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 the American branch regarding a misfiring Watford magneto due to bushing wear and a proposed material for replacement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 39\3\ Scan083 | |
| Date | 13th May 1921 | |
| x 3573 Cy4-G131521. May 13th 1921. Mr. Claude Johnson, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Ltd., London, England. Attention: Mr. Hives. Dear Sirs, x 2875 x 3573 x 2641 Re: Watford Contact Breaker. We are sending under separate cover a Watford Contact Breaker which has just been taken off Mr. Goddard's car 25-FW which had run only 3870 miles. The magneto was misfiring, due to wear in the bushing of the contact breaker. We find that after a mileage of 1000 to 4000, nearly all the Watford magnetos will show slack at this point - either between the pin and the bushing or between the bushing and the rocker. For service work we are purchasing some bushings in Bakelised linen similar to the sample recently sent to Mr. Claude Johnson, attention of the Works Committee, of which a sample is enclosed herewith. This is the material used on the Eisemann magneto and the Bosch battery ignition, and is said to be the best rubbing material so far known for this purpose. We are proposing to use this material for the plunger of the push button switch. We think it might be well to propose its use to the makers of the Watford magneto; particularly so since it is practically non-hygroscopic and therefore unaffected by climate. Yours truly, ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, Inc. (Sgd) M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley. MO/G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} | ||