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 proposing a wire-reinforced plastic material for car body construction.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\2\ scan0054 | |
| Date | 9th April 1940 | |
| GLENCOE, QUEENS ROAD, KINGSTON HILL, SURREY. TEL: KINGSTON 4603. April 9th, 1940. STAMP: J.S. RECEIVED 12 APR 1940 The Managing Director, Messrs. Rolls-Royce, 15 Conduit St, W. Dear Sir, I bring to your notice a Wire Reinforced Plastic Material which is admirably suited to the construction of motor car bodies. I enclose Memorandum of Particulars including report of some tests, and if you are interested I would send you report of a well known Electrical (Heating) Expert. Additional to the particulars in Memorandum, as my material is Insulator of heat as well as of electricity, motor car bodies made of it remain cool in summer and may be warmed in winter. The very hard polished surface gives practically everlasting wear and of course is unaffected by sun exposure, and for heating will retain a temperature of 100°C. (boiling) without affecting either the tensile wires or the material. The highly polished effects of oak, mahogany, walnut and decorative designs are obtained- [Diagram annotations] Handwritten: Decorative Left: Hot pressure solidifies the whole mass. Right: heat, as many layers of reinforcement as may be desired. Bottom: Backing. If white or grey colours are required the surface is stove enamelled. The sheets lend themselves to curvature in any direction, without the polished surface being impaired to the slightest extent. Another advantage the material has over metal is that of supply - a few lbs. of Egyptian cotton plus 27-lbs. of high tensile wire plus a few lbs. of phenol resin powders - makes 150-ft. x 3-ft. of the fabric of one-ply. Yours faithfully, [Signature] H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Marworth & Sons | ||