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).
History and progress of the High Power Cylinder Head Project.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 134\2\ scan0160 | |
| Date | 15th October 1937 | |
| 1029a Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Ey. c. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} HIGH POWER CYLINDER HEAD PROJECT. We accept the responsibility for starting off the original single cylinder drawings of the High Power head, and for the work that has been done on it since that date. Therefore, we are particularly concerned by the suggestion that the project has not received due consideration, and that we do not really know what we hope to get out of it. A brief history of the job is as follows:- Single cylinder work was started in December 1934, almost three years ago. Visits from time to time were paid to every-one who was known to have practical experience with this type of engine, i.e., Crossleys, Coventry Climax, Triumphs and Ricardo (who was actually responsible for the design of the combustion chamber of the 4-litre Bentley.) These visits were repeated as and when it was thought that useful information could be obtained. We also took the drawings of the 4-litre Bentley combustion chamber to America, and discussed them with several prominent engineers, Taub amongst them, with-out being able to unearth an inherent weakness in the valve arrangement. This head is being used by several transport firms in the U.S.A. A year ago the progress made was put before the administration in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}28/KN.{D. G. McKechnie - Sales}1.9.36 (a copy of which we attach) with the suggestion that we should go ahead with a six-cylinder engine. This memo clearly states what we hoped to get out of the experiment. The difficulties mentioned in this memo were one by one eliminated as development proceeded, until finally we reached a stage where we could not make much further progress without making tests on a six-cylinder engine. | ||