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).
Technical memo discussing future progress and improvements for various vehicle components.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\2January1930-September1930\ Scan117 | |
| Date | 14th May 1930 guessed | |
| (2) is to make the thermostat work at a much lower temperature than was our practice with P. 1. hand regulation. This is now possible with the better cold distribution and exhaust heated throttle. (4) CLUTCH. Before standardising the fabric carried driven member we ought to try to reduce its inertia because it was slower to change, and we do not like increasing the clutch brake much: it makes changing more difficult. I suggest, as previously, duralumin disc to mount the fabric, or very much thinner steel. (5) The L.H. item was the re-arrangement of some of the accessories for greater accessibility, particularly the petrol filter and klaxon to be transferred to the other side. Chromium plating has not yet proved a success with us. Has anyone, including the Americans, got it right? If we can satisfactorily use Staybrite for the radiator this would get over the doubt of the plating standing, and also there would be no need to alter the design for the sake of the plating process. FUTURE PROGRESS. (6) The long duration cams and slight increase in comp. ratio shewn by HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} to be better for high speed power are equally good for low speed, and will be slightly better for consumption which is now getting very heavy. This is quite an old idea and should be moving soon. It is better for valve springs as inlet is always the worst; we now also make inlet lighter, and although Austenitic steels are a disappointment we can still have the heavier pattern of exhaust. I am not altogether sorry because the Austenitic steel was not good for the end and guide. Can we have these items on test? They require nothing from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} or R.{Sir Henry Royce} (7) CARBURETTERS. It appears that we ought to have running several specimens of double and other carburetters for better high and low speed torques. I am very anxious to hear if Solex or similar Claudel pattern carburetters can be made to give passable consumption. We are proposing E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} shall have one of his assistants on a suitable aero pattern double carburetter for P.2. In the meantime we should be getting knowledge with temporary schemes. Naturally if we can find any good enough available in commerce we may not need to design. This I doubt and it would hardly suit RR. policy of being exclusive (i.e. not included in the common mass production crowd.) (8) Regarding the ignition timing we have always tried to give rather more auto-advance so as to give a sweet and non-detonating engine at slow speed. We should carefully watch this but it cannot be overdone as the pick-up seems then to want a stronger mixture setting, or the driver merely increases his hand adjustment and undoes our attempts, and has too much advance at speed. Even our own people do this. (9) P.2. will probably need, for both ourselves and USA., the free-wheel sideshaft, and also the 25HP. Especially does this apply, one thinks, to the USA. where they already have something, and less skilful drivers - i.e. greater proportion of owner drivers and amateurs, (like members of the family.) R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||