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 George Angus & Co Ltd concerning the failure of 'Gaco' Seals during a long-distance endurance car test.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 99\4\ scan0162 | |
| Date | 24th November 1938 | |
| 428 TELEGRAMS: ANGUPLATE, ALD.{F. Allwood - Experimental Design} LONDON ESTD. 1790. TELEPHONE: AVENUE 5176 ANGUS OIL SEALS TECHNICAL LEATHER MOTOR AND ENGINEERING PRODUCTS GEORGE ANGUS & CO LTD 7. BURY STREET, ST MARY AXE, LONDON, E.C.3. HEAD OFFICE & WORKS NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE BRANCHES: LONDON LEEDS MANCHESTER CARDIFF BIRMINGHAM BELFAST GLASGOW JOHANNESBURG OUR REF. HEB{H. Biraben}/GH YOUR REF. - DATE. 24th November,1938 Messrs.Rolls-Royce,Ltd., DERBY. Dear Sirs, For the attention of Messrs.Day & Grylls. With reference to the conversation the writer had with Messrs. Day & Grylls when he called with our Mr. Cooper at your Works yesterday, we thank you for the opportunity of investigating the causes for the failure of 'Gaco' Seals tested on the long distance endurance car test. The hardening of the Seals can only be explained by thesealing members having been heated up for some time to about 450° F.{Mr Friese}, the cause of which may either have been excessive frictional heat developed due to the sealing members having been nipped between the shaft and the shell of the Oil Seals, or complete lack of lubrication due to the screening effect of the ball bearings in close proximity to the Seals. In order to get to the root of the trouble by a process of elimination, it was agreed that you will test further Seals in the same test car which is due to leave your Works on Wednesday next. We have instructed our Works to supply 2 off each of the following three sizes of Oil Seals:- Ref. 200/1.312" 225/1.500" 318/2.312" and to despatch these samples so that they reach you on Monday or Tuesday next, at the latest. These Seals will be of our latest improved design, ground on the surface in contact with the shaft and having a spring of lesser tension. We will also make sure that no nipping of the sealing members is possible and that the Seals are perfect in every way. | ||