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).
To Mr. Royce recommending the adoption of aluminium pistons, citing their successful use and weight-saving benefits.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 35\2\ scan 161 | |
| Date | 1st July 1915 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from EH. c. to J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} X.3400 COPY. WOr{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/EH2/LS.7.15. RE ALUMINIUM PISTONS. X.1506 (crossed out) X.2448 I am sending to Mr. Royce an aluminium piston. I have borrowed this from Lieut. Bentley from the Admiralty, who has been here inspecting the 200 HP. engine. Lieut. Bentley came here on a D.F.P. Car and he mentioned that they had fitted aluminium pistons for 2 1/2 years; he has used them on Brooklands and claims that he could get more power with them because they did not over-heat when using very high compression. The 12 HP. D.F.P. Car, 70 m/m X 130 m/m has done 90 miles per hour on the track. I have also seen an aluminium piston which is supposed to have been running 2 years on a car, there was very little sign of wear either on the body or in the ring grooves. They had trouble at first with the gudgeon pin working slack in the piston, they got over it by increasing the size of the bosses. I believe now that there are several people adopting aluminium pistons. Would Mr. Royce consider us trying some, as the saving in weight is enormous. ? EH. | ||