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).
Report outlining the requirements and proposals for the Experimental Department.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 33\1\ Scan129 | |
| Date | 29th December 1922 guessed | |
| contd:- -2- We also consider that raw material castings and forgings for experimental work should come direct to the Expl: Dept: Stores and not pass through our Rough Material Stores. Any inspection of the material should be done inside the Expl: Dept: This would avoid the necessity of any experimental drawings going outside the Department. We also recommend that sufficient machines are placed in the Expl: Dept: so that it would be only necessary to send special parts into the Works - such special as gears which do not convey much information. We think, for instance, that such pieces as crankcases, cylinders and gear boxes should be completely machined in the Expl: Shop because the finish machined crankcase and cylinder is practically a general arrangement of the engine - the same applies to the gear box. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} is of the opinion that with the additional machines on the attached sheet, we could build complete cars and very few parts need go into the works. At the present time experimental work employs continuously, a Coppersmith and a Sheet metal worker. We consider that these men should work in the Expl: Shop. We also require a road wheel dynamometer. This was agreed to when we first changed the Expl: Dept: and the pit was got out next to the bumping rig for it to be fitted into. We require this completing. If we are going to contract all the Workers in the Expl: Dept: it will be necessary to make some arrangements as regards apprentices leaving at 21 years of age. We (RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}) would like to have the privilege of deciding whether an apprentice either be allowed to continue after he is 21 or in the event of the apprentice not being brilliant he would finish the last one or two years of his time in the works so that when he left he would not have the latest experimental information. We also require a lock-up cabinet for experimental files. We do not agree, however, to having these files away from the Department. We are using them continuously the whole day and to have to run about after them, we should lose half their value. We also require more room in the Experimental Dept. At the present time we are full up and as soon as we have the 40/50 experimental cars we shall be crowded to such an extent as to interfere with efficient working. If it is decided not to have the experimental parts in the works and more machines are added to the Expl: Dept: it will be essential. We require a much larger Stores - we are continuously accumulating Experimental parts which it would be contd:- | ||