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).
Production requirements and material specifications for M.40 engine camshafts, including hardening methods.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 109\3\ scan0136 | |
| Date | 26th May 1941 | |
| To Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH. c to HPS{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}: X c to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/OTS: c to Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}: c to Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/JD.{J. Draper - Frames} 700 TB/KNG.1/JT.26.5.41. M.40 Engine. Cam & Rocker Mech - Sec.5090. With reference to your memo Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/HH.3/SW.22.5.41, I note that you require us to produce 4 cast camshafts in alloy cast iron Nos. RE.2440, RE.2441, RE.2475, and RE.2474. ; the first pair (RE.2440/1) to be chill hardened, and the second pair (RE.2474/5) to be flame hardened. For your information I would point out that we are not in a position to do the flame hardening as you suggest, as we have no facilities nor equipment, and in any case some experimental work would be required before adopting this method of hardening the cam-tips. As you only require 4 camshafts I propose to cast them all as "Chill Hardened", in an alloy cast iron, which for specification purposes can be termed "Nichromol", and this could be incorporated on the drawing. On page 2 of your memo, information is asked for particulars under the headings (1) to (8) for incorporation on the drawings. Items (5) and (7) are all that need be put on the drawings, and the requirements for these are :- (5) Rockwell on tips - 40 to 50. (7) Material specification - "Nichromol". Before these castings are produced it will be necessary to have patterns made, and I should like copies of the prints before these are instructed. TB/KNG. L. D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} King. | ||