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 'Kennedy Spring' method for lubricating leaf springs using brass interleaving.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\1\ scan0009 | |
| Date | 12th December 1926 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} K.2625 X3873 RE. KENNEDY SPRING. With reference to the method proposed by Messrs. Kennedy Bros. of lubricating a leaf spring from a single point by means of a brass or gun metal interleaving having central channels, concerning which we wrote to you on Dec. 24th. we should be glad if you would let us have your opinion, as you have no doubt had considerable experience of various forms of inter-leaving at the Works. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} is of the opinion that with brass inter-leaving the springs will rust unless enclosed in a gaiter because of the precence of water in contact with two different metals. He also thinks the brass interleaving will not stand up at the ends of the leaves under concentrated load. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} further mentions that the same idea was carried out by Brotherhood Crocker without interleaving, by providing channels in the leaves themselves. As regards the latter point some better material than brass could be used, and as regards the former the device would still possess the merit, even with the disadvantage of having to use a gaiter, of one point of lubrication instead of 4. If you think there is anything in this matter meriting further attention we should probably have to make a drawing of such a spring for actual test on a chassis. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||