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).
Technical memo discussing experiments and suggestions for rear axle crown wheel mounting.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\1\ scan0227 | |
Date | 17th July 1939 | |
1015 + Hood. SECRET. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Hdy.{William Hardy} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls}5/R.17.7.39. REAR AXLES. In memo Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls},1/MH.{M. Huckerby}8.3.39., we suggested a simplified crown wheel mounting in which the thrust of the crown wheel was taken in one direction only by an angular contact bearing. We suggested this on the strength of an experiment we had carried out on 6.B.IV. Hdy.{William Hardy} put forward objections to this scheme because he said that in the event of there being slack in the wheel bearing, the cornering thrust would be transmitted through the axle shaft splines, and this would push the crown wheel into mesh with the pinion. Since writing our last memo, we have tried our suggested crown wheel mounting on a semi-floating axle on 9.B.V. Once again no noise could be heard from the axle when cornering. It was then suggested that possibly the half shafts were prevented from moving sideways when cornering, because of the difficulty of pushing the balls in the wheel bearings up the sides of the walls of the inner races. Experiments which Hoffmans have carried out for us to determine this point showed that this was not the case. However, to make absolutely certain we have now fitted to 9.B.V. wheel bearings which are double-lipped rollers having .015 end float. The axle has not become noisy on corners. We, therefore, suggest that this type of crown wheel mounting should be used in the axle now being designed for the Junior Programme. If, as is very unlikely, we should get into trouble, the angular contact bearing could be replaced by a Schatz bearing located by spring rings. Such a procedure would add slightly to the cost, and the axle would need an additional hour for assembly. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} | ||