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 S.U. Company Ltd. regarding moisture issues with a pump and arranging a test for a replacement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149\6\ scan0053 | |
| Date | 30th September 1937 | |
| Km/JBD.{John B. Dixon - Fuel Systems}15/MH.{M. Huckerby} 30th. September 1937. Messrs. The S.U. Company Ltd., Bordesley Green Road, Adderley Park, Birmingham, 8. For the attention of Mr. Leslie Kent. Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter of the 24th. We are glad to note that you consider it would be feasible to assemble a pump with larger rollers allowing no slack, and even a little for loading, and would like to have one of these pumps for test (preferably a High Pressure Pump). At the moment we are rather worried as to the effects of moisture on the H.P. pump and are carrying out tests under severe conditions. We feel this is now an extremely important factor as the pump is no longer situated in a hot dry bonnet, but low down in the Frame. So far we have found that water swells the small fibre rollers on the contact mechanism and causes the pump to stick. It also swells the two .005 prespan impact washers and may cause trouble here as well. We are trying to impregnate both these with either varnish or oil to get over this trouble. We also find that water is very apt to enter the vent hole on the forward unit, and remain there in sufficient quantity to stop the pump when it is subsequently frozen up in a cold chamber. Quite apart from the above trouble we are seriously worried about the possibility of rust forming | ||