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).
Letter from Associated Equipment Co Ltd discussing exhaust valve and seat materials, including stellite and silichrome.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 158\4\ scan0240 | |
| Date | 8th June 1938 | |
| THE ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT Co LTD TELEPHONE: SOUTHALL 2424 (17 LINES). YOUR REF. [Handwritten: Files] [Logo: AEC SOUTHALL] TRADE MARK MIDDLESEX [Handwritten: 1360] TELEGRAMS: "VANGASTOW PHONE SOUTHALL." OUR REF. CE/GDR/GD. 8th June, 1938. For the attention of Mr. Swindall, Experimental Dept. Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Derby. Dear Sir, With reference to your letter of the 3rd inst., it is a fact that our petrol engines use a silichrome exhaust valve running on a stellited faced mild steel seat screwed into the cylinder head, and for your information we have pleasure in enclosing herewith detail drawings of the two parts together with our material specifications Nos. 9 and 34 covering the seat and valve material. The stellite used is obtained from The Deloro Smelting Co. and is their No.12 grade. We have many times undertaken comparative tests on exhaust valves made in both K.E.965 and in our present silichrome material, and in all cases we have found the latter to be the better after an endurance test, although the condition of the valves was not good. Our original intention was to stellite both seat and valve and we had no difficulty with the former, but the latter gave us considerable trouble due to the presence of blow holes and pin marks on the seat, and this trouble was so bad that we decided after testing an engine with stellite faced seats only to standardise this procedure. We did manage to manufacture and issue a small quantity of exhaust valves stellite faced, and an examination after a [Stamp: AEC SOUTHALL ENCLOSURE] 8926a CUSTOMERS' VEHICLES ARE BROUGHT ON TO OUR PREMISES, DRIVEN BY OUR STAFF, AND STORED FOR REPAIRS AT CUSTOMERS' OWN RISK AGAINST DAMAGE HOWSOEVER CAUSED. | ||