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).
Arguing against the proposal for plating road springs due to the risk of brittleness in the steel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\6\ Scan009 | |
| Date | 3rd January 1928 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} C. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} C. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} C. Hl. X1360 BY3/G.3.1.28. PLATING OF ROAD SPRINGS. ----------------------- Referring to my memo on the above subject, reference BY2/G.21.28. from further consideration I am satisfied that the proposal is not one which we ought to go on with. In regard to the question of the digging in of the plate ends or tips, as pointed out previously the American type spring should entirely overcome this trouble. In any case it is a matter that ought to be eliminated by better methods than merely plating. My objection to plating, as previously stated, is based upon the well ascertained fact that hardened and tempered spring steel is very liable to brittleness as a result of the plating operations, and it may just happen that we get through with one or two springs experimentally without trouble, and then run into an epidemic of breaking springs on production as a result of the process. Spring brittleness due to plating operations may be due to two distinct causes, but so far no positive method has been arrived at which will entirely eliminate brittleness, and therefore I consider that the time is not ripe for such a departure. If Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} and R.{Sir Henry Royce} are of the opinion that something should be done then I consider that experimental work should be carried out in the first place on valve springs. We should satisfy ourselves that we can regularly produce plated valve springs without reducing the life of the piece, and one would suggest in this connection that the latest type Condor spring would represent the best model to work upon. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||