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).
Report evaluating pressure-fed grease lubrication systems, including the 'Alemite' system and samples from various suppliers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 42\5\ Scan123 | |
| Date | 11th May 1921 | |
| Contd. -2- to the present, the price we have paid for the grease gun and 36 connections has been three dollars. To take full advantage of the pressure-fed grease, the lubrication holes in the spring shackle bolts should be on the part of the pin where the load is constant. The grease is then forced on to the working surfaces. If the hole is anywhere else, when the bush becomes worn, the grease is forced straight through without getting on the right surfaces. We have tried the "Alemite" with thick oil instead of grease; it works quite satisfactorily but we believe that the disadvantages of using grease disappear when very high pressures are applied to it, and therefore, we recommend that we should use grease for spring shackles, shock absorber ball ends, all steering joints, brake operating shafts with the "Alemite" or similar lubricators. We sent to E.H. Hill of Sheffield a sample of the U.S.A. Alemite Lubricator and grease gun and they reproduced a duplicate of it. Since, however, they have found that the Alemite Company held patents in England, they are now trying to obtain a licence in order to manufacture them. The Rotherham people have submitted a rather delicate and expensive lubricator and adaptor. We feel sure it would get in an unworkable state with the rough useage it would get on the car. The grease gun and lubricator supplied by T.B. Andre, London is perhaps the best sample we have received, but this is still in a stage of development and we could not at (Contd) | ||