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).
Meeting minutes discussing frame production changeover with supplier Rubery Owen and addressing manufacturing difficulties with the Wraith frame.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 113\5\ scan0043 | |
| Date | 29th January 1937 | |
| -2- RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}12/MJ.29.1.37.Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} built up a surplus of say 30 frames, which will enable us to make a complete changeover of all our tools and jigs without stopping production. It was impossible, Mr. Buckley said, for him to say there and then what transitional period will be required, but promised to go fully into the question upon his return and communicate with us after having had an opportunity of deciding how long it would take to get their shops in order for our work. (They have since informed us that they will be in a position to supply assembled frames in eight to ten weeks' time.) It was recommended that in the first place we should give Messrs. Rubery Owen an order for half a dozen frames to give them an opportunity of dealing with the various production troubles that would arise and also to give us an idea of the cost of manufacture as future dealings are dependent on the price these frames can be produced at and unless there is considerable reduction no useful purpose could be served in pursuing this further, and it was also agreed that we should arrange for our Inspector to be at their Works for passing the frames off for despatch and possibly have him there the whole time to make sure that assembly conforms to the standard required. It was also recommended that we should let Messrs. Rubery Owen have a complete chassis frame as a model during the initial stages of production, to assist them in arriving at a satisfactory standard of manufacture. In order to facilitate the change-over it was suggested that Messrs. Rubery Owen should send one or two men over immediately for them to get all the information they require which we would tabulate for them so that everyone at their end is familiar with the job. It was, therefore, left with Mr. Buckley to let us know when the men are coming. When they do come they can work in with our men and if they are not cleared in one day it was agreed they should stay longer. Wraith Frame. The discussion on Wraith centred round the difficulties which had been experienced in manufacturing the second experimental frame which was of the thinner gauge material, having .080 side channels and cruciform and cross members of .064 section. After going over the frame in the Experimental Department, the criticisms raised in memo. HP3.7/VS.{J. Vickers}19.1.37 were discussed, the various points being dealt with as follows :- (1) Both channels are inclined upwards from back of dash to front ends, so that the drop is only .175 instead of .375. Mr. Buckley was informed that the dimension .375 must be adhered to, this being important because it determines the vertical position of the front spring suspension. | ||