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 Air Associates regarding the features and availability of Reading aircraft batteries.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 164\4\ img227 | |
| Date | 26th February 1936 | |
| 5300 W. 63RD STREET CHICAGO, ILL. CABLE ADDRESS AIRSOC NEWYORK ALL CODES 86122. 1200 AIRWAY GLENDALE, CALIF AIR ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED OFFICE AND WAREHOUSE BUILDING 19 ROOSEVELT FIELD PHONES: GARDEN CITY 3800 VIGILANT 4-3800 [LOGO: AIR ASSOCIATES INC.] GARDEN CITY, N. Y. EXPORTERS MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS FEBRUARY 26, 1936. ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED, DERBY, ENGLAND. DEAR SIRS: ATT: MR. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} WEST. YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 12TH, ADDRESSED TO READING BATTERIES, INC., HAS BEEN REFERRED TO US AS OUR COMPANY ACTS AS EXCLUSIVE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SALES AGENTS FOR THEM. WITH THIS LETTER, WE ARE ENCLOSING A FOLDER DESCRIBING THE BATTERY IN THE TWO SIZES NOW AVAILABLE. LARGER AND SMALLER SIZES ARE BEING PRODUCED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. THE ESSENTIAL FEATURE IN WHICH THE READING BATTERY DIFFERS FROM THE STANDARD AIRCRAFT BATTERY IS THAT IN THE READING BATTERY ALL OF THE ELECTROLYTE IS HELD ABSORBED INTO SHEETS OF SPECIAL ABSORBENT MATERIAL WHICH ARE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE PLATES AND WHICH ACT AS SEPARATORS. THUS, THERE IS NO FREE LIQUID IN THE BATTERY AND IN THE CASE OF INVERTED FLIGHT OR DAMAGE TO A CELL, NO LIQUID CAN FLOW FROM THE BATTERY. OUR OWN DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, BUREAU OF AIR COMMERCE, IN THIS COUNTRY HAS APPROVED THE USE OF THIS BATTERY IN AIRCRAFT WITHOUT THE USE OF A SPECIAL BATTERY BOX OR TRAY WITH ABSORBENT MATERIAL, OR DRAIN, ALL OF WHICH REQUIREMENTS ARE SPECIFIED FOR THE STANDARD TYPE OF BATTERY BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF ELECTROLYTE LEAKING OR SPILLING FROM THE BATTERY IN EITHER NORMAL OR INVERTED FLIGHT. ALSO, SINCE THE BATTERY IS SO CONSTRUCTED THAT THE SHEETS OF ABSORBENT MATERIAL FORM WITH THE PLATES A TIGHT PACK IN THE CELL AND PRESS AGAINST THE PLATES OVER THEIR ENTIRE SURFACE, ACTIVE MATERIAL WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE DISLODGED FROM THE PLATES DURING A SCRUBBING ACTION OF GAS EVOLVED DURING CHARGING IS HELD IN PLACE IN THE GRIDS AND NO SEDIMENT SPACE IS REQUIRED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CELL. ALSO, SINCE THERE IS NO FREE LIQUID IN THE BATTERY, NO SPECIAL RESERVOIR TO HOLD SUCH LIQUID IN INVERTED FLIGHT IS NECESSARY AT THE TOP OF THE CELL. THUS THE PLATES IN THE READING BATTERY CAN BE MADE OF CONSIDERABLY LARGER SIZE THAN WOULD BE POSSIBLE IN THE SAME SIZE CELL IN AN AIRCRAFT BATTERY OF STANDARD CONSTRUCTION, GIVING A LARGER AMPERE HOUR CAPACITY POSSIBLE FOR THE SAME BULK. IN THE EVENT OF A CRACKUP, OR IN MILITARY USE WHERE THE BATTERY MIGHT BE PUNCTURED BY A MACHINE GUN BULLET, NO LIQUID COULD FLOW FROM THE | ||