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).
Design alterations to the petrol tank, its filters, and sump.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 68\1\ scan0254 | |
| Date | 11th June 1925 | |
| 48460 To H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to PN.{Mr Northey} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} RE. PETROL TANK. R6/M11.6.25. X. 3701 [strikethrough] X5460 X. 8460 X. 8190 The reason why the ingoing filter has been deleted is because it is impossible to fit a filter suitable for taking in petrol as fast as it is delivered by the usual petrol pumps. Everybody seems to have abandoned such a filter as being impracticable. Regarding the sump for the drainage of water and dirt, this has been very slightly altered in depth from the original tank. It is smaller in capacity, but we have been forced to again make this larger in the case of the two compartment reserve type tank. Regarding the outgoing filter this was altered in design, and though it appears small it has in reality 3 times the area of gauze. If however the reserve type of tank is adopted there will be 2 such filters, and providing the tank is sufficiently full not be drawing on the reserve, either of these filters will be available, so that a road stoppage with choked rear filter should not occupy a quarter of a min. to change to the 2nd. filter. The reason why the tank has been altered in design is to reduce the difficult work caused by the altered construction etc. In conclusion, we only alter these parts with great care, and when something forces us to abandon the scheme we have been using. The alteration was made when we introduced the vacuum system, which we were able to do with advantage when we saw that the great defect of this scheme should be overcome by having a large Vacuum chamber reservoir. We should have said that the present system is far more satisfactory all round than the older system, and should we adopt as standard for both cars the reserve compartment pattern tank we recommend, we believe that there will be no cause for complaint, and that the 2 sump plugs should be occasionally drained to remove dirt and water which accumulates. It will however, be generally found sufficient to drain one of the 2 plugs as the one on the other side of the partition should always be found free from water, and probably free from dirt. I cannot see that we can do more without encroaching on the road clearance. We will however if it is found necessary deepen the sump, but until it has been tested I do not think this will be necessary, or an advantage. As compared with old 40/50 cars we have not an additional filter on the carburetter. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||