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).
Visit to Dagenham to investigate Ford's Textolite timing gears and manufacturing processes.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\1\ scan0082 | |
Date | 6th September 1935 | |
X.4.11 To Messrs. From Ha/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} C. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} S. Dft. HC. Ha/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/KT. 6.9.35. x 3929. VISIT TO DAGENHAM. We visited Dagenham to find out what we could about Textolite timing gears. We were given a very detailed account of the difficulties they have had, which they attribute entirely to getting the material made in England instead of buying from America. We have full particulars of the specification which they now find satisfactory for their gear, the tests to which they subject it, and the source of supply. We shall get gears made in this material experimentally to compare with the Fabroil we are using. Once having got the correct specification, Fords' have had good wearing results from the material. As they increase engine speeds, they are having to increase the hardness of the steel gear with which the fabroil runs, the steel showing signs of wear first. Other points of interest that we noted were :- (1) The cyanide hardening process which is utilised throughout the factory for obtaining quiet "unground" gears seems a definite advance on carburising. It is much quicker and there is less distortion of the article as the temperature of the process is relatively low. (2) We were much impressed with the shaving, burnishing, lapping and silence testing machines in use. Considering the gears are unground, we think the standard of silence obtained for the time taken in production is remarkable. We hope to be able to borrow a 30 H.P. Ford shortly; it will be interesting to compare their standard of silence with our 20/25 gearbox. We tried the Lincoln against one of our Limousine 40/50's while we were at Dagenham, it was the same car that Mr. Hives drove. The silence, slow running, absence of torque reaction and smoothness at high speeds were all very good but we were definitely disappointed in the performance. | ||