 3rd Speed Gears, due to the fact that a steel thrust washer had been provided, but this difficulty was overcome by reverting to a bronze washer and no further trouble was afterwards encountered. This matter was explained to By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /Gry. {Shadwell Grylls} and HPS. {Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} at a conference held early in January, and it was agreed at that time to assemble 29-G without a scoop, whilst in the meantime 26-G proceeded on 15000 miles test with the scoop fitted. It would be expected that 3rd Speed Gear conditions on Bentley II A Gearbox are more critical than on Wraith, because the former is of the Overdrive type, and bearing in mind the fact that 29-G has run satisfactorily since January without a scoop it would seem that this feature can be safely omitted. Admittedly, 29-G has not run under 10,000 miles test conditions, but the fact that 2000 Bentley and 25/30-HP. production chassis with similar gearbox conditions are running satisfactorily in customers hands without oil scoops lends additional weight to the argument. It should be appreciated that the additional factory cost for providing this oil scoop is 8/10d per chassis. [Handwritten Notes] (1) The only car without a scoop 29G, has done 4800 miles RHC. {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} (2) Even with scoops brass bushes have seized on 2 Wraith boxes Memo Refs RHC {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} 2 MC 13 4 38 Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /FJH {Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} 6 MH {M. Huckerby} 27 4 38 [Signature] RHC {R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} | ||
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).