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).
Trouble with Rudge-Whitworth wheels on 'Goshawk' cars and comparing them to Dunlop wheels.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 106\4\ scan0034 | |
| Date | 13th June 1922 | |
| X3599 from EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}26/H13.6.22. Re. RUDGE WHITWORTH WHEELS ON "GOSHAWK". With reference to your Roy{Sir Henry Royce}3/W12.6.22, attaching letter from Messrs. Rudge-Whitworth of the 8th.inst., as requested my comments on this matter are as follows:/ The fact remains that trouble has been experienced with Rudre-Whitworth wheels fitted to 7-G-II, and similar trouble was not experienced with Dunlop wheels fitted to other Goshawk cars, although the cars were fitted up by the same people and were also run by the same people. We can only say therefore that under the circumstances we feel that these wheels when in the hands of ordinary customers will give similar trouble. We appreciate that even with Dunlop Wheels they occasionally creak and this is overcome by tightening up. We find that when they have once been tightened and hammered up with a wooden mallet no further trouble is experienced. It would certainly appear that the question of tightness of these wheels may depend upon the surface friction of the cones, and this will vary considerably whether they are greased or lubricated. We do not think that the locking device of the Dunlop Wheel saves them from creaking. It would appear therefore that the R-W wheels might to advantage be made a practical proposition as compared with Dunlops if they adopted the same scheme of angle and size of cones. I do not feel from the report they have submitted that we should diverge from using Dunlop Wire Wheels as standard, at any rate for the first batch of cars. In the meantime we should encourage Rudge-Whitworths to submit further sample wheels for test purposes, which they consider in ordinary use such as has been given to the Dunlop Wheels on the Goshawk cars will not give any worse trouble than the Dunlop Wheels, and until we can prove this, I do not think we should use any other wheels than Dunlops. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | ||