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 to The Hoffmann Mfg. Co. Ltd. regarding failures in roller assemblies due to dirty steel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\1\ scan0314 | |
| Date | 19th June 1939 | |
| 1/300. c. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Experimental Dept. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer}b/LH.{Mr Haworth} 19th. June, 1939. Messrs. The Hoffmann Mfg. Co. Ltd., Chelmsford, ESSEX. For the attention of C.H.Smith, Esq. Dear Sirs, During routine overload tests of the latest batches of Roller Assemblies to your N.2790 incorporating R.K. outer rollers, we have had two separate failures due to balls splitting. These are the first ball failures we have experienced on this type of assembly, and as they normally withstand satisfactorily twice the load applied during the tests in question, we examined the balls carefully. Both balls proved to have flaws due apparently to dirty steel and we enclose one half of each for your examination. We are concerned about the failures as we are wondering whether there is a batch of balls which may have this fault. For the time being we are load testing all rollers. We hope you are doing all you can to avoid this trouble and if you can assure us that these two cases are likely to be isolated ones we will revert to our normal practice of testing 5% of deliveries. Yours faithfully, for ROLLS-ROYCE LTD. | ||