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 S. Smith & Sons regarding tests on tank unit bearings and their resistance to stickiness in fuel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149\3\ scan0021 | |
| Date | 10th February 1939 | |
| 1263 File Please CONTRACTORS TO ADMIRALTY, WAR OFFICE & AIR MINISTRY S.Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd CRICKLEWOOD WORKS, LONDON, N.W.2 TELEPHONE: GLADSTONE 3333 (20 lines) TELEGRAMS: SPEEDOFAC, PHONE, LONDON. CABLES: SPEEDOFAC, LONDON. CODES: MARCONI, COMMERCIAL, BENTLEY'S. BRANCHES AT PARIS MILAN SYDNEY WELLINGTON AGENCIES AND SERVICE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND IN ALL THE PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES SHOWROOMS & DEPOTS 179-185 GT PORTLAND ST LONDON, W.1. 26-33, COX ST LIVERY ST BIRMINGHAM 14A JACKSONS ROW DEANSGATE MANCHESTER 21, DRURY STREET GLASGOW DUBLIN & BELFAST Please quote our reference: E.2.VJSR. Yours:Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/JBD.{John B. Dixon - Fuel Systems}15/JH. 10th February 1939. Messrs Rolls Royce Ltd., Experimental Dept. Derby. Dear Sirs, For the attention of J.B.Dixon Esq. TANK UNIT BEARINGS. We thank you for your letter of the 8th inst, and have very carefully noted the results of your tests on bearings of various materials. As arranged we conducted similar tests in our Laboratory. We are using the following bearings:- Graphitic carbon (as fitted to tank units,) Phosphor bronze, and Bakelised fabric. The fuel was obtained from Messrs Shell Mex and was specially prepared by them containing an unusually high percentage of aromatic gums. These tests have now been in progress for five weeks and up till the present, none of the bearings show any signs of stickiness. We have been in touch with Mr. H.T. Sparkes of the Morgan Crucible Company, regarding graphitic carbon bearings and this gentleman assures us that these bearings contain no gum or cement and that they are inert in both Benzole and Petroleum fuels. The bearings are actually moulded under heat in the brass sleeves which we supply to them for this purpose. We have asked Messrs Morgan Crucible to send you samples of this material for your examination and are also enclosing herewith six unused bearings as fitted to the tank units. In view of the fact that neither your nor our experiments indicate any stickiness at this stage, we shall be glad to know whether it is possible to obtain a sample of the French fuel, which apparently aggravates To avoid delay all envelopes should be addressed to the firm. | ||