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).
Testing report on improved Lucas voltage regulator and headlamp footswitch for the Wraith specification.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168a\4\ img007 | |
| Date | 24th May 1937 | |
| SECRET 6144 E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wst. c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wst.9/AP.24.5.37 Re. WRAITH ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. We have been testing two improved units which are so far promising enough we consider to be included in the Wraith specification. There is also a substantial saving in cost with these units. They are:- (1) Lucas L.R.7.T. Voltage Regulator. This is a new unit with combined dynamo cut-out and single contact regulator. The regulator has many improvements over the CAV. type we now use. It has Tungsten points, temper-ature compensation, and a double series winding which permits an extra heavy charge into the battery for a short time after a heavy discharge has occurred such as using the starter. There is also no danger of field resistance 'burn outs' occurring such as recently happened with four of our customers. By fitting this regulator and cut-out unit we should save at least 7/6. per chassis on the regulator price alone excluding the cut-out. (2) Headlamp footswitch. On our endurance test our standard foot switch performs very badly failing on the average after about 3000 operations. We have developed with Messrs Lucas a footswitch which gives us a consistent average of 40,000 operations before failure. One switch actually gave 100,000 operations without failure and when failure does occur it does not put the whole switch out of action but only one lamp. We have obtained strengthened contacts from Messrs Lucas and we fully anticipate obtaining at least 100,000 operations without failure on every switch. We save 12/9. per chassis by using this Lucas switch. We would like these two features included in the Wraith specification. In connection with the footswitch, we requested a scheme to be issued mounting this unit on the chassis, on the 8th. of April ref. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wst.18/JH.8.4.37 and a sample switch was sent continued | ||