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).
Design of an axle system, focusing on hydraulic pressure, glands, lubrication, and component fitting.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\October1930-February1931\ Scan361 | |
| Date | 24th February 1931 guessed | |
| (2) ORIGINAL. We do not quite agree but after this speed of say 60 at 4" there should be as little increase in ball pressure as possible so as not to get excessive forces on the parts when the axle is following the road as quickly as is necessary for good road holding. If the car passes over a hump or sudden change of level we do not want it to receive a thrust upwards because of the excessive hydraulic pressure, so that the exchange valve or valves should be large enough with a short lift. No valve should be allowed much lift: I suggest .025. The construction we ought to adopt should be repairable:for instance the gland (Americans do not mind scrapping.) Also I do not think we should get an effective gland if we had to put the shaft into the already tightened gland even if the ends were rounded. So the gland would have to be tightened after the shaft was in, and also, a RR. construction must have the gland packing replaceable at overhauling time if necessary. It would therefore be preferable to put the shaft in place before the packing is put in the gland and the gland should be capable of being repacked. The smaller or back bearing has the same load very nearly as the front one so would need more area or better lubrication. We at WW. had arranged these bearings to be oiled from the low pressure side using the fit of the bearings as a check to the leak. This is a valuable and patentable idea and makes the horizontal type more lastingly reliable because the only knocking fit can be flooded with oil. It is only a little drilling. I should prefer then that the shaft and its inside lever were a permanent assembly so that the gland packing can be done after the shaft is in place. Therefore the outer lever should go on taper serrations. One thinks it might be possible to use a cylindrical fit for the inside lever on say a shaft about 1.125 dia. trusting to the bolts creating enough friction for the low pressure forces and a key (Woodruff probably) to assist it for the high pressure forces. The square as shewn would need a very powerful bolt to prevent minute movements so that possibly the larger dia. cyl. might be more secure and very much less expensive. The nut for the clamping bolt does not seem accessible: it would be better if arranged for box key. The hole for the shaft and the cyl. bore might be better if bored right through and plugged. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} would say. The gland would be as RR. sch. with plate and bolts, well worth the extra cost. We ought to arrange replenishing by pipe line from dash. The overflow might be the lubrication but I think we have arranged the lubrication of the connecting link from the back axle. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||