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).
Letter discussing the benefits and application of chromium plating for engine valves and cylinder bores.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 150\1\ scan0057 | |
| Date | 30th October 1935 | |
| ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION THAMES HOUSE, MILLBANK, LONDON, S.W.1. Handwritten note: Please reply & thank him for his note. Say we are trying out a block. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} COPY TO: W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham Esq. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Wood Esq. R.H.Coverley Esq. 30th October, 1935. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} W. Hives, Esq., Experimental Department, Rolls-Royce Ltd., Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, With reference to the question of chromium plating exhaust valves and cylinder bores, etc., we think that, as chromium has such a high resistance to attack by the various lead products, it would be very well worth your while to try out some chromium plated exhaust valves and perhaps, at a later stage, cylinder bores. In the case of the latter, there is no doubt that a chromium plated cylinder shows an extraordinarily high degree of wear resistance, and it would no doubt obviate the necessity of treating engines, which have run on leaded fuels, with all these fancy anti-corrosion mixtures. We have come across a man who seems to do a very good job in the chromium plating line, and although he admits that he does not know everything about it, he must obviously do a good job of work because the Lister Company, and also the Rover Car Company of Coventry, have both bought a licence from this man and have installed plant along the lines suggested by him in order to chromium plate cylinders. In the case of Rover's they are, I understand, going to plate cylinder bores direct in the blocks, and in the case of Lister's, who employ cylinder liners, the liners are being treated in this manner. As a matter of fact, this man apparently prefers, in the case of automobile engines, to treat the block rather than the separate liners because, he states, it is a cheaper process to carry through from the car manufacturer's point of view. His name and address are as follows:- Mr. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Van der Horst, 11-13 Heerenstraat, HILVERSUM, Holland. | ||