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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 The Gates Rubber Company regarding the performance and failure of a sample belt under excessive tension.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 135\1\  scan0229
Date  27th October 1938
  
1135
File Fan Guard

CABLE "GATES"
DENVERCOLO, U. S. A.{Mr Adams}

The GATES RUBBER COMPANY
Sales Division, Inc.

Denver, Colorado
October 27, 1938

W.R. R/son

Rolls-Royce, Limited
Derby
England

Attention Mr. C. S. Steadman, Experimental Department

Gentlemen:

RE: Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.8/MH{M. Huckerby}

Many thanks for your letter of October 7, which was an excellent report, together with the returned sample belt No. 22S16 for Part No. EXS 194.

We were certainly pleased to read what you had to say about our belts and we feel that it performed very creditably. The engineers in both our Designing and Development Departments checked the belt over carefully and believe that we can help you still further with your problem.

The cords in the returned belt showed excessive tension which is, of course, due to the horse power pull you have put on this belt; but an even bigger factor causing this failure was the extremely small sheave you are using. To carry the load you are asking from this belt, it must be heavy. But, to run such a heavy belt over such small sheaves is defeating its own purpose.

If you will turn to my letter of March 4 you will note that our Engineering Department at that time recommended that if you possible could, that you go to larger sheaves on both these drives. Part EXS 194 needs, and should have, a seven inch sheave. If you will arrange to use such a sheave, I can guarantee you right now that the service you receive from our belts will be increased at least one hundred per cent. In all probability it will go even higher than that.

Frankly, Mr. Steadman, the problem you have given us is just about as tough a one as we have had to meet. Such an extraordinarily high horse power pull on a fan belt DEMANDS a heavy belt. In order to get normal wear from a heavy belt it must be run over a sheave large enough in diameter to eliminate excessive internal heat in
  
  


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