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).
Letter from Katalite Corporation regarding the application and performance of their product on car engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 74\3\ scan0347 | |
| Date | 22th March 1923 | |
| X4595 M Lewis from E.P. KATALITE CORPORATION COMPLETE EFFICIENT COMBUSTION 233 BROADWAY NEW YORK, N.Y. TELEPHONES • BARCLAY 5442 March 22, 1923. Mr. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Platford, c/o Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Derby, England. Dear Sir:- A couple of months ago the undersigned had an interview with you at our office regarding the principal features and characteristics of Katalite and its possible application to Rolls-Royce engines. You were kind enough to refer me to Mr. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley, Chief Engineer of the Rolls-Royce of America. Very shortly afterwards I called on Mr. Olley in Springfield, and we have catalysed the cylinder head of Mr. Olley's private car, a Hupmobile, with results that were very gratifying to Mr. Olley. I am authorized by Mr. Olley to refer you to him. After this successful demonstration, Mr. Olley ordered an application of Katalite to a Rolls-Royce engine. The last time I was in Springfield, approximately two weeks ago, Mr. Olley had not yet found the time to make a test on the Rolls-Royce engine, but he took me out for a ride in his Hupmobile and demonstrated to me himself what he thought to be a truly remarkable performance of his Hupmobile car, particularly the very easy starting in quite cold weather with a very lean mixture, throttling down on high gear to a speed of 3 1/2 miles per hour, etc., which performance, as Mr. Olley was confident, could not be duplicated or even approximately reached ordinarily with his car or any other Hupmobile car. We have started a series of very extensive dynamometer tests at one of the prominent universities in this country, and the preliminary results so far obtained have shown clearly a greatly improved fuel economy, increase in power and torque, and of volumetric efficiency, the latter being due undoubtedly to the very much cooler running of the engine. These tests are being continued and will in time cover, as we hope, every angle of this matter. | ||