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).
Investigation into Textolite timing gears used by Buick, covering engineering opinions and production methods.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\1\ img373 | |
| Date | 19th February 1934 | |
| COPY OF REPORT RECEIVED FROM Rs.{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary} IN U.S.A. DATED 4.2.34. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to WoF. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} c. to RV. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}4/KW.19.2.34. TEXTOLITE TIMING GEARS. ENGINEERING OPINION. I investigated these at Buicks yesterday. Generally speaking, for the last two years they have had practically no trouble with these. They found it necessary when they were in trouble to go to the double walled timing case which they still use. Some now think this could be dispensed with; others do not. There is general agreement that these gears give no trouble whatever for from 25-30,000 miles. Sometimes a low speed rattle then develops, in which case a new cam wheel is fitted. Frequently a car will do 60,000 miles without any sign of a noisy front end. It must be remembered that the Buick has no balanced camshaft and only three timing gears. Most wear takes place on the steel dynamo pinion. They attribute this to the fact that it runs at engine speed. They have had no permanent success with anything except G.E.C. gear blanks. I feel that we should run some of these as a basis for comparison with any material that we may obtain in England. The wear on gears on the 8 cyl. has been worse than on the 6 cyl., presumably due to the higher engine speeds. They are building a new small 8 cyl. in which they are going to a silent chain drive. I understand that both cost, convenience of disposition of the auxiliaries, and policy enter into this change. The man doing the job strongly opposes any change. PRODUCTION METHODS. (1) I went carefully over the production set up. Inspected Blanks. Must be within .002 parallel with the bore on the face and not above .002 eccentric on outer dia. If out, trued up on lathe or scrapped. | ||