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).
Failures, benefits, and proposed improvements for fabric couplings on the Phantom II model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\4\ Scan076 | |
| Date | 20th April 1931 | |
| R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Wgr. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Ha. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} X.7305. Ha/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/AD20.4.31. FABRIC COUPLINGS - JAPAN 3. X.5305. X.7305. We admit we have been unfortunate with the fabric coupling on Phantom II but this has been almost entirely due to faults we now know how to rectify in any new design. We should expect to be able to make a fabric coupling last at least 30 to 40,000 miles. The advantages of incorporating this item are that it greatly reduces side shaft gear rattles previously mentioned in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/AD20.4.31. and also reduces the effect of chunking in the drive or knocks due to slack in the transmission. For these reasons we believe that the fabric coupling may very well be worth its cost by the immunity which it gives us from troubles which are costly to rectify. It is surprising how noises are brought up on a Phantom II when we replace the fabric coupling with a solid disc. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||