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).
Required alterations to easy-change silent gearboxes, specifically concerning the neutral position.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 104\4\ scan0014 | |
| Date | 2nd March 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} W. c. to Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} XS 310 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/RT. 2.3.31. X.7310. X.5310. X.523. R.R. EASY CHANGE SILENT GEARBOXES. In view of the information obtained from Dr. Maybach, it appears that we require some alterations to the existing designs at present being made. (1) 40/50. The fact that we cannot have a neutral position with the Maybach dogs does not affect the change for the silent epicyclic third on this box, because it is not designed to have a neutral position. The change to obtain the two silent lower gears easily, however, will have to be altered because it is essential that a neutral position shall be available and such a position is un-attainable with Maybach dogs. If we turn this set of Maybach dogs into a normal dog change with direct operation from the gear lever, the neutral difficulty will be removed and we shall have a gearbox that will give us a silent easy change third, and a silent second and first but without an easy change for these lower gears. (2) 25 HP. This box being designed so that it relies on the Maybach dogs having a neutral position if the lower gears are to be operateable, it will either be necessary to dispense with the easy change or re-design the box so that the Maybach dogs can be incorporated without a neutral position. Of course we may find, on the small car, that a straight dog clutch can be made to give a relatively easy change, but experiments we have made on the 40/50 have not so far been very successful. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||