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).
Stiffness results of the Bentley III front pan.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 99\2\ scan0079 | |
| Date | 28th October 1937 | |
| To Sy. from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Cm. c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Cm.9/TH.28.10.37. 200B 427 RE BENTLEY III FRONT PAN. With the bottom plate removed from the pan the .104" frame gave a stiffness figure of 1000 lbs.ft/degree against 1420 with the plate bolted on and still 1420 with it welded on. Also welding the front ends of the gussets did not increase the stiffness. It would therefore appear that there is a limit to the stiffness which the front pan can provide. In view of the considerable reduction in stiffness obtained by removing the bottom plate of the pan, we consider that any reduction in the thickness of the pan would inevitably result in a weakening of the frame. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Clapham. | ||