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).
The testing of connecting rod articulated joints and how to reproduce breakages.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\A\November1917\ Scan6 | |
| Date | 24th November 1917 | |
| D 23 NOV 1917 RECEIVED ORIGINAL West WitteringHenry Royce's home town 4 E1 / 24/11/17 X.2424 Mr Hives Articulated Joint X 3061 With reference to testing con rod articulated Joints I have carefully read your report, but cannot make out whether you have had the engine firing or not during the tests. Mr Royce on returning from seeing Mr Bailey in London was under the impression that you had. I believe that you can reproduce the breaks that we have had by firing the engine with the wedges placed at the end of the old type pin. It is worth while putting feelers under the articulated rod to see how far it has to go before bumping on the main rod. It is bound to bump when held up by only one ear on the main rod because the stress due to explosion is enormous on that one ear. We quite understand that the issue is a straight one e.g. you first find a destructive test which will break up in a satisfactory way the old type of pin. You then subject your new pin to the same test with varying degrees of error in erection. | ||