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).
The performance and adoption of Bakelite-Micarta bushes to replace fibre bushes in magnetos.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 39\3\ Scan157 | |
| Date | 16th September 1921 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c.c. to CJ. c.c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c.c. to EY. c.c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c.c. to Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} c.c. to EWT. for R.R.Inc. X3518 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/LG16.9.21. X.430. MAGNETO. X.3513. X.4375. X.4411. We have been running Bakelite-Micarta (linen or cotton impregnated with bakelite) Bushes in place of the fibre bushes for the bearing of the contact breaker on magnetos fitted to Expl: cars. One magneto has run 5,000 miles and the other 3000 miles. The bakelite-micarta bushes are in excellent condition. There is no sign of wear and they appear to be excellent for self-lubricating and not being affected by moisture or heat. We supplies Messrs. Northw with a sample piece of Bakelite-micarta tod which they themselves have made into bushes and tested. They agree that it is much better than the fibre and are proposing to adopt it as soon as they can obtain supplies of the material, which they say they have not been able to obtain in England and have sent to U.S.A. for it. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} reports that R.R. Springfield are fitting to all Watford Magnetos the Bakelite-micarta bushes in place of fibre and by doing this they increase the reliability of the magneto very considerably. The U.S.A. Bosch Co. have adopted this material as standard for the contact breaker bush. We know from experience that the fibre bush in the contact breaker arm has been one of the principal causes of failure of the magneto. It either binds the contact breaker arm so that it | ||