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).
Suggestions for detail design simplification and rationalisation of the chassis and B.80 engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\2\ scan0388 | |
| Date | 3rd November 1943 | |
| Chassis 1044 Private and Confidential. B3. Psn. 2/MD. 3.11.43. To:- RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} M/LS. Blny. WG.{Mr Gill - Financial Director} c.Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c.Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Detail Design Simplification to Rationalised Chassis. Based on the photographs which we have received from you in folders entitled "Weight Analysis Continental Bentley 5 Chassis" and "Weight Analysis of B.80 engine", we put forward the following detail design simplification suggestions for consideration and discussion. Although the B.80 engine is very much simpler in its main conception than anything we have built before, I consider we can still go a lot further in the simplification of the details of the design. It should be appreciated that these comments are based on the photographs only, and that some of the points may already have been covered by notes on the detail drawings which have not yet been received, but which we trust RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} will be sending up as soon as possible. The materials used are only given in detail in some of the chassis sections and not on the engine sections, but based on the materials used on the chassis sections, it appears that standard aero engines materials are in general being called for. (1) All ordinary nuts, bolts, studs and washers should be made to B.S.S. standards, in carbon steel instead of Nickel Steel. It might be cheaper to buy all these out. Cold headed bolts and thread rolled studs should be used whether made by ourselves or not. (2) B.S.S. standards should be used wherever possible, for all minor parts. (3) Commercial quality free cutting mild steel should be used for all unstressed mild steel parts. (4) I am definitely of the opinion that it should be possible to build the entire chassis with very few alloy steel parts. The vast majority of parts on both the chassis and the engine, including items such as connecting rods, should be made from carbon steels. Where alloy steels are essential, some of the E.N. type of low alloy steels should be used. (5) The crankshaft should only be machined on the pins and journals and the webs should be left in the as forged condition. (Contd.) | ||