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).
Technical memo discussing the efficiency of starter motors and issues with the starter press button, Klaxon switch, and dynamo equipment.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\G\June1921\ Scan47 | |
| Date | 17th June 1921 | |
| TO R.R. of America Inc. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} -4- RL/G17/6/21 Contd. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- to save the battery. This was 7 or 8 years ago, since then it has been found that the batteries are less delicate for these short discharges. I mention this point to point out that we are comparing the ideas of over 7 years ago with the present which naturally have changed considerably, and this low motor speed accounts for the difference in efficiency of the two machines. If you were to connect the fields of our starter motor in parallel it would be found that its efficiency would be equal to any machine of the same size or speed. We are not writing this from conceit, but to defend the apparent inefficiency of the appliances we are responsible for. (7) STARTER PRESS BUTTON. Regarding the starter press button, we understood that the slight trouble with this had been cured long ago. If I rightly remember, it consisted of the nut clamping the carbon making contact with the inside of the case, and was cured by covering the inside of the case with insulating material. The press button should have kept this apart. This press button might have a Bakelite plug. (8) KLAXON SWITCH. Regarding the Klaxon switch, we are using the modification of the starter press button switch for this purpose because it contains a carbon as well as a copper contact, which should prevent any spark at the metallic contact, and so should last in good order indefinitely, and avoid a cause of irritation. (9) DYNAMO AND CUTOUT. Regarding the dynamo and lighting equipment, we are sorry to say that this seems to be a part in which England has fallen short of expectations. The situation appears rather worse than it really is because of the failure of the automatic (Contd.) | ||