Patent and design acknowledgements for the 20/25 HP S.U. type carburetter.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 31\5\ Scan203 | |
| Date | 28th June 1934 | |
| X1487 To Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and Wcr. from E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} E.11/HP.28.6.34. c. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Hy. {Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} ROY. {Mr H. Royce - Buyer} Wn. 20/25 HP. S.U. type Carburetter. It will be remembered that when we adopted a central guide for the air valve on the Phantom II semi-expanding Rolls-Royce carburetter we took the matter up with Mr Skinner of S.U. Co. and he desired that we should affix a plate on the carburetter at that time with the inscription 'Made under S.U.patents'. We then pointed out that S.U. had no patent on this guide, and although it was undoubtedly a special feature they had developed, the whole of the remainder of the carburetter was Rolls-Royce, and represented our practice as regards the design and conception of the air valve in particular which we had used since the very earliest days. Mr Skinner then agreed to accept a letter of recognition that we had used a feature which was a special part of the S.U. carburetter. He did however subsequently mention this matter to Lord Nuffield who expressed considerable dissatisfaction because he said our letter of recognition had no value. Mr Skinner has now approached us as to what we are going to do with reference to the 20/25 carburetter, which is practically an S.U. modified to suit Rolls-Royce requirements by using a Rolls-Royce type of piston valve and adjustable throttle edge slow running combined with an R.R. scheme, for which a patent has been filed, to allow the piston valve to be dropped for starting purposes. We have also used a scheme of our own for controlling the jet sleeve to do away with the external weep from the gland and redesigned floatchamber sealed and equalised by a passage communicating with the air inlet. The air inlet passage is also arranged to be an integral part of the carburetter. In spite of this the fact remains that the carburetter works on the S.U. principle and both Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and I are of the opinion that the best way in which to meet Mr Skinner's views would be to affix a small plate on the carburetter stating "Made under R.R. and S.U.Patents". We think this is only just, and that our | ||
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).