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 a recurring battery failure, identifying the cause as mishandling by coachbuilders and proposing a preventative modification.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 162\1\ img061 | |
| Date | 21th October 1937 | |
| File Copy. To By from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} c. to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}19/W.21.10.37. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bentley - P.& R.{Sir Henry Royce} Battery - New Type 6HZD9S. No. of battery B.1357C. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- We have had a second failure of these batteries after a mileage of 292. The positive end cell was found holding no charge. The battery has been forwarded to Derby for your attention. In your examination you will observe that the two lugs of the case are cracked, also at the bottom of the ends of the case a groove has been gouged out and badly damaged. I have investigated to find a reason how this could happen. When the battery is removed at the Coachbuilders, the two holding down spindles fall to the ground, but still protrude approx. 1 1/2" inside the battery box. They become spread eagled during the time the chassis is at the Coachbuilders, and when a careless man comes to replace the battery, the protruding studs or spindles, gouged out the bottom edges of the battery case. When a similar type of man pushes the studs up to locate and bolt the battery, the lugs are cracked in forcing the studs through the holes in the lugs. In this particular case the Coachwork has been carried out by William Arnold of Manchester, of whom the old Bentley Co. had not much respect. To prevent this sort of damage, I would suggest a tube of approx. 2" in length ( inside dia. to suit stud). be welded on to the locating angle pieces at the bottom of the box to hold the long studs when released in a vertical position, so that they could not spread outwards and cause damage to the case by careless dropping in of the battery. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} | ||