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).
Making S.S. Universal Joints oil-tight, with a focus on filler plug modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 140\3\ scan0025 | |
| Date | 17th April 1929 | |
| To BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} X4549 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/LG17.4.29. S.S. UNIVERSAL JOINTS. X7340 We now find that with careful bedding and a liberal use of Heldtite these universal joints can be made oil-tight. The point which has given us the most trouble is the filler plug. The standard aluminium washers E.75842 are very slack on the filler plugs D.50618 - the plug is specially shaped in the neck to prevent oil leakage but the bore of the washer is equal to the largest neck diam., so that, as with the leather washer the edges of the hexagon head open the hole out. The top diam. of the plug thread is less than .250" so that the bore of the washer could conveniently be reduced from .266" to .250", thus giving the plug neck a chance to grip the washer. The sketch herewith shews a suggested modification for these filler plugs. We found that on the 20 HP. the oil had difficulty in getting past the trunnions, so that it may appear to be full, but is really only half full, or maybe only quarter full. [Drawing of a filler plug and washer. The washer is labelled ALUM WSHR] We also find it very difficult to get the lock-ing washers to bed properly. They consequently allow oil to leak from under the nuts unless liberally loaded with jointing compound. However we do not see any sound way of improving the position here. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||