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).
Laboratory starter rig for observing and investigating gear jamming during engagement.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\T\2January1929-June1929\ Scan069 | |
| Date | 26th January 1929 | |
| R.{Sir Henry Royce} from EFC. c. BJ. SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ORIGINAL SECRET S.S. SEQUENCE STARTER We have now in our laboratory the starter rig for experimental tests, comprising crankcase, crankshaft with gearwheel at motor end, and brake wheel with handle at further end. A board mounted on the crankcase contains the necessary push button and main and auxiliary switch units, together with switch for pea lamp which illuminates the motor pinion and gear during engagement. The gears can be viewed underneath by means of a horizontal mirror and also in a horizontal direction along the axis of the motor, facing the pinion. By means of this rig we have already observed a previously unsuspected method of jamming during engagement. This jam occurs in such a way that its nature could not readily have been observed by viewing the gears from the bottom with a mirror and light, as was done on chassis 18-EX, but it can more readily be observed by viewing the gears along the axis of the motor towards the pinion, as is possible in this apparatus. So far we have not observed what was previously considered to be the case of jamming and generally called by us a "corner jam", i.e. we have not observed the case where the leading sharp edges of the pinion teeth cut across the sharp edges of the wheel teeth in the manner thought to occur and for which a cure in the form of a backed-off pinion (ref. E1/M20.12.28) has been suggested and instructed. | ||