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).
First-speed gear trouble in 4-speed gearboxes of Lanchester, Daimler, and Riley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\5\ scan0296 | |
| Date | 20th March 1925 | |
| To [redacted] from AJS. c.c. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X1724 AJS2/DB.{Donald Bastow - Suspensions}20.3.25. Re Gear Boxes. In the course of conversation of the writer with Messrs Orcutt and Anderson, the respective Proprietor and Works Manager of the Gear Grinding Company, it was said that the Lanchester 21, the Daimler 21, Riley and other cars had had considerable trouble from first speed gears working out on their 4 speed gear boxes. It was understood that in the case of the Lanchester, which was originally like our India, that the box was re-designed and the large gears on 3rd. motion shaft made to slide. This did not entirely overcome the trouble, and they finally had their splines on this shaft ground with a spiral of .002" in 8", which they say had the effect of keeping the troublesome gear in, and did not cause the one attached to it to come out. It was understood that as originally designed, it took 300 lbs. at the fork to hold the gear in mesh, and one driver when ascending a long hill on bottom gear, had a most painful blow on the knee from the change speed lever when nearly at the top of the hill. In the case of the Daimler it was said that trouble was experienced about 2 years ago, and was overcome by a method which is in effect our reduced spline scheme, but was carried out as per sketch hereunder - | ||