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).
The operation, advantages, and development of the 'Spontan' braking system and transmission.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\4\ Scan050 | |
| Date | 21th September 1931 guessed | |
| SPONTAN an application of the brake therefore causes both shoes to turn slightly in the direction of the drum, compressing the spring until the braking effect, corresponding to the position of the operating lever, is arrived at. Fig. 21. If, for some reason, the coefficient of friction suddenly increases, the brake shoes are carried with the drum a little further, causing an additional slight compression of the spring. The result is an instantaneous relief of the pressure of the operating lever against the primary brake shoe, and sudden increases of the braking effect are thus avoided. The Spontan braking system, whilst forming a perfectly satisfactory alternative for the engine brake, has several advantages over the latter. Thus it is essentially safe. It is always ready for action and requires no skill in operation as there is no dangerous changing into low gear before or during a descent. 30 SPONTAN Due to the principle of the yielding anchorage having been adopted, a certain position of the operating pedal always corresponds to a certain braking power, and the danger of sudden seizures is entirely eliminated. Finally it contributes to fuel saving as the engine, when not driving, is idling slowly instead of being turned at a high rate of revolution with corresponding disadvantages. * The Spontan transmission is the result of prolonged and extensive research work carried out by the Research Department of the Spontan Company under the personal supervision of the inventor, Mr. F.{Mr Friese} Ljungström.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} The numerous problems solved involve very many points of interest which cannot possibly be dealt with in this little pamphlet. The Aktiebolaget Spontan of Stockholm, Sweden, which holds the patents protecting this invention in various countries will be pleased to supply further particulars on application. 31 | ||