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).
Lubrication of the Phantom chassis universal joint and sphere.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 31\3\ Scan095 | |
| Date | 9th October 1928 | |
| To BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY/NW.{N. Walker - Patents} X1457 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/LG9.10.28. PHANTOM CHASSIS UNIVERSAL JOINT AND SPHERE LUBRICATION. X1457 In reference to your memo. BY9/G8.10.28. The question of lubricating the universal joint was thoroughly gone into, and a satisfactory result obtained during our tests in 1923. If our reports Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}10/LG8.3.23 and hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG30.10.23 are looked up, it will be seen that a full revised scheme was obtained and the results justified. It was pointed out during these tests that the joint oil lost was through the joint of the steel sphere, and it was necessary that this joint should be a good job. We ran a car for 3,900 miles without adding any oil after the first charge and when dismantled there was still a quantity of oil left and the joint well lubricated. To observe the action of the scheme we had a section of the sphere and torque tube cut away and observed that a stream of oil was continually flowing on to the joint, by means of the universal joint picking the oil up and being flung off, then being collected by the top flange of the steel sphere which acted as a scoop. To ensure, under all conditions, that lubrication and self-containing was O.K., the rear of the car was lifted to represent steep gradients and the front the reverse. There is a tendency at the present time for the Enots lubrication to be inaccessible through fitting valances contd :- | ||