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).
Follow-up report on experiments and observations regarding corner jamming issues with the S.S. Sequence Starter.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\T\November1928\ Scan089 | |
| Date | 17th December 1928 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from RFC. c. RJ. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} S.S. SEQUENCE STARTER Our report EFC1/T15.12.28 was written rather hurriedly. We can now deal with the points a little more completely. Our experiments to date of your various points is, from the tests we have made, as follows :- Our most recent pinion and wheel teeth have, we understand, been as sharp as the material will allow on the engagement side and they have been very well rounded off on the disengaging side. In spite of this we still sometimes experience corner jamming of the teeth. Whether it is possible absolutely to prevent this occurrence or alternatively only possibly to depend upon a second application of the push button remains to be seen. One of our observations is that it has, in some circumstances, occurred that this failure happened, when it happened once, once or twice more in succession, as if at the time of each release the proportion of longitudinal force to rotational torque was such that the pinion moved round exactly one tooth each time and presented itself to the next corner. This would depend upon circumstances, for instance, on the starter on the second S.S. chassis 19-EX, this phenomenon happened on Saturday, though to-day in a trial of the starter 15 times in succession there was no failure. The phenomenon would appear to depend upon the ratio mentioned, also the clearance distance of the pinion, not to mention the temperature condition of the starter at the time. (Contd.) | ||