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).
The failure and replacement of a fan belt, bearings, and fan for a 32-EX Phantom III cooling system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 131\1\ scan0292 | |
| Date | 17th August 1937 | |
| CHATEAUROUX. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/IMW{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux}/2/JAB.17.8.37. [Handwritten in red] 1114 [Handwritten signature] Hdeu Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} / SOT To. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} 32-EX. PHANTOM III. Cooling System. We have returned to you the special thermometer with flexible capillary as requested. We have also returned to you the fan bearings, the broken belt, and a sample of the lubricant taken from the fan. The condition of the bearings is not good but would hardly seem bad enough to have caused breakage of the belt, although you will note that the outer race of the front bearing has turned in the fan hub. The fan belt has covered 13.800 miles. Possibly with the sustained speed and high temperatures to which it has been subjected on our tests, you would consider this fair wear and tear. The replacement belt which broke was the special one handed to the writer in Derby by Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. It was too short and had to be stretched to get it on at all, and this possibly weakened it. New fan bearings were obtained and fitted in Paris and running continued using a Whittle belt for Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s tests in the French Alps. We have now fitted one of the new rubber belts received and also the new fan complete. ---------------- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/IMW.{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux} | ||