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 Wilcox-Rich Corporation detailing the improvements and advantages of their valve tappets.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\6\ Scan269 | |
| Date | 25th June 1934 | |
| X7060? WILCOX-RICH CORPORATION DETROIT, MICHIGAN EXECUTIVE OFFICES 9771 FRENCH ROAD DETROIT PLANTS SAGINAW, MARSHALL BATTLE CREEK June 25, 1934 Rolls-Royce, Ltd. 14-15 Conduit St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} London, W.1. ENGLAND Dear Sirs: Our previous letters have served to inform you in a general way of the many specialized products supplied by this Corporation to a majority of the combustion engine manufacturers in this country. Revised and better tariff conditions have resulted in renewed interest among our many customers abroad and, believing that you may be interested in knowing of the more recent developments in the motor parts field, we respectfully beg to submit a brief resume covering the more intensive phases of activity. WILCOX VALVE TAPPETS The original development consisted in welding a cast chilled face material to a tubular steel body. The advantages of using cast chilled material on the cam-contacting face can well be appreciated, finer results being experienced in both facial wear and cam life, the chilled iron of course having no affinity to the cam itself. Since the original development of this lifter, increased engine speeds from a normal of about 2800 r.p.m. to well over 4000 r.p.m. have introduced additional problems, imposing new tappet requirements. The following improvements have been effected: A.{Mr Adams} Added material strength, by at least forty percent, through the addition of Molybdenum and Nickel Alloy. B. Superior wearing qualities due to the addition of alloy, together with improved methods in foundry practice such as electric furnace melting and duplexing. This foundry process serves to produce an exceptionally close-grained, homogenous structure of material which is essential for resisting cam abrasion and wear. C. With ordinary irons, valve gear design is necessarily limited to definite unit pressure loads on the cam face; otherwise the excessive loads cause spalling or breaking up of the surface structure which in turn restricts engine efficiency and necessitates early replacement of valves and valve lifters. The higher unit pressure limit permissable on our improved chilled iron faces offers considerable latitude in this respect. In view of the above, we earnestly suggest that the Wilcox Type tappet should be considered in designing higher output passenger car engines. [Stamp] PO87 4 JUL 1934 Received | ||