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).
Submission for a 'Baxter' link connecting rod and questioning its claimed efficiency improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\6\ Scan174 | |
| Date | 30th August 1932 | |
| S/W UD 8728 . F12/JL.30.8.32. To Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Ud. from F.{Mr Friese} "BAXTER" LINK CON-ROD. The above was submitted to us and was turned down as it appeared to be very unattractive from the constructional point of view, and the claims made for it seemed rather ridiculous. The inventor has, however, again written to us and the following is an extract from his letter:- "The obscurity of the underlying principles of the Gear was remarked upon by Prof. Lloyd-Evans - Senior Engineering Professor at University College London - when he said to the Inventor after conducting tests for several weeks, upon the "Allen" 8" x 7" Single acting Steam Engine, 'There is my Certificate of increased efficiency, 'I do not understand it (the Gear). It embodies 'new principles in engineering statics with which 'I am not familiar - the text-books are demolished.' Do you know anything about the standing of Professor Lloyd-Evans? For your information, the use of this connecting rod in a Ford engine is stated to have increased the "efficiency" by 20% to 25%, but the letter does not make it at all clear what the writer means by efficiency - that is to say, whether he means the mechanical efficiency was improved or the overall efficiency. In either case the accuracy of the claim would appear to be rather open to suspicion! | ||