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).
Rejection of 24,000 non-standard radiator tubes and the policy of adhering to standard materials for American-built chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149a\3\ scan0010 | |
| Date | 1st March 1920 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from En. X.3678 BnS/W25. 3. 20. c. to [Illegible] c. to Ck.{Mr Clark} c. to Sd. X.3678 Hurstmon. RE RADIATOR TUBES FOR AMERICAN BUILT CHASSIS. On the 11th. February we received from Mr. Southern a note stating that they were forwarding 24,000 radiator tubes ( 8 m/m) for us to build up into radiators to test. These tubes were of copper instead of brass, of larger diameter than our standard, and have hexagon ends instead of round ends. These tubes, therefore, differ in practically every material feature from our present standard. After consideration we therefore cabled immediately asking them to stop delivery of the tubes, as it was necessarily the policy of the Company to adhere as rigidly as possible to material which was strictly in accordance with our practice. It is clear that in the case of American built chassis we shall have so many items which are unavoidably different from our standard practice that we shall have the greatest difficulty in proving these in the time available, and we shall be hopelessly at sea if we depart from our standard practice when there is no real need to do so. we think it of the greatest importance that those in America should understand and appreciate fully this point of view. We think we cannot possibly achieve success if there is any looseness in the selection of material, and if they hold the view that it is not difficult to select material and parts which are novel as far as our practice is concerned, and concerning which no definite data has been obtained by the Company's tests. The tubes mentioned above have now been delivered, possibly owing to their having been despatched before our cable was (Contd.) | ||