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).
Investigation into slipper drive failures on a New Phantom chassis, test No. 53-UF.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 66\4\ scan0099 | |
| Date | 22th December 1927 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} c. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} X8300 EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}7/H22.12.27. re. NEW PHANTOMCodename for PHANTOM I SLIPPER DRIVE FAILURES. We recently had a chassis on test No. 53-UF, which was passed as satisfactory, and later, owing to it being (according to our records) a fairly good chassis, was allotted as a Trials car, and was re-tested, six weeks having elapsed between this test and the previous final acceptance test. The latter test revealed the engine to be hopeless, and suffering badly from engine roughness and engine gear thrash, obviously due to faulty working of the slipper drive. The engine front was dismantled and the slipper drive found to be tacky, although the friction surfaces had the latest modification. The steel surfaces were also slightly grooved due to what would appear to be foreign matter bedding itself into the friction discs. These surfaces were re-polished and fresh bakerlite washers fitted, re-erected, and the engine was then passed as quite satisfactory. CWB. tried this chassis on its final test and when it was faulty, and now reports as follows:- "It is certainly very remarkable the difference which it appears possible for the slight want of freedom in the slipper drive to cause, and if it is only the slight tackiness of. this which was the whole cause of the trouble, the slipper drive question is of paramount importance as you mention." I bring this to your attention, it having been explained to me that the question of the slipper drive change is having the urgent attention of the Experimental Dept. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | ||