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 to supplier S. Smith & Sons regarding testing and specifications for a Smethermet bellows component and the return of a Calorstat.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 39\4\ Scan239 | |
| Date | 11th April 1931 | |
| Print to be attached 3499 Expl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/MJ. April 11th.1931. Messrs. S. Smith & Sons, Ltd., 173-177, Clifton Rd., Aston, BIRMINGHAM. For the attention of Mr. Eckford. Dear Sir, We thank you for the Smethermet which you supplied to us having the bellows compressed before being filled with 'J' fluid. We have now tested this out and consider the principle would be worth adopting if we could get somewhat more compression on the bellows than you have given us in this particular sample. In any case, what you have done is better than nothing and we should like all our Smethermets in future to be made in this way. In order to open our shutters as we should like in case the Smethermet punctures, the ideal situation would be for the bellows to have movement of about .400 and if this could be managed we could expect to get a load of about 12 lbs., which would be sufficient to ensure that the shutters would be well open. As you will see from the attached print, the bellows you sent us only moves .243. Perhaps you will be good enough to let us know whether anything further can be done and in the meantime we would ask you to treat our present production orders as per the sample submitted except that, of course, if we retain the existing filling as we do not at present wish to use 'J' Spirit. We are returning to you the Calorstat we have been testing and should like you to refill it for us and return it in due course. Yours faithfully, | ||