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).
Letter from SKEFKO Ball Bearing Company regarding the failure of water pump spindle bearings due to water ingress.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149a\1\ scan0360 | |
Date | 27th June 1939 | |
1269. SKF EDWARDS. The SKEFKO Ball Bearing COMPANY Ltd. HEAD OFFICE & WORKS LUTON YOUR REF. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Ed.{J. L. Edwards}7/JH OUR REF. TECHNICAL/F TELEPHONE EXT. NO 5 MJK/RW CONTRACTORS TO THE ADMIRALTY, WAR OFFICE, AIR MINISTRY, INDIA OFFICE AND CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES. TELEPHONE: 1100 LUTON (8 LINES) PRIVATE BRANCH EXCHANGE. TELEGRAMS: "SKEFKO TELEX" LUTON. TELEX NO: LUTON 2884. CABLES: SKEFKO, LUTON, ENGLAND. 27th June, 1939 BRANCH OFFICES ABERDEEN 23, WINDMILL BRAE. TELEPHONE: ABERDEEN 7824. BELFAST 41, VICTORIA SQUARE. TELEPHONE: BELFAST 23965. BIRMINGHAM 183-185, CORPORATION STREET. TELEPHONE: CENTRAL 3011-2. BRISTOL 73, VICTORIA STREET. TELEPHONE: BRISTOL 23771. CARDIFF CHURCH HOUSE, 16, WESTGATE STREET. TELEPHONE: CARDIFF 7162. DUBLIN 28, UPPER O'CONNELL STREET. TELEPHONE: DUBLIN 44416. GLASGOW METROVICK HOUSE, 74, WATERLOO STREET. TELEPHONE: CENTRAL 3268. LEEDS LONDON ASSURANCE HOUSE, WINE STREET, (OFF INFIRMARY STREET) TELEPHONE: LEEDS 28059. LEICESTER 17, WATERLOO STREET. TELEPHONE: LEICESTER 58722. LONDON 109, KINGSWAY, W. C. 2. TELEPHONE: HOLBORN 4623-4. MANCHESTER SUNLIGHT HOUSE, QUAY STREET. TELEPHONE: BLACKFRIARS 7077-8. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE 31, MOSLEY STREET. TELEPHONE: NEWCASTLE 23736. NOTTINGHAM CLUMBER BUILDINGS, CLUMBER STREET. TELEPHONE: 43609. SHEFFIELD 97, WEST STREET. TELEPHONE: SHEFFIELD 25358. TELEGRAMS: "SKEFKO" ALL BRANCHES. Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Experimental Department, DERBY For the attention of Mr. W.A. Robotham, Development Engineer - Chassis Dear Sirs, Water Pump Spindles We would refer to your letter of the 15th inst., and advice note WG{Mr Gill - Financial Director}/F 63103, and letter of the 22nd inst., and advice note WG{Mr Gill - Financial Director}/F 63138 regarding two water pump spindle Bearings which have failed in service. These have now been carefully examined, and we find that in both cases the failure is unquestionably due to the intrusion of water. We feel certain that this is the initial cause of the trouble and that the failure of the seals followed later. It seems to us that in this application two problems have to be solved, (a) the gland must be watertight or, if any leakage occurs, it must be led away where it can do no harm to the bearing, and (b) we have to find a grease which will afford reasonable protection at high temperatures and will not offer too much resistance at low temperatures. With regard to (a), we believe that a cored slot of fairly large dimensions between the bearing and the gland will help considerably and a thrower and channel on the lines of the enclosed print P.25070 should also help. continued: | ||