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).
Recommendation on the properties and testing of chromium-plated road springs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 119\2\ scan0301 | |
| Date | 31th December 1927 | |
| To BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} c. to HL. 8772 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RmL/LG31.12.27. CHROMIUM PLATING ROAD SPRINGS. /1360 With reference to BY7/G28.12.27. We recommend that we endeavour to get at least two pairs of front springs (40/50) chromium plated as soon as possible. We are about to start a prolonged bumping test on the 40/50 and shall break about five pairs of springs, so that it is a good opportunity to make a useful test of the standard spring chromium plated, we have at the moment no other type of spring that we can usefully test in this quantity. As far as our information goes, we understand that the spring leaves should be highly polished and freed from irregularities before plating, as chromium is so hard that the surface cannot easily be rectified if it is not perfectly smooth after plating is finished. The properties of chromium plating as we understand them are :- (1) The metal when deposited is harder than the hardest known steel and the bath need only be 30°C for max. rate deposit. It is actually being used in the States for plating camshafts to prolong their lives. (2) Its non-corrosive properties are so remarkable that in spite of the fact that it is at least twice as costly as nickel plating, it is rapidly displacing the latter for head lamps and other bright portions of the car and even displacing glass for reflectors. contd :- | ||