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).
Description of the operation of the main and reverse clutch mechanism.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\2\ scan0018 | |
| Date | 30th January 1931 guessed | |
| - 3 - the coned operating sleeve I. consists of an external lever P. connected by a rod to the main clutch pedal. The lever P. is mounted on a spindle Q. formed in one with the arm R.{Sir Henry Royce} Floating on the spindle Q. is the sleeve operating fork R.{Sir Henry Royce} which has an additional forked arm S. extending forward. The pin T. on the arm R.{Sir Henry Royce} engages with the underside of the forked arm S. at a predetermined point in the rotational movement of the spindle Q. A band brake U. acting on the outside of the drum A.{Mr Adams} is applied by raising the spindle V.{VIENNA} by means of the forked lever S. The sequence of operations can best be followed from the scrap section of the operating mechanism. With the main clutch fully engaged, the external lever P. is in the position shown in the left-hand view, the pin T. being clear of the forked lever S. On depressing the clutch pedal, the spindle Q. is rotated anti-clockwise, and at the point at which the pin T. makes contact with the lever S. the main clutch is just commencing to disengage, as shown in the right-hand figure. The length of the rod connecting the lever P. to the clutch pedal determines the amount of lost motion between the pin T. and lever S. and must be so adjusted as to ensure the main clutch commencing to free when the pin T. makes contact with the lever S. Further movement of the clutch pedal rotates the lever S. and operating fork R.{Sir Henry Royce} sliding the operating sleeve I. to the left until the clearance W. between the collar O.{Mr Oldham} and the end plate of the reverse clutch outer member is taken up, at which point the main clutch should be quite free. Continued movement of the clutch pedal slides the operating sleeve I. further to the left until the reverse clutch is fully disengaged, at which point the balls J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} enter the parallel portion of the operating | ||