Their design is similar, if not identical, to that of the pre-war Raleigh Record Ace. The pattern referred to by Peter was intruduced for the RRA model after the war.
Those of you who are in the V-CC can access the V-CC Library via the National Cycle Museum (see link below); if you search "Raleigh Catalogue", and then open the 1935 catalogue, and scroll down to the RRA page, you'll see the RRA illustrated with the early pattern of chainwheel. I suspect that the 1930s RRA chainwheel pattern was used after the war for slightly lower-grade sporting models.
http://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:30:05 -0500
> From: hmsachs@verizon.net
> To: CoteVT@gmail.com; kohl57@yahoo.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR] Quality in steel cranks...was RRA crankset..
>
> Thanks, Peter Kohler, for pointing out Alan Cote's error, that his
> cranks for sale (eBay 180454670191) are lower line Lenton rather than
> Raleigh Record Ace, and for the reference to your pictures of the actual
> RRA cranks http://tinyurl.com/
>
> Given Alan's notes on the history of the item, I'm sure it was
> inadvertent. Still, for those grounded in cotterless aluminum who wonder
> how us old guys find some of the legacy steel so attractive, it's
> worthwhile to look at both pairs of cranks. I call out two differences:
> The first is construction. The real RRA is a forging, as used also by
> Magistroni, Stronglight, and others for their top-line units. Note the
> smooth fillet where spider joins arm. The Lenton attaches a stamped
> spider with a forged (or cast) crank with a splined fitting, a much less
> expensive manufacturing operation. The other difference is aesthetics.
> The RRA just plain has grace of form. slender everywhere, honoring the
> strength of the material and manufacturing process. The Lenton just
> plain looks cruder with its large circle of sheet metal surrounding the
> spline fitting.
>
> One of my favorite steel cranks is the late cotterless Campagnolo 3-arm,
> although I think the RRA is even prettier. Personally, I think I prefer
> the Paramount to the RRA. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the
> beholder, but construction methods are objective.
>
> harvey sachs
> mcLean VA