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).
Manufacturing methods for chassis propeller shafts, comparing butt welded tubes to drawn tubes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\4\ scan0049 | |
| Date | 14th December 1936 | |
| CHASSIS PROPELLER SHAFTS. Referring to RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}8/MJ.11.12.36, I have been pressing the advantages of manufacturing the propeller shaft from welded tube for the last six or seven years. I have even gone so far as to try to get Mr. Bernard of Tubes Limited to produce some parts and so far without success. The method of manufacture is to take a piece of cold rolled sheet which can be produced accurately within .001 for thickness all over the sheet. This is rolled into a tube and butt welded and then drawn through finishing dies. The result of this is that you have an accurately produced tube which cannot be obtained in any other manner. Drawn tube varies in thickness, allowances have to be made for this in the specification, as it is well known that such inaccuracies are inevitable as a result of the method of manufacture. In producing a propeller shaft from sheet which is rolled and butt welded, there is obviously a new design required, as the tube makers so far have insisted that they cannot swage down welded tube. This is a matter I put up on three or four occasions to Tubes Limited, who have insisted that it was not a practicable method. In order to prevent misunderstanding I would like to add that this type of tubing is not made by Tubes Limited. My suggestion was that Mr. Bernard should buy some tubes from the welded tube specialists and experiment with it by swaging the ends down. The alternative method which in my opinion is preferable is to use the butt welded tube and make special fittings for the ends. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||