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).
Investigating a knocking issue from the rear spring and axle, detailing customer complaints, test findings, and proposing two potential solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 80\2\ scan0227 | |
| Date | 30th September 1920 | |
| Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} from BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. EFC. X.26286 C SEP :0 RECEIVED BY6-P30.9.20. CHASSIS - REAR AXLE. X.26286 & REAR SPRINGS & FITTINGS. ------------------------- EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}, has demonstrated to me a trouble which has recently developed, namely, a definite knock between the rear spring and the axle at the rear end of the spring. The trouble is accentuated on the present type of spring when turning a corner and swinging the car rapidly from one direction to another. The matter has become serious, because a number of customers have actually complained about it. The Test department find that the trouble will occur even with a maximum slack between the spring and the flanges of the roller carried by the spring bracket of .015". The wear rapidly develops, because at the moment the wearing plate fitted to the spring lifts the bottom plate of the spring almost clear of the roller flange, under which conditions the actual amount of surface available on the edge of the spring is very small and wear rapidly takes place. Two possible methods of dealing with the trouble occur to one:- (a) The spring could be located sideways on the wearing plate, providing the wearing plate itself was adequately connected to the bottom plate of the spring, under which conditions the wearing plate would be slightly wider than the spring and case hardened on the edges. (b) Mr Maddocks has suggested splitting the roller in the middle, so that the roller on which the spring rests is made up in two lengths, by which means packing could be introduced outside the flange of the roller to take up the slack between the spring plate and the flange of the roller on the inside. contd. | ||