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).
Idler gear failures, comparing the reliability of fabroil gears to chain drives used in American cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 96\1\ scan0398 | |
| Date | 15th July 1939 | |
| 361 By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/R.15.7.39. IDLER GEAR FAILURES - P.III. Referring to Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}/SB.{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}1/MG.7.7.39., we are beginning to dislike fabroil gears. All the high-grade American cars are now using chains, including Cadillac, La{L. A. Archer} Salle, Packard and the whole Chrysler range. We have just got our first chain drive running on the six-cylinder engine. Personally, I feel that a short chain will be always more reliable than a fabroil gear because of the difficulty in getting a consistent fabroil material. I suggest that the Laboratory should be asked to make up a specification for fabroil gears, so that we can avoid big variations. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||