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).
Two different designs for a dynamic balancer and their potential applications.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\March1931-September1931\ Scan368 | |
| Date | 22th August 1931 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ) C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}. re. DYNAMIC BALANCER. R1/M22.8.31. x634. [STAMP: ORIGINAL] [STAMP: RECEIVED IX X XI XII] We have received your suggestions for the above, and in return send you the two designs we had made. In the first one the mass of the spring forms part of the inertia, and the laminated springs are opposed to one another so as to avoid any microscopic slack. The laminated springs have natural damping. This scheme on the whole we think would be better than you have suggested for the reasons given. While this was under consideration we made a much better and simpler design in which the spring is in the form of a round shaft of small diameter, as used in our aero work to drive the half time auxiliaries. The inertia mass is a simple wheel and the damping in this case can be anything one wishes by an adjustment of springs and weights, and can also vary in any proportion one wishes with speed by centrifugal loading. This therefore looks like the combined inertia and friction damper, and in a simple way would give us any combination we wished for with the least amount of inertia added to the crankshaft. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} is trying to make this into a practical design which we hope will be capable of being given an early trial. It looks as though we are in a fair way to getting the present engine smooth, and the Japan engine extra smooth. We think both the 1st. and 2nd. type of WW. damper worthy of a provisional patent, in the first case as novel construction, and in the 2nd. case as a novel combination. R.{Sir Henry Royce} ADDED BY E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} The dynamic balancer is not suited to our present engines which have the timing drive at the front end, since the balancer itself is not fit to transmit the drive, and with the drive taken solidly from the shaft a considerable inertia mass is added to the crankshaft system. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||