Reflection on engine damper design and a discussion on the function of balance weights, with references to Lanchester and GM.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img092 | |
| Date | 21th July 1931 guessed | |
| It seems to me this is a clear case where mathematical analysis would have have made a vast difference and would have the whole world paying royalty to RR Ltd. The original R.R damper with circumferential springs was essentially a harmonic balancer, but, not understanding what they had, R.R let Lanchester get the pickup on an inferior device, and actually produced it themselves. Thus missing their chance at enormous royalties & spending huge sums in service work while producing an inferior degree of smoothness on all their product. Even now I think photographs or samples of the original R.R damper would protect RR from all proceedings & would shake all existing patents. © Balance Weights Mr Gilbert (Research Engr) writes- "I think it is safe to say that in all cases of G.M cars the balance weights are purely for the purpose of increasing bearing life." (I would add - and decreasing crankcase distortion). "In the short stiff type of shaft as used on most of the G.M cars, I know of no advantage in using a larger no. of weights. "It is conceivable if a crankshaft were rather | ||
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).