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 Wellworthy Piston Rings Ltd. regarding the manufacturing license and trials of A.C.9. bearings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\5\ scan0233 | |
| Date | 23th January 1939 | |
| WORKS TELEPHONE LYMINGTON 520 WORKS TELEGRAMS "WELLWORTHY" PRIVATE TELEPHONE LYMINGTON 232 MANAGING DIRECTOR'S OFFICE 1020a WELLWORTHY PISTON RINGS LTD., LYMINGTON HANTS JH/KES 23rd January, 1939. W. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Robotham, Esq., Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Robotham, Thank you for your letter of the 19th instant. I think the article is very good indeed, except that you will cause a great deal of trouble for yourselves if you do not mention the fact that the exclusive right to manufacture A.C.9. bearings in this country has been granted to us. You might be interested in the following. Although we were only clear of all the metallurgical difficulties about November of last year, we have, up to the present, delivered over 2,200 bearings to various manufacturers, mostly for experimental orders for which unfortunately we receive no payment, but I thought I would just point this out to you so that you can see the amount of work there is entailed in getting the job through all the experimental stages in the various works where it has been tried out. You will also be interested to learn that Bristol are giving this material a further extended trial and I have every reason to believe that their gear box bushes on the new engines will be fitted with it. After a discussion I had with Mr. Fedden and Mr. Butler last week, they have agreed to have a further extended trial on single cylinder units. I do hope, therefore, that you will make a point in your article that, while it has been developed and patented by your goodselves in conjunction with H.D.A., or whatever it is, the exclusive licence to manufacture and sell, as apart from your own requirements, has been granted to us, and that we are now actually in production. I asked your secretary, when I phoned this morning, | ||