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).
Proposal for a new bearing scheme to reduce manufacturing costs, fitting costs, and unsprung weight.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\2\ Scan044 | |
| Date | 16th November 1921 | |
| Oy2 - G 161121 Sheet #5. Both the New Departure and Hess-Bright bearings are 55 m {Mr Moon / Mr Moore} /m bore, 100 m {Mr Moon / Mr Moore} /m dia. and 1 3/16" wide. We think that this scheme has great possibilities in - (a) Reducing manufacturing cost. (b) Reducing fitting cost, since the adjustment can be made without taking the pinion off the propeller shaft, by simply detaching the small end of the torque tube and pulling the propeller shaft forward. (It is intended to split packing washer XA-1337 to make this possible.) (c) Reducing the unsprung weight. This scheme with the use of a New Departure bearing is used very successfully by the general run of high-grade automobiles in the United States, in which the propeller shaft is generally only 5" or 6" between bearings as against our 15", and in which the gear ratios are generally lower than ours and thrust loads correspondingly more severe. We wish to bring to the attention of England at this time the success of this scheme to date and its general use on other cars, as we believe that its adoption on the small car and further series of the 40/50 would effect a big financial saving. MO/G Yours truly, ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, Inc. Per M. {Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley | ||