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).
Various gearbox designs and manufacturing considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 137\5\ scan0103 | |
| Date | 3rd October 1930 | |
| ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. [Handwritten in blue ink: W] [Stamp: RECEIVED 13 P...] [Handwritten in red ink: Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}] Oy-1 October 3, 1930. Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Derby, England. Attention: Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Gearbox - Sec. 6030 Mr. Dyer of Gear Process Inc. specialists in the "pot lapping" process which is being used at Derby, was in to see me today and brought up some matters which seem to demand the attention of Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} during their visit. Briefly - (a) The "spool" gearbox (of which a sample is now on the way to Derby) is not by any means uncontested at the present time. (b) The double-helical scheme of Bethune, used by Reo and Pierce-Arrow (and tried at Derby and Springfield) is not holding its own, on account of manufacturing difficulties. (c) The Panhard scheme (see "Omnia" July 1929, page 100) is developing rapidly in the very shops that were specializing on the spool type (internal gear). The reason is (according to Dyer) that the spool gearbox costs too much (e.g. about $30 a box against $17-20 for a "classical" design), and that the manufacture of silent double helicals, even in the hands of specialists like Brown-Lipe, has proved inconsistent and expensive, in other words, scrap percentages and rejected boxes have been running 40% to 50%. Studebaker in their "free wheel" box (in production since April) have used single-helical constant-mesh and second speed, with a dog-clutch shift. Warner and Detroit Gear and Machine are both in process of switching to the single helical constant-mesh and second (or third). Experimental boxes with single helical gears throughout (except reverse) are in process by several makers (General Motors are said to be going to the single helical). (Continued) | ||