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).
Problem of oil leakage from 20 HP universal joints and potential solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 51\3\ Scan091 | |
| Date | 1st September 1924 | |
| To BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from R. {Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. BJ. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Hm. {Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} H. {Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} EP. {G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} PN. {Mr Northey} X4400 R2/MS.9.24. RE 20 HP. UNIVERSAL JOINTS. X.4254. X.4400. Apparently this trouble is that we make it easy to put too much oil in the joint, more than the cover can be expected to retain when running, and to fill the joint too frequently. (Our general instructions may be to fill joints with the Enots lubricator until they ooze) Naturally the excess oil flies out as soon as the car runs, and unfortunately in many cases the plane of flight is opposite a joint in the floorboards, and the oil flies on to the carpets and spoils the upholstery generally. Naturally the owner curses us, and well he might. The cures within reach seem to be as follows :- (1) Prevent overfilling and too frequent additions of oil. (2) Prevent the excess of oil reaching the bodywork by non-revolving guard carried on the axle, or on the bodywork, or on the frame, or other means such as lips on the joints. The above suggests bad management outside my control. My 20 HP. car at Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence last year gave no trouble. (3) Destroy the possible vacuum between oil and water by holes drilled into the propeller tube (to cut off the syphon action.). (4) Investigate increased capacity and internal felt of greater diameter than the external felt (as in the Northcliffe double felt design) which I believe was thought to be a success, as the oil drainage only takes place when the joint is stationary. (5) Do you know any better means of covering the joint than ours ? (6) Do we find our joints suffer from want of oil if they have been oiled monthly, such as in the case of my car at Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence, which I believe has since run 17,000 miles in London ? (7) The people who make bodies should so arrange their floorboards that the mechanical parts cannot send their excess of oil on to the luxurious body upholstery, because the floorboards of every car are usually coated with mud or oil, or both. (1) | ||