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).
Recommendations for marine engine auxiliaries, mounting, and gearing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 133\3\ scan0092 | |
| Date | 10th January 1940 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AA.{D. Abbot-Anderson}/T.10.1.40 -2- A bilge pump, with a clutch for engagement, should be incorporated in the engines. This pump should be, if at all possible, capable of pumping out bilges throughout the length of the ship, but it must at all costs keep the space underneath the engines dry. A larger pump, of course, is fitted elsewhere to cope with any emergency which might arise in heavy weather, this is hand operated. I have seen a number of motor yachts burnt out due to blow-back from the carburetters igniting petrol vapour which had been rising from the accumulation in the bilge underneath the engines. A sump pump is also essential, as it is impossible to drain a marine engine as one does a car. This pump is of the hand operated type, and I think could be easily fitted. Starting can be of the usual electric car type, but a starting handle must also be incorporated, the usual method being a starting handle fitted on a bracket above the engine, connected to the crankshaft by a chain drive through a free wheel on the crankshaft. Handed engines are a nice thought from the point of view of accessibility, but as few adjustments are essential during a season's running, I do not think that the increased cost of doing this work is warranted. Handed propellers are almost essential, they improve the manouvreability to such an enormous extent. This handing can be done quite simply through the gear boxes. Engine mounting is usually done on rather stiff rubber blocks, resting on stout engine bearings running a considerable length of the hull. If the mounting was similar to that used on the Wraith engine, two universal joints would have to be incorporated in the propeller shaft. This is not the usual practice because the movement of the engine is so restricted that it is only essential for one universal to be employed behind the gear box. I would suggest reduction gears of 1.5 : 1 or 2 : 1. | ||