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).
Design decisions for the Bensport engine, including blowers, drives, and supports.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 178\3\ img231 | |
| Date | 15th June 1932 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} ) C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WCR. BT.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} re. VISIT OF HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} & E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} TO WW. ON 14. 6. 32. re. BENSPORT ENGINE. BLOWERS. The two blowers were discussed and we think they both have advantages and disadvantages over one and the other, and if time permits we should try both. As the Powerplus seems to have done well on other cars, and it will probably be easier to get and apply, we think we ought toconcentrate on this to save time. (I doubt its life and reliability.) BLOWER DRIVE. It was arranged and agreed that we must drive the blower by a spring drive, preferably of steel, (because of the presence of the oil.) We should prefer a plain piece of small dia. tempered steel shafting, such as we use for our aero engine superchargers, but we may have to use laminated plate (magneto type) or some form of Oldham coupling, or the RR. modified Bibby type coupling, which we have tried on the aero engine. This latter seems quite good for the purpose. Owing to my strong objection to tilting the blower, which seemed to create a great deal of confusion and disorder, we ultimately schemed a mixture pipe that seemed to clear the supporting cross-member, the oil filter, and the oil relief valve, and we feel that if other obstructions are found of minor parts they will have to be modified to permit of the more important parts having a simple and clear way through. FAN DRIVE. We came to the conclusion that the fan drive should be in front of the fan, which seems to make a far simpler and more convenient position for the belt drive. FRONT ENGINE SUPPORT. We arranged also that the engine should be supported near the front on a substantial crossmember, which it seems necessary to have just in front of the engine. We might therefore be holding up the engine from the damper wheel casing between the blower and the engine crankchamber proper. The engine support and the torque will be taken by rubber surfaces which can be varied in degrees of hardness indicated by experiment. REAR ENGINE SUPPORT. The rear end of the engine will be supported by the gear-box as at present. There may be an auxiliary support of the engine, probably not too rigid, near the dash. This would be a convenience (1) R4/M15.6.32. Sent off 18. 6. 32. X4563. | ||