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).
Visit to supplier Thos. Firth & Sons Ltd. regarding failures and design issues with 20 HP road springs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\3\ Scan210 | |
| Date | 18th March 1925 | |
| By.from Wd. {Mr Wood / Mr Whitehead} c.to Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c.to GG/Fm X.4261 Wd {Mr Wood / Mr Whitehead} 2/NJ18.3.25. 20 HP.Road Springs. I was at the Works of Messrs.Thos.Firth & Sons Ltd. yesterday and read to them the remarks in Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 1/LG14.3.25. As you will quite understand they were disappointed and asked to be favoured with a full report and diagram showing where the springs failed as soon as such report is available. It is assumed that the springs reported upon are those of 36" centres, 650 lbs load, which were designed by Mr.Stansfield to take the place of the present standard type of front springs for 20 HP. chassis. Firths have within the last few days delivered to us some unequal ended front springs 38" centres of their own design, but generally in accordance with our blueprint F.53332, which are fitted with clip plates with the new kind of end, i.e., projecting about 1 1/4" beyond the centre of the clip. With regard to these clip plates, Firths remarked to me yesterday that they were delivered to them by Woodheads in a very rough condition and they were unable to do much in the way of removing scale, as this would have meant reducing the thickness of the plate, and they think it advisable to draw our attention to this. Another point they wish us to take note of is that our (R.R) design shows the plate which comes immediately under the clip plate to have speared ends and said plates have been made in this way, instead of being tapered down at the ends, although Mr.Stansfield's design does not necessitate the use of speared ends, there being room to leave the ends of the plate square. Wd. {Mr Wood / Mr Whitehead} | ||