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).
Expressing dissatisfaction with the design of Dunlop wire wheels and suggesting alternatives from Rudge-Whitworth, Riley, and Sankey.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 159\1\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 27th April 1921 | |
| To BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. c. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to De. c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} X3725 R5/G27.4.21. X.3725 - RE DUNLOP WIRE WHEELS FOR "GOSHAWK 11" BY5/P22.4.21. With reference to Dunlop wire wheels, we are very definite in our impressions that these, as shewn on the drawing sent to us, would not give satisfaction. One has only to look at the 100° angle which is intended to carry the weight to see that such an angle would most certainly cause movement and wear between the hub and the wheel. It will be remembered that when the Dunlop wire wheels first came out we redesigned those intended for our cars, and introduced a much slower taper that would carry the load of the car much more easily. This has been proved to have been a good scheme, and we are certain to be successful, the smaller sizes should be made with equally good, or still better features, by giving a longer serration still, and a slower rate of cone. It would be asking for trouble to adopt the Dunlop wheel as shewn, and we think we must look up an alternative of the Rudge-Whitworth, Riley, and Sankey, and what these people have to offer as an alternative to the disc wheels, which we CONSIDER THE SIMPLEST standard to adopt, unless a customer insists on something different. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||