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).
Article detailing new Smith post-war lighting, starting, and combination dashboard accessories.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\5\ 05-page021 | |
| Date | 21th December 1915 | |
| The Motor X. 295 495 21st December, 1915. POST-WAR ACCESSORIES. New Smith Lighting and Starting Set. Combination Dash Fittings, Including Bezel Wind Switch, Clock and Speedometer. MANY of the new accessories manufactured by S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories), Ltd., of Great Portland Street, show a decided improvement over general pre-war products, and we are able for the first time to describe and illustrate these. They consist of a new lighting set and self-starter fitted as a dual unit, an elegant and at the same time novel type of switchboard which harmonizes with the new clock and speedometer illustrated. The trend of the past has been for a dummy dashboard to be fitted close up to the driver's vision, and the difficulty has been in many cases to find instruments that would sufficiently harmonize to give a symmetrical appearance. This Messrs. Smith and Sons have undoubtedly accomplished, and in order that the outfit should be as complete as possible they can also supply an oil gauge which will harmonize with the rest of the fittings. Perhaps it would be more logical to deal with the lighting and starting system first, and, realizing that within the last few years it has become an almost essential accessory of the car, Messrs. Smith and Sons have given very considerable attention to the development and perfecting of the electrical equipment. The post-war Smith lighting and starting system contains many new features and improvements. The dynamos and starter motors are constructed and arranged in sizes which are expected to cover all requirements from the largest touring car to the smallest cyclecar. The dynamo is of the constant current type, and is constructed under the T and M patents, the rights of which Messrs. Smith and Sons (M.A.), Ltd., have acquired. It is cylindrical in shape and of neat appearance, and each machine is provided with a cradle for holding in position, and the dynamo can be detached by simply undoing two screws which hold the spring steel straps united. Vibrating contacts are eliminated, and the regulation of the current is entirely automatic, and it is claimed that by a special process the heating of the armature that is bound to take place has been very materially reduced. The ratio of drive between engine speed and dynamo recommended is 1 1/2 to 1, which gives a low cutting in speed, and the output curve of the various dynamos shows a rapid rise to the maximum value when the output remains more or less constant. Taking the model No. 3, which is a 12 volt 10 amp. size, we find that this cuts in at 550 revolutions, delivering 4 amps. at 700 revolutions, 7.5 amps. at 850 revolutions, and reaching its maximum output of 10 amps. at 1100 revolutions. From the general view of the machine, which shows the dust cover removed, (1) The Smith speedometer (flush fitting). (2) Smith's "bezel-wind" switch. (3) Smith's bezel-wind motor clock (flush fitting). (4) The Smith speedometer (flush fitting—side view). (5) The Smith dashboard, combining the Smith bezel-wind motor clock, the Smith "bezel-wind" switch and the Smith speedometer. (6) The Smith dashboard, reverse view, showing method of fixing the instruments mentioned above. 826 | ||