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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).
Analysis of engine crankshaft stiffness and counterweight balancing, with a comparison to other American cars.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 125\2\  scan0052
Date  14th June 1929 guessed
  
contd :- -7-

We think it could well be stiffer. The displaced volume of the engine is about 250 cu.ins., and comparison with published dimensions of other American cars over the range of 200 - 300 cu.ins. shews that the Chrysler shaft is almost the smallest. Of 29 other cars having 6 cyl. engines between 200 cu.ins. and 300 cu.ins., only 3 have smaller pins and journals, namely 1 7/8" and 2 1/8", and they are only 215 cu.ins. engines. Of the remaining 26 cars, 22 have larger pins and 20 have larger journals.

COUNTERWEIGHTS.

We intend to do a test on the road to determine whether these make any difference to the smoothness.

One full sized C/wt. plus bolts weighs 1 lb. 14 ozs., and taking 2.250" as the radius of the c.g., the total amount balanced per crank is 8.44 lbs.ins. We estimate the out-of-balance of the other rotating parts as :

2 webs approx. 6.00 lbs.ins.
Pin. 3.05 " "
Big end 4.85 " "
TOTAL : 14.90 " "

So that only about 60% of this is balanced.

The inertia of the crankshaft plus balance weights is .0712 slugs ft², and of the bare shaft .0489. The total equivalent inertia less balance weights is .02788, so that they only make 27% difference in inertia. The calculated period of 3600 r.p.m. with balance weights would be raised to 4050 RPM. without. They are fixed at a small radius, and their contd :
  
  


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