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).
Minutes of a works committee meeting discussing the changeover from thick to thin leaf springs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\6\ Scan283 | |
| Date | 21th July 1921 | |
| MINUTES OF WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING. 21ST JULY 1921. Present - Hr Wd{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} BY Mr.Maddocks Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copies to - R CJ BJ C Hy{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hr Wd{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} BY Mr.Maddocks Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} --------------------------- CHANGEOVER OF THICK LEAF SPRINGS TO THIN LEAF TYPE. On receipt of certain correspondence re troubles arising with certain owners who wish to have their thick leaf springs changed to the thin leaf Type, it was decided to call a Works Committee to discuss this question. It was stated at this meeting that there were 1418 chassis with thick leaf springs at present manufactured. This is ignoring chassis in U.S.A. In addition to this there are approximately 100 sets of thick springs in the Stores at present. It was agreed that it would cost the Company £25,000 to £35,000 to make this complete changeover. It was also agreed by the Committee that if we were to put in the thin end of the wedge, by making a certain number of changes, it would be like a snowball, and even if we had not to change the total number of chassis it would, in any case, cost the Company a big sum of money and would leave us in addition with the 100 sets of springs in the Stores as scrap. The Works Committee are of the opinion that we should emphatically refuse to change owners' springs from thick leaf type to thin leaf type - (a) unless our original springs were faulty according to specification, (b) the owner is willing to pay not only for the thin leaf springs but the time and labour chargeable for the changeover, also the owner would not be given any credit for the thick leaf springs returned as they would be of no value to us. The Works Committee were also of the opinion that H's Dept., also all depots, should be given the latest technical information re effects of springing, so BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}, Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, and Mr.Maddocks are drafting a circular letter which will be sent to R.{Sir Henry Royce} and all depots. | ||