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).
Resolution of camshaft troubles, proposed magneto drive modifications, and ongoing engine performance issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 43\3\ Scan144 | |
| Date | 16th March 1927 | |
| [Mirrored text from reverse] CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} [Handwritten] √4003 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/LG16.3.27. [Mirrored text from reverse] ROYCE ENGINES AND SPARES [Handwritten over text] √1389[illegible] F.10. camshaft troubles have subsided. We have run 18 hrs. on the hangar driving the camshafts by means of one 3/16" soft alum: pin instead of the usual serrations, without failure. We suspected that the nut on the top of the drive was creating sufficient friction to save the pin dealing with the whole load so we slacked off and immediately broke the pin. However, we consider that this was due to over-doing it and causing the pin to take the thrust of the bevel wheel. The fact remains that if the 3/16 alum: pin can drive the camshaft with this friction, the splines ought to have no difficulty. We can only conclude that the previous failures were caused by some sort of temporary camshaft seizure. With a view to improving the uneven wear on the wheel driving the magnetos and the failures which have occurred on their shaft, we are proposing to spring drive them as on the Condor. When this modification is complete there does not appear to be any reason why we should not run a Type Test. Cyl. joints and piston ring gumming up have given us no further trouble. We think we are overcoming the overoiling on the Condor, but petrol consumptions, according to Gibson, are not giving out very well in the air. They are getting 3.6 MPG. only or about 28 galls/hr. on engine 228. I am arranging to be in Paris on the evening of the 24th. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||