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).
Page from 'THE AUTOCAR' magazine discussing vehicle bearings, hubs, and commercial vehicle use.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 20\7\ Scan017 | |
| Date | 6th April 1912 | |
| 636 THE AUTOCAR April 6th, 1912. is being continually experienced with bearings shielded only in this way. I quite agree that the arrangement for excluding water shown in fig. 2 with the canister lid{A. J. Lidsey}, is better than that shown in fig. 1, but I do not consider that even this is sufficient to prevent moisture getting in. With reference to Mr. Pugh's criticisms on the arrangement shown in fig. 25 in the paper, the first one of extra weight and cost is one which I leave to the commercial policy of motor car manufacturers. If it is proved by actual experience that this arrangement is necessary for the satisfactory running of front hubs, it would appear to me that this objection will be outweighed. The second point is answered in the same way. As regards the adjustment of the thrust bearing employed, it is true that this is open to the objection that it may be badly adjusted, but in this case it is mounted on an independent sleeve, and can be properly adjusted on the bench and locked in position. This adjustment is not in any way interfered with by the subsequent assembling or taking to pieces of the hub. I quite agree that there must be a certain amount of slip in ball bearings, but it does not appear to play any part as a cause of failure in them. Mr. Pugh takes the effectual contact between the ball and the race at about one-tenth of the diameter. This may be approximately correct, but it must be evident that the intensity of pressure, as pointed out by Dr. Hele-Shaw at the meeting, is only at the centre of this band, and the pressure towards extremities must be very little. Referring to the double thrust, my fig. 32, I pointed out that this was not correct in theory, but was found to work well in practice. The end disc nut, shown in the end of the hub shell locked in position by three screws and a split pin, has also been found to work well in practice. No adjustment whatever of this nut is needed. It should be once and for all screwed tight home. In conclusion, Mr. Pugh's criticisms appear to be based somewhat on theoretical considerations; and, although no doubt this is one way of looking at the matter, yet the recommendations made in my paper are based wholly and solely upon the results of practical experience of ball bearings on motor cars of all types and makes extending over the last eight years. These points are much more brought home in connection with motor cars used for commercial purposes, taxicabs, delivery vans, omnibuses, etc., as the mileage they run on an average is considerably in excess of that of touring cars, and the experience so gained should be of value to those motor car firms who are desirous of turning out thoroughly reliable cars. A Chauffeur's Models. | ||