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 Ferodo Ltd. regarding an investigation into fan belt failures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 135\1\ scan0140 | |
| Date | 19th March 1938 | |
| 1135. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.1/MH.{M. Huckerby} Messrs. Ferodo Ltd., CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH. For the attention of Mr.Longley. 19th. March 1938. Dear Sirs, We fear that there has been a very ominous and continued silence on your part on the subject of fan belt failures. We are still hoping to receive your remarks and assistance on this subject. Meanwhile we have been in touch with The Gates Rubber Co. of Denver, Colorado and have asked their opinion on the failures which we have experienced. They state that the turning over of the belt on the pulleys indicates a twist or buckle on the inside of the belt which would be avoided if the belt were built under tension. We are not sure whether you use this method of constructing your belts, but since Messrs. Gates say that as far as they are aware there is no other manufacturer using this method we would be interested to know whether you do this. Also they state that the cords pull loose because of poor bonding to the surrounding rubber and that this can only be overcome by using cords soaked in Latex or pure rubber before they are built into belts. Again they state that this process is peculiar to Gates belts, being in fact, a patent of theirs. We were under the impression that the cords used in your Ferogrip belt were prepared in this manner before building into the belt and would like to know whether this is so. Messrs. Gates are sending us some belts which in due course we hope to test. | ||