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 to J. Howlett of Wellworthy Piston Rings Ltd. discussing the merits and costs of different types of engine bearings.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\4\ scan0032 | |
Date | 10th November 1939 | |
1020a Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/MH.{M. Huckerby} 10th. November, 1939. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Howlett, Esq., Messrs. Wellworthy Piston Rings Ltd., Lymington, HANTS. Dear Howlett, Thank you for your letter of 7th. November. I am afraid, with very few exceptions, engineers will always be bad salesmen. In other words, we do not see the virtues of one particular article to the exclusion of any of its competitors. If anybody with whom we exchange information comes and asks me about bearings I always tell them the truth to the best of my ability. As far as I know, the only disparaging remark I made about AC.9 bearings compared with the 3-layer, in Mr. Hives' office, was that as at present produced it was very much more expensive, and on car work we had to consider expense. With regard to Fedden, I said that the 3-layer Babbit bearing had a figure of merit which lay somewhere between the ordinary Babbit bearing and the AC.9. In other words, it was an improvement on the standard Babbit. I never suggested that it was as good as AC.9. Obviously, if we thought it was as good, since the 3-layer bearing as produced by Vandervell is about half the price of the AC.9 as produced by Rolls-Royce, we should not have continued to fit the latter in our big-end bearings up to the outbreak of hostilities. I cannot see basically why AC.9 cannot compete with any bearing at present on the market with regard to price. | ||