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).
Use of Hardy Spicer universal joints with needle roller bearings for the Bentley chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\3\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 1st June 1933 | |
| G 54802 CPY X237. Sec 2. To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} E.1/HP.1.6.33. c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} re Universal Joints with Needle Roller Bearings. With further reference to the above, we now attach a letter of yesterdays date from Daniell, and prints showing the Hardy Spicer proposal for the Bentley chassis. Youwill notice that the joint itself is over an inch less in diameter than the Mechanics type, and that there is a saving in weight of 7½ lbs when the roller bearing type displaces the Hardy Spicer plain bearing pattern. The diameter of the propeller shaft tube has been given as 2½" which is ¼" smaller than the one we are actually using, but it is a parallel tube, and would not suffer so much variation as the swaged down type. The 20/25 joint centres, using a 3" tube are 54.9" and the Bentley joint centres are 52.8". Taking the squares of these dimensions the 2-3/4" tube looks a possible diameter. With regard to the sliding joint shown on the print, we do not like the small diameter of the serrations as the pumping load may be rather high. The other point we should like to modify is the attachment of the tube to the shaft ends with a view to saving some of the weight which is apparently brought about by the use of standard pieces. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} has looked over this design and agrees that we ought to have some of these needle roller bearing joints running experimentally. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||