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).
The testing of Whittle belts for an Aero Dynamo Drive, detailing performance issues and size recommendations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 55\2\ Scan053 | |
| Date | 17th April 1915 | |
| To R. {Sir Henry Royce} from Hy. {Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Copy to J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} Wor {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} /Hy {Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} 3/L17415. April 17th. 1915. Re Whittle Belts for Aero Dynamo Drive. X.493 We have now received the 3/4" Whittle belt for the above experiment and are about to commence running with the same. This belt has two thin raw hide links fitted in the centre as will be seen on the sample link which I send herewith. We wrote to the makers asking what the object of this was and if all sizes of belt were now fitted in this manner. A copy of their reply is attached hereto. We ran the 5/8" belt on 8 X 4" pulleys, the 8" pulley going at 1500 revs. per minute with a 2 1/4 HP load for 77 hours in all, and during this time it had to be tightened many times. The permanent stretch amounted to 1" in 15". The belt has also become smaller in section due to the pressure in the V of the pulleys and to slipping. It had to be kept very tight to avoid slip, too tight to be reliable. The 5/8" size seems just at its limit and almost on the point of failure with the load of 2 1/4 HP. The larger 3/4" size should be just about right and I should say the smallest size we could use with safety from failure by breakage or slip. We will report how this 3/4" belt behaves after running it. | ||