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).
Summary discussing the application of Graphite Bronze and asbestos-based facings in clutch designs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 129\4\ scan0262 | |
| Date | 15th August 1938 guessed | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Re Vandervells letter herewith 1110. A brief summary of the position appears to me as follows - The only application we have for Graphite Bronze facings, is for replacements on an obsolete model, consequently the demand is limited, and we cannot hold out prospects of sufficient quantities to justify special plant. Meanwhile, the material from Cleveland is giving satisfactory results, and therefore I do not feel that we would be justified in carrying out further experiments limited to an obsolete type of clutch. With regard to future developments, while we do not regard existing practice as by any means final, we have an asbestos base facing which is very durable, and the heat insulating properties of this facing render it possible to use springs in the driven plate to provide cushioning, whereas with a metallic facing, whether driving or driven, it would probably be necessary to provide some other cushioning device on account of heat flow to the cushioning springs. We could consider preparing designs if we had more information about the possibility of applying Sintered Bronze to component | ||