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).
Rivet failures on Phantom III & Bentley steel brake shoes and the proposed solution.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\2\ scan0368 | |
| Date | 11th December 1935 | |
| x206 To By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AFM.{Anthony F. Martindale}29/KW.11.12.35. Rivets for Ph.III & Bentley Steel Brake Shoes. We have had two cases of partial rivet failure on the rear footbrake shoes of Ph.III cars. We regard this as very serious, because in a few more miles the rivets would have sheared and the linings come right off. This has been due to the use of rivets rubbing on the drums. As this practice will have to continue when steel shoes are used until we can equalise drum and shoe temperatures by some better means, we will have to use a rivet material which will not fail. We have ascertained by analysis that the material we are using at present is a 60-40 brass with 2% lead. This brass is very difficult to rivet. As it would be difficult indeed to find a worse material than this for losing strength at high temperatures, we are hoping that you will be able to order for production a 70-30 type brass obtained from - The Bifurcated & Tubular Rivet Co.Ltd., Aylesbury, Bucks. The words "as used for Ferodo Ltd." should appear on the order. We have already discussed the matter with E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer}, and we understand that he agrees. Experiments are proceeding in this department as rapidly as possible. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/A.F.Martindale. | ||