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).
Revised clutch design for the Phantom III model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 93\3\ scan0244 | |
| Date | 14th January 1937 | |
| 312 DY.{F R Danby} c. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} B. Ds. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} E/HDY.{William Hardy}2/HP.14.1.37. Phantom III - Revised Clutch. We send herewith N.Sch.4998 showing a revised clutch which incorporates the suggestions made in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Smth.2/KW.8.10.36, and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Smth.20/JH.8.10.36. The clutch centre plate with spring drive should be instructed to commence with. It will be seen that with the spring drive, curved pressure plate levers are necessary, but when no spring drive is used the pressure plate levers could be straight. We suggest that the dies for the levers should be delayed as long as possible so that in the event of the simple disc being used we can simplify the levers. We have retained the universal ring between the clutch operating shaft levers and the ball thrust bearing but the purpose of the ring is now to avoid cross winding of the thrust bearing sleeve due to errors in manufacture of the operating mechanism. Against the extra cost of the ring should be set the elimination of the need for accuracy in the pieces. The ball thrust bearing is a standard Hoffmann bearing and is of larger dimensions all round than the present Phantom III bearing. The spigot bearing and the tail bearing are both standard Hoffmann bearings. We propose that the grease retaining nut in the crankshaft for the spigot bearing should be tried without a locking device. N.Sch.4998 herewith. E/HDY.{William Hardy} | ||