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).
Gear breakage issues with the 'EAGLE' IX epicyclic gear and proposing modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\1\ Scan107 | |
| Date | 27th March 1925 | |
| XL4109 Re. c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} [struck through] BY7/H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 27.3.25. "EAGLE" IX EPICYCLIC GEAR. Whilst we cannot grind the whole of the gears in the epicyclic train, we ought, in my opinion, to grind the sunwheel and the planet wheels and planet pinions, because, do what you will, distortion sets up during the hardening process, which makes it extremely difficult to ensure getting a correct bed on the width of the tooth, particularly when dealing with the sunwheel and the planet pinion. We are in difficulties at the moment, and have been for some time, with Imperial Airways breaking their gears. As a matter of fact they are the only people who seem to break them, but when we get a gear back, it consistently seems to have poor bedding, and whilst with the service other people put on the gears they stand up, with the load thrown on to them by the Imperial Airways, they are certainly a weakness. I am putting the facts of the case forward as I know them at the moment, so that you might consider the question of modifying the gear if it is likely to come on for any little time. The modifications necessary would be quite simple and could easily be tried out experimentally. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} [Signature] | ||