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).
Adoption of harmonic crankshaft dampers and spring drives for a rationalised engine programme.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 132\1\ scan0104 | |
| Date | 10th February 1939 | |
| 1116. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Jnr.{Charles L. Jenner} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/R.10.2.39. CRANKSHAFT DAMPERS AND SPRING DRIVES FOR RATIONALISED PROGRAMME. The attached report is a summary of the work so far carried out as a result of our endeavour to (1) Dispense with a spring drive. (2) Adopt a harmonic damper as opposed to our existing Lanchester type. It will be seen that on the 8-cylinder, the necessity for a spring drive is largely dictated by the torque obtainable from the engine, on the six this is also true to a certain extent, but speed is, at the same time, a pre-dominating factor. With increasing outputs, it seems unlikely that we shall be able to dispense with a spring drive as we had hoped, if we are to retain the sort of reliability which has made our name. At the moment, we have not decided the type or proportions of the harmonic damper which is likely to suit our requirements best. We can say, however, that the two most promising types are those of the Buick and Studebaker, samples of which are available. We should like design to look into the simplest possible form of spring drive, preferably of the moulded rubber type, which would be applicable to both B.60 and B.80, and, at the same time, to tell us whether the Buick or the Studebaker type of damper fits into the design most satisfactorily. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||