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).
Letter to Toledo Woodhead Springs Ltd. regarding spring interleaving materials, costs, and new Bakelite tips.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\2\ scan0168 | |
| Date | 18th November 1938 | |
| 1305 Experimental Dept. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/AFM.{Anthony F. Martindale}2/MH.{M. Huckerby} 18th. November 1938. Toledo Woodhead Springs Ltd., Toledo Spring Works, SHEFFIELD, 1. Your Ref. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HCK. Attention of Mr. F.{Mr Friese} Woodhead. Dear Sirs, With reference to your visit here on Wednesday last, the writer went to see Ferodo Ltd. the next day and in a fort-night's time there should be a sample of interleaving for inspection. It might be as well to go over there to see it. We stressed the importance of economy and have insisted that the lightly loaded portions shall be just what they are now, i.e. cardboard impregnated with wax, as this is the cheapest interleaving that we can imagine. Mr. Longley stated that the cost of such cardboard would be about 1d. per foot which, if correct, leaves a little money in hand to help pay for the six toughened tips (about 11d.). The cost of the present tips will not be negligible as we imagine you will find out shortly. The tips we are having made will be the same thickness as the cardboard and will be spliced on. They will consist of a woven fabric impregnated with a kind of Bakelite compound. The durability should be about six times the present. This can be reduced to any desired amount. The present tips are finished once the cotton is worn through, as the cardboard inside it has no strength. The life of the tip is proportional to the thickness of the cotton. By making the tip homogeneous the life will be increased consid-erably. | ||