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).
Challenges in replicating American spring designs with supplier Messrs. Firths.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 52\2\ Scan164 | |
| Date | 14th December 1927 | |
| Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Y4429 BY9/G.14.12.27. RECEIVED DEC 15 1927 Referring to Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /LG.14.11.27. your memo on its various items has had and is having the closest possible consideration, but obviously the first step is to obtain from Firths springs made precisely like an American model. This particular aspect of the case has been to the fore for over a month, but some difficulties have arisen in regard to getting the plates to lie flat, a point which I felt certain would crop up. We have supplied one of the latest American springs to Messrs. Firths for them to compare it against a spring which they have made to the drawings and OY's notes, which should of course have given identical results with the American springs. The fact that it does not seems to indicate that America are doing something in addition to the information which they have supplied. I have discussed the matter on the telephone with Messrs. Firths on one or two occasions, and suggested that I am prepared to go over and go into the matter thoroughly with their Mr. Stansfield at any convenient date. Further we have impressed upon them the need for quickly obtaining a definite solution of the problem, as we are most anxious to adopt the American design of spring, but obviously we cannot design new springs until we are assured that Messrs. Firths can from the information supplied by America produce springs of this type satisfactorily. BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} BY | ||