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).
Unsatisfactory performance and failures of the Lucas windscreen wiper.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 167\5\ img004 | |
| Date | 19th January 1931 | |
| 86115. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/CWH. C. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} C. to Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} Re LUCAS WINDSCREEN WIPER. We are not satisfied with the Lucas wiper and we should like to have Sales views. The Lucas wiper is not satisfactory generally. The failures in general use are the stripping of the bronze drive. The poor wiping qualities, the wiper being too flimsy for any medium speeds. The switching arrangement is not accessible. To bring the wiper in action there are three operations, first, the cranked lever has to be lifted off the ebonite switch knob, secondly, the knob has to be pulled outwards. Thirdly, this knob has to be rotated to start the motor. When the commutator has become dirty, several attempts have to be made to get the motor in action. To stop the wiper the revolving knob has to be pressed inwards. In many cases this is not easy to do as the cranked lever which is swinging backwards and forwards is liable to trap ones finger in the operation, also it is not practicable job to press inwards a revolving spindle. There is also the danger that the knob can be pulled out without the motor being started, with the result the battery is gradually run down. The cable supplied with the instrument cannot be of good insulation quality as the one we had on 18.C.IV. caused a short circuit through one of the clips which caused a smouldering of the fabric on the car and probably would have been disastrous had it occurred during the night. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Ima. | ||