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 from an oil supplier comparing the chemical properties of different engine and gear oils.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\1\ scan0021 | |
| Date | 8th September 1911 | |
| JVW/HP. Telegraphic Address, BELMONT, LONDON. CODES:- "A.I." 4TH 5TH EDITIONS "A.B.C" AND LIEBER'S. TELEPHONE NO POST OFFICE, 1560, WESTERN. Railway Station (Passenger) Clapham Junction. IN YOUR REPLY PLEASE QUOTE LOD. Price's Patent Candle Company Limited. Belmont Works, Battersea, London, S.W. 8th September 1911. Messrs Rolls Royce, Limited, Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Sirs, We refer again to your favour of 31st ultimo and we have now pleasure in handing you a copy of our chemists supplementary report upon the samples which they recently examined for you. We are sorry that they have been unable to determine the viscosity of Battersea Gear Oil B at 60°F as the oil is so thick at this temperature that it would take several hours for the required 50 c.c. to run through the small orifice of the Redwood instrument. We hope that you will be able to dispense with these particulars. Our chemists have repeated their determination of the free fatty acids in the sample of Engine Oil and find that the result already given has been confirmed. We have naturally been interested in consideration of the particulars which we have obtained of these oils and the following remarks occur to us. VACUUM ENGINE OIL AS COMPARED WITH MOTORINE B. These oils, in respect to appearance and physical properties are very similar. The difference in regard to viscosity, which is slightly in favour of our oil, is negligible and might be reversed by fresh samples. The difference in flash point and fire test, which are more in favour of our oil, are more important especially as they are confirmed by the lower loss by evaporation in the case of our Motorine B. The most important difference between the two oils consists in the fact that while V.O. show 9.34% of fatty matter (probably intended for 10%) of which we find that nearly all is free fatty acid, our oil, which is also based upon 10% of fatty matter, only shows 0.22% of fatty acid. We submitted some comments upon this question in our last letter and we can only add that if fatty acids are found to be good things in cylinders we, as the largest producers of such, Stearic Acid and of Oleic Acid, in the Kingdom, are in a favourable position to supply them. By way of throwing some light on the matter we propose to make a few tests with lubricants containing a larger percentage of free fatty acids in an old gas engine which we have here. We shall carefully note results and shall let you know what these are. GEAR OIL. V.O. seems a very good oil. So far as our tests go it is superior to our Battersea Gear Oil A.{Mr Adams} The latter, however, was adopted purely as a winter oil for use in frosty weather and its principle feature is its low setting point which is well below freezing point running between 25° and 30°F.{Mr Friese} Compared with our standard Gear Oil B the figures speak for themselves. Our object has been to give this oil as much body as possible while retaining sufficient fluidity to find its level in the gear case instead of being stuck in the corners like Grease. Handwritten notes: x967 (left margin), O.K. Sept 9. '11. (below signature) Stamp: RECEIVED 9 SEP 1911 | ||