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).
The testing and evaluation of an American-made electrical self-starter.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 61b\3\ scan0011 | |
| Date | 25th November 1913 | |
| R.R. 255A (100 T) (S.H. 159, 11-8-20) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 2800 [Handwritten] x53 26027 Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/EH1/L25.11.13. From Exp. Dept. copies for :- J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} R.{Sir Henry Royce} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Na.{Mr Nadin} X.1210. REPORT ON SELF STARTERS X.543. The electrical self-starter which we intend to fix up on the test engine is one which came with the Peerless car but was not fitted. It is Gray & Davis American machine. It is run by a 6 volt battery, which when discharged at 200 amps. gives 1200 revs. on the motor. It is a series wound machine. The gearing on to the engine is a 30 to 1 reduction. If we find this is too high we shall have to make further reduction ourselves. The Peerless engine is much larger than ours, 5" x 7". The compressions are 70 lbs, and it takes a lot more power to turn it over. There is a free-wheel clutch in the gearing for when the car starts. We are having to get a casting to fix the large gear ring on to our flywheel. As soon as that is ready we can fix it up. This starter is very heavy, the motor weighs 107 lbs the battery 90 lbs, and altogether with the fittings is about 220 lbs. | ||