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).
Design, materials, and adjustment of a car engine crankshaft damper.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 14\2\ Scan044 | |
| Date | 6th March 1929 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} Rv. ) C. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} X7010 SECRET. R2/M3.6.29. CAR ENGINES CRANKSHAFT DAMPER. X634 X5010 X7010, I am inclined to think that the reason these have been more difficult and exacting in their adjustment is that we have reduced them very considerably in size from the early 30HP. model. We have also departed from the original material which was fibre. We have lately given you a design in which there is ample room for the expansion of the fibre, and also we have suggested the use of very thin fibre, but so far have had no report as to whether this material has been tested. We now suggest that you try a thin piece of wood such as veneer in place of the ferodo and bakelite discs, both of which we have no faith in regarding suitability of surface for the purpose. We have suggested a trial of very thin cork, and we believe that the cotton duck has proved itself superior to ferodo or bakelite, and we have great hope that you will find wood very suitable. This was used on our first experimental damper flywheel. We are at the moment designing a damper which has an initial pressure of about one half of what you are at present using, and this increases to about twice what you are at present using at 2000 revs. It will also again increase 4 times when nearing the master period. This has been arranged for the engine for the 'Japan' chassis, which engine is also having a considerable increase in the diameter of the crankshaft. We think it is quite possible that you will be able to use this damper on the engine known as 'China'. It requires about 3/4" more room lengthways in the half time wheel case, but no alteration to the crankshaft. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||