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).
Uses and properties of Bakelite-Micarta in American electrical and engineering work.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 39\3\ Scan020 | |
| Date | 21th December 1920 | |
| X 3573 Q/2/G 21.12.20. Dec. 21st. 1920. Mr. Claude Johnson, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Ltd., London, England, Attention :- Mr. F.H.Royce. Dear Sir:- X.3513. X.1109. Re Bakelite-Micarta. After interviews with the Westinghouse engineers and General Service Manager here, at which Mr. Hives has been present, I think it would be well to lay before you one of the principal points which has been brought to our attention, namely, the extraordinary number of uses to which Bakelite, and especially Bakelite Micarta, is put in modern American electrical work and other engineering work, Westinghouse and General Electric Materials: The use of Mica has decreased considerably in electrical machinery, not only in that made by the Westinghouse Company, but in quantity electrical work generally in this country. Instead Japanese bond paper is coated with Bakelite varnish and "welded" under pressure, or else a fine grade of canvas duck is impregnated and subjected to pressure and heat. The paper-base materials made by the Westinghouse Company are know as Bakelite-Micarta while similar materials made by the General Electric Co. are called Bakelite-Dilecto. The materials with a duck base are called Bakelite-Micarta by the Westinghouse, and Continental-Bakelite by the General-Electric. Other bases are also used by the Westinghouse Co. under the genral name of Bakelite-Micarta, as for instance their clutch linings of canvas, asbestos and Bakelite, or chopped cork, asbestos and Bakelite, in which they appear to be closely approaching Ferodo, using sometimes brass chips or brass wire built into the material. Finish: Bakelite materials are used here for practically all distributor heads, fuse boxes, junction boxes, switch boxes, etc. and has a finer appearance than Stabilite as it comes from the mould with a bright smooth finish. Our coil boxes (actually of Condensite, which is practically the same material) are an example. Mr. Hives is bringing samples of these to England. Contd. | ||