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).
Summary of correspondence regarding the implementation of a strengthened rocker arm in a steering box.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 38\1\ Scan090 | |
| Date | 22th February 1922 | |
| [Handwritten note top right] AT. re Q We still don't know if it is a matter of risk to life. ? and E + W [Handwritten note top left] ? passim To BJ. from Py. Py16/D22.2.22. Re: Strengthened Rocker Arm in Steering Box. (1) On the 18th of November 1921 BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} asked R.{Sir Henry Royce} when the above improvements in design should be brought in, and stated:- (a) He could only trace three failures, -all in France. (b) The finished and partly finished parts to be scrapped would be £873. (c) The material in stock (value £973) was sufficient to take the Works up to the end of "R" Series. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} pointed out that it would be a considerable time before we could use the material referred to, and that it was not an urgent matter, as there were so few failures. (2) BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} wrote CJ. on 6.1.22. stating that he had looked further into the matter and found that by using the existing stock before bringing in new parts, the scrap would be reduced to £163. because we had 347 (9/6d. each) more steering nuts than Rocker Shafts, but that it would take a considerable time to use up the 630 sets of parts in stock. (3) E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} wrote BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} saying R.{Sir Henry Royce} would like to bring in the modification immediately, which would mean £163 scrap. (4) CJ. wrote R.{Sir Henry Royce} saying it was not a matter he could decide as he was not in a position to know whether the breakage was likely to bring about a risk to life. (5) BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} wrote CJ. on 4.2.22. saying that E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} had misunderstood the matter, and that £163 would only be the cost of scrap, provided we used up the 630 complete parts already manufactured. If the modification was brought in immediately, the cost, would be, as before stated, £873. (6) Notwithstanding (5), E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} wrote on 7.2.22. stating that R.{Sir Henry Royce} was still of opinion that the modification should be adopted immediately. R.{Sir Henry Royce} did not understand why so many parts were in stock as he had always advised laying down chassis in batches of 100 at a time. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Py. Att: Papers. [STAMP] RECEIVED MAR 13 1922 | ||