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).
High-speed battery ignition lever problem, attributing it to excessive mass and length.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 163\7\ img171 | |
| Date | 16th December 1931 | |
| To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. X6190 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst.1/AD.16.12.31. J.3. BATTERY IGNITION. We have had a suspicion for some time now that at the very high speeds at which we are running engines, the battery ignition lever commences to fling and bounce. This, we consider, is largely due to (a) The excessive mass of the lever, (b) The length of the lever from the pivot to the rubbing block. Messrs. Lucas, on their latest distributor head, have anticipated these high speed troubles and are making the distance between the rubbing block and the pivot the absolute minimum and also reducing the mass of the lever to approx. half of ours. We thought you would be interested to know these facts in view of redesigning the lever for J.3. as it will be important that the ignition shall be reliable at high speeds on these engines. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. | ||