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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).
Visit to Messrs. Lucas to discuss developments in voltage regulators, starter motors, and horns.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 179\2\  img270
Date  17th February 1932
  
ORIGINAL
To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/wst.
c. SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}
c. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer}
c. Ds. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}

Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/wst.1/ADSO. 2.32.

VISIT TO MESSRS. LUCAS
Y6018
Y6092

MR. Brock and myself visited Messrs. Lucas on Wednesday the 17th inst.

During the morning we went through the coil winding and condenser winding dept. and in the afternoon Mr. Brock went over to their Bakelite moulding works whilst I had a talk with Dr. S.O.Turner in the Research Laboratories.

Mr. Brock is arranging to issue a report on their production methods for coils and condensers and also the special methods they adopt for making moulding dies.

Amongst the many interesting items discussed with Dr. Turner were voltage regulators, starter motors, horns and/windscreen wipers etc.

With regard to dynamo voltage regulators he stated that they considered the C.A.V. model to be better than the Bosch. Their results with the C.A.V. had been very encouraging and they were experimenting with dynamos fitted with this method of control of output for the Lagonda and Rover Cos.

The initial bedding and setting of the vibrator contacts is most important and they adopt the method of running the regulators on an ordinary main alternating current supply for a short time for this purpose.

They definitely preferred to have the cut-out and voltage vibrator regulator separate units rather than combine the two as the Bosch Co. have done. Much delicate adjustment is avoided and more space can be allowed thus making for increased reliability. They recommended that we should obtain a C.A.V. B2 regulator for trial.

With regard to starter motors, they have standardised a self-lubricated bearing made by the Morganite Co. which consists of a bronze bush impregnated with a solid lubricating compound. We have obtained samples of these for examination.

They are now working on an automatic scheme of starting, whereby when the ignition switch is closed the starter automatically operates until the engine fires. This device is also being used on certain American chassis.

With regard to horns, they have now produced a new H.F. horn which is far and away the "loudest yet", and is guaranteed to be ideal for high speed touring. It is an improvement over the Bosch and Messrs. Lucas offered to let us have a sample for test on 19-SX.

Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/wst.
  
  


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