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 detailing production difficulties with Tufnol rubbing blocks and cam surface hardness, and requesting a distributor specification.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168\3\ img010 | |
| Date | 11th November 1938 guessed | |
| - 2 - It is now apparent that if you still insist on using Tufnol rubbing block material, for satisfactory operation, the surface hardness of the cam must be controlled and must be at least 400 brinell. This may involve additional production difficulties, but after further experimental work it can doubtless be achieved. You will realise, however, that any such change introduced at this date, when most components covering the full supply of distributors we have in hand for you, are completed, is going to involve us in considerable and uncontemplated additional expense, and this is an aspect of the situation we also regard as serious and one upon which we should be glad to have your views. In your letter you refer to a distributor specification which you have standardised. Surely it is not unreasonable to suggest that we should have been provided with a copy of this specification before we commenced work on this order. As this specification is not yet in our possession, however, will you please let us have a copy without delay. We would also again ask you to return one or two of the distributors upon which this latest trouble has been experienced, for our examination. Yours faithfully, [Signature] M.I.Mech.E. Managing Director | ||