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).
Interview with David Brown regarding developments in worm drive axles and their application.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\1\ scan0105 | |
| Date | 29th January 1937 | |
| GRY{Shadwell Grylls} 1013 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Sft.{Mr Swift} Ds. Hdy.{William Hardy} E.7/HP.29.1.37. David Brown and Worm Drive Axles. We granted an interview to Mr Merritt, Chief Engineer, and Mr Ritson, District Manager, of David Brown, to hear the latest developments made in connection with Worm axles. We are not seeking a change from our present policy, but as we were told that an advance in technique had been made on the worm drive, we were interested to know what it was, and if any of it was applicable to bevel drive axles. Actually very few cars are using worm drive in this Country, Daimler, Lanchester, and the new Autovia, whilst so far as we know there is no car at present on sale with this feature in the United States. There are of course many commercial vehicles so equipped. David Brown's say that they supply about 50% of the Daimler Lanchester requirements, the other 50% being of the Globoid type produced by Daimlers themselves. They claim there is practically no advantage in the Globoid form of worm either by the Lanchester or the Bostock and Bramley patterns, and that these types are in fact much more difficult to get right, and keep right. The biggest changes that David Brown appear to have introduced are greatly increased rigidity of construction, an air cooled oil sump of ample proportions, worm wheel teeth cut to give even pressure distribution under load, and a ground and polished worm. From our point of view the final summation of the job appears to be that although the worm drive would eliminate all pots and tunnels in the rear floor the limiting dimensions of the centre box with an unsprung axle do not permit the rear seat cushion to be dropped any | ||