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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).
Chart detailing piston development and failure analysis for a 3½ Litre Bentley engine.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 86\2\  scan0147
Date  2nd November 1933 guessed
  
FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER 1933
PISTON DEVELOPMENT. 3½ Litre. BENTLEY. (FRANCE)
H.S. 1198

TABLE COLUMNS: PISTON, UNIT, MILES RUN (1000 to 10,000), FAILURE

ROW A:
PISTON: PIECE No E.56610 C'CASE ALLOY. SHRUNK-ON GUD. PINS. CHASSIS 1.B.III DESPATCHED TO FRANCE 8-2-'33.
UNIT: SPEC: C.XIII, RHC{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}/WSC{W. S. Cassel} 4/AP 9-3-'33, CYL. BLOCK. SHORT TYPE BARRELS.
MILES RUN EVENTS: At ~2800 miles: No. 6 PISTON BROKEN ABOVE GUDGEON PIN. At ~3200 miles: No. 5 PISTON CROWN ADRIFT.
FAILURE DIAGRAM: Shows a FRACTURE across the top of the piston below the rings.

ROW B:
PISTON: PIECE No E.57122. SHRUNK-ON GUD. PINS.
UNIT: SPEC: AS ABOVE.
MILES RUN EVENTS: At ~4800 miles: No. 3 PISTON SKIRT FAILURE.
FAILURE DIAGRAM: Shows a fracture on the piston skirt.

ROW C:
PISTON: PIECE No. E.B.495 T/O 404 DIE CAST Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} BEDDING SHRUNK-ON GUD. PINS. CHASSIS. 1.B.IV.
UNIT: SPEC: B.IV(A), RHC{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}/WSC{W. S. Cassel}7/AP 17-7-33, CYL. BLOCK, LONG TYPE BARRELS.
MILES RUN EVENTS: At ~8800 miles: No. 5 PISTON SKIRT FAILURE, Nos 3, 4 & 6 CRACKS STARTING FROM HOLES AT THE END OF THE HORIZONTAL SLOT.
FAILURE DIAGRAM: Shows a sectioned piston with a large portion of the skirt broken away.

ROW D:
PISTON: PIECE No E.B.495 F/F 404 DIE CAST GRINDING Ex 11480 SPECIAL HEAT TREATMENT (CHILLED FROM THE DIE) SHRUNK-ON GUD. PINS. CHASSIS 1.B.IV.
UNIT: SPEC: B.II(B), RHC{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}/WSC{W. S. Cassel}1/AP 23-9-33, CYL. BLOCK, SHORT TYPE BARRELS.
MILES RUN EVENTS: At ~5500 miles: PISTONS COLLAPSING Nos 4, 5 & 6 SPLIT CLOSING UP. At ~8800 miles: No. 6 PISTON CROWN ADRIFT, FAILURE ABOVE GUD. PIN BOSS.
FAILURE DIAGRAM: Shows a sectioned piston with CRACKS indicated at the gudgeon pin boss.
  
  


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