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).
Letter from S. Smith & Sons discussing the unreliability of a competitor's American-made electric clock and suggesting further testing before standardization.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 62\2\ scan0015 | |
| Date | 26th November 1931 guessed | |
| S.P.81 S. SMITH & SONS (MOTOR ACCESSORIES) LTD., Cricklewood Works, LONDON, N.W.2. CONTINUATION NO. 1. Messrs. Rolls Royce Ltd., reason that it stops in the event of the current being interrupted and the fact that it is of foreign manufacture. With regard to the first point, we can - if absolutely necessary - introduce a modification in the English edition which we have under consideration. We believe, by the way, the particular competitor's Clock referred to during our Representative's visit is of American manufacture. Before arriving at a final decision as regards the standardisation of the Electric Clock, we would respectfully suggest that you make extensive tests of a dozen movements over a period of at least six months. We venture this suggestion in the light of a very large number of tests which we have made over the past few years of every known make of Electric Clock including the competitor's design referred to above as it is our firm opinion that the one advantage derived from the Electric design, i.e. self winding, is largely outweighed by its disadvantages in that it easily gets out of order and, although fairly satisfactory in the early months of its life, due to blackening of the contact points in course of time (certainly in the first year of life) the question of a fire through a short circuit has to be considered in the event of the points sticking. If, after further consideration of this matter, you are still favourably disposed towards the Electric Clock, we can offer a design which will compare favourably with all other forms of Electric Clocks. Please forgive this rather lengthy criticism of the Electric Clock, but if you remember a certain American Speedometer and Watch Manufacturer sold in this country quite a number of Electric Clocks in pre-war days which, however, gave very unsatisfactory results. We have in mind, also, an interview which the writer had only last week with one of the principals of the only Chassis firm which has had any recent extended experience of the use of Electric Clocks in quantities, when it was admitted that whilst the early samples were apparently quite satisfactory it was found that the amount of service returns were tremendously in excess of that obtaining the case of the ordinary stem wind Watch. With regrets for bothering you at some length. Yours faithfully, For S. SMITH & SONS (Motor Accessories) LTD., [Signature] SALES DIRECTOR. | ||