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 to Hardy Spicer & Co. Ltd. regarding balance and noise issues with propeller shafts supplied for testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\4\ scan0062 | |
| Date | 3rd August 1937 | |
| 1262 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls}3/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 3rd August, 1937. Messrs. Hardy Spicer & Co.,Ltd., Birch Road, Witton, BIRMINGHAM. 6. For the attention of Mr. Daniel. Dear Sirs, There are two points we should like to raise in connection with the Propeller Shaft you have supplied for test purposes on our cars. Firstly, some of the shafts have arrived at the Works with no lubricator plug to the splines. On one of these we found that the shaft was in-balance with the plug absent, and, of course, a small amount of out-of-balance when the plug was fitted. We think that all shafts should be supplied with the lubricator in position, and the shaft balanced in this condition. Secondly, we find that this type of propeller shaft greatly accentuates the noise of transmission torque reversal. If the propeller shaft is tapped with, say, a screw-driver, it rings like a bell, whereas our ordinary type of shaft only emits a dull note. We have reduced the trouble on an experimental car by fixing strips of rubber at intervals round the propeller shaft, and holding these in position with helical springs. This is obviously not a production cure, and we should like to have your views on how the trouble can be overcome. Yours faithfully, | ||