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).
Potential weight reduction strategies and material comparisons for various car components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\3\ scan0114 | |
| Date | 5th February 1936 | |
| -3- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/KW.5.2.36. Halb. We ought to get a tabulated figure for the weight of the various Bentley cylinder heads. We know that we have established on the T.T. head, for instance, that we can run with very thin sections with no danger of failure. We ought to run a cylinder head with the thickness cut down in places where we think this can be safely done and prove the point. We ought to get the weight of the Buick cylinder head compared with our own. Smith. We ought to consider whether we cannot lighten the narrow pin connecting rod any further in view of the size of the Terraplane rods and the fact that we have never broken a connecting rod in all our test bed running. Have we the smallest hole down the centre of the rod that can be machined ? Is the big end as light as we can make it ? How do our cylinder material thicknesses compare with those of the Terraplane ? We should ensure that a magnesium rocker cover is instructed for the silent tappet head. Hives. We are certain that the exhaust system is the easiest place from which to remove weight on the Bentley chassis. Will you please push ahead with the lightened type system having no front expansion box, and thinner gauge materials elsewhere. Will you please go over the intake silencer to make sure it cannot be lightened anywhere, and also ensure that we get magnesium intake bends on our next 10,000 miles car. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||