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).
Marine engine development, including discussions with Parsons' Engineering Company about gearboxes and visits to yacht companies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 133\3\ scan0106 | |
| Date | 3rd February 1940 | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 1128 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AA.{D. Abbot-Anderson}4/DT.3.2.40. MARINE ENGINES. Last Monday the 29th ultimo, I spend a considerable time with Mr. Garrod of the Parsons' Engineering Company, Southampton. He, Mr. Parsons and their chief Draughtsmen were all extremely interested and most helpful. They suggest supplying only the internal parts for the Gear-box, as they suggested that if we are to make a new casting for the bottom half of the engine, we should extend it to form the bottom half of the box - incidentally, they told me that Vospers' were making Housings for Boxes in sheet steel welded up - if we are making the bottom half of the box, we might just as well make a casting for the top. If, however, we use the existing Sump and do not water cool it, there seems to be no reason why we should not fit a small Flywheel and fit the Gear-box onto the Flywheel housing. In the drawings of the Parsons' Gear-box I saw, I noticed that there was a lot of waste space between the clutch etc., and the housing, and I feel we could save weight and space by designing the housing ourselves. Parsons' are sending us Blue Prints in the course of a few days, also, weights and prices of the various types of boxes. They suggest Type H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} for B.80 engine and Type FA. for B.60 - unless they can produce a box, Type G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp}, which would cope with both engines. The G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Type box has been shelved since the outbreak of war, they were just producing it at that time. If one type of box could be used for both engines, it would reduce the quantity of spares etc., which would have to be stopped. I gather a large number of car people are trying to get in on the Marine job and, according to Mr. Parsons, not only with a view to doing work during the war period, but with the idea of using up engine output in peace time. I have also heard that the 110 ft. boat, which is being produced by Fairmile Marine Company, has been re-designed. The first one, built by Woodnutts' in the Isle of Wight, was not a success. The latest Hull is to be engined with the Hall-Scott 12 Cylinder engine, rumoured H.P. 500. I also paid a visit to the Hayling Yacht Company, to hurry them up with Blue Prints showing the space in which the engines have to be installed in the Standard Type of Cruisers. On Tuesday, after a frightful trip, I reached the Walton Yacht Works Ltd., Walton-on-Thames, and saw the General Manager Mr. Greenfield. cont'd | ||