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).
Competitor's gearbox and proposing a pump-powered system for remote control gear changes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\4\ scan0121 | |
| Date | 18th May 1936 | |
| X1153 HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Ex. re Remote Control (Change Speed) Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}12/H18.5.36 Last Friday C., Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} and I tried a Hudson with the above. We came to the conclusion that as fitted on that car it was of no interest. It had, as you said, an ordinary 'crash' gearbox as distinct from synchromesh and I think it is more difficult to make a quiet change than in the old days. It seemed impossible to avoid a very noticeable 'plonk' when you changed down from top to second and a grating of teeth when you changed up from second to top. I think you said that the reason it was not done with synchromesh was because there was not sufficient power available to operate it. Is it not possible to obtain the power in a fairly simple form? For instance on aeroplanes now we have pumps operating things like retractable undercarriages which require a lot of power. Would it not be possible to provide a pump on a motor-car engine which will provide the necessary power for operating synchromesh change by remote control? Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||