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).
Visit to supplier S. Smiths & Sons Ltd. regarding instrument failures and complaints.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 62\2\ scan0295 | |
| Date | 22th June 1934 | |
| 86135 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} VISIT TO MESSRS.S.SMITHS & SONS LTD., CRICKLEWOOD. We visited Messrs.Smiths on Thursday in order to discuss the question of failures and complaints experienced with their instruments on R.R. and Bentley Chassis. We were also able to inspect what progress they had made with our new instrument schemes. The most serious complaints have been with electric petrol gauges, due to sticking floats, bad assembly, rusting of parts in the petrol tank and breakdown of the windings in the meter on the instrument board. The majority of the troubles with other instruments were traceable to bad inspection at their Works and they are immediately taking steps to tighten up the inspection in order to minimise complaints in this direction. As a result of our discussion regarding petrol gauges they are :- (a) Cadmium plating the parts exposed in the tank. (b) Ensuring careful assembly of the tank units to obviate sticking. (c) Examining the possibilities of improving the method of winding the coils in the instrument meter to minimise electrical breakdown. | ||