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).
Mark VI tank project, transmission design, and collaboration with Nuffield Mechanisation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\2\ scan0156 | |
| Date | 22th November 1940 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} file 1211 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/ML.22.11.40. TANK PROJECT. With a view to gaining all the available information regarding the Mark VI. tank, which we have selected as being the one on which we propose to work, we visited Nuffield Mechanisation on Thursday, November 21st. Nuffield Mechanisation have developed the prototype Mark VI. tank. Since these people are responsible for the Liberty engine, we stressed our interest in the transmissions more than in power plants in order to get their co-operation. They were definitely attracted by the idea of the transverse power unit and gearbox running at twice engine speed and expressed the opinion that this would facilitate the installation of both the petrol and cooling systems. In order to get their co-operation, it will probably be politic to make up a scheme where our transmission unit is attached to the Liberty engine. In such an installation our power plant would be almost directly interchangeable with the Liberty, since the Merlin is shorter and has less overall height. We have ascertained that the gearbox and steering units on this tank, made in aluminium, weigh 1,350 lbs. In spite of the fact that we shall cater for 45% greater power output, we shall be disappointed if we cannot cut this transmission weight by 33-1/3%. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||