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).
Manufacturing process, cost, and design of Bentley Lead Bronze Bearings for 'E' series chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\2\ scan0124 | |
| Date | 13th March 1935 | |
| To: [REDACTED] Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} [REDACTED] [REDACTED] 14633 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} BENTLEY LEAD BRONZE BEARINGS. We note that Lead Bronze Bearings of the flanged type with metalled liners have been instructed for "E" series chassis engines. Lead Bronze lined Conn. Rod Liners are expensive to produce because they must first be cast in the form of a r i ng which after lining with Lead Bronze has to be formed to shape and then sectioned to make the liners. Similar pieces have been produced for Experimental purposes but they are not recommended for production on account of cost. Actually the deletion of the liner is the biggest saving that can be obtained in connection w i th the thick or thin type Conn. Rod bearing shells, as bearings can be produced as complete shells and collapsed to form two perfect halves after seperating. In order to utilise existing Conn. Rods with the face to face type bearing, the steel liner which is inserted as a spacing piece between Rod and Cap to complete the machining operations could be used in the final assembly until such times as it is convenient to introduce Conn. Rod with the cap bolting direct onto the rod, providing the bearings were suitably keyed to prevent rotation and maintain the correct position relative to the oil hole for the gudgeon pin feed. Vandervell Products Ltd. have recently submitted a quotation of £20. 0. 0. for 6 sets of Strip type Lead Bronze Conn. Rod Bearings this being equivalent to £3. 6. 8d. per set. We have produced bearings of this type and estimate our cost as £2. 0. 0d. per set which shews 40% reduction - £1. 6. 8d. per set. These charges are based on the fact that liners are eliminated. Where Strip type bearings are specified it is important that the Big End Housing should be sufficiently robust to prevent distortion ow i ng to the nip required on the bearing which must, when placed in position, assume perfect cylindrical shape. If thin type bearings are contemplated it should be understood that considerable expenditure in equipment would be necessary to produce bearings of this type, but since it is possible to produce either the thick or thin type bearing by the 'puddlecast' or centrifugal process w i th the same weight reduction there would appear to be no object in manufacturing by the folding process or resorting to obtaining bearings of this type from continued. | ||