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 to Windovers Limited discussing the feasibility and design considerations of the 'Elwa' Electric Jack.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 140\2\ scan0028 | |
| Date | 30th June 1937 | |
| 1166 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gryl/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 30th June, 1937. Messrs. Windovers Limited, 62, Conduit Street, LONDON. W.1. For the attention of Mr. Lionel Windover. Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter of June 29th concerning the demonstration of the 'Elwa' Electric Jack. We were very impressed with the value for money of this arrangement, being told that the sample on your car would cost 35/- only if ordered in production quantities. We were of the opinion, however, that it would be a retrograde step to fit a jack of this kind instead of a built-in four-jack system. We, therefore, asked the 'Elwa' engineers what they thought would be the weight and complications of a four-jack system. They suggested we should write to the Swiss factory to get these figures. It does, however, seem rather like the proverbial "steel hammer for cracking nuts" to carry about four electric motors for the purpose of jacking a car. The operating gear, which would have to be electrical and not mechanical, would probably involve much design alteration. We should like to be kept in touch with the development of this jack, particularly as regards its manufacture in England, as it would always be worth consideration on our Bentley chassis. We gather that it would be available not only as a jack for pushing under the axle, but also as the type which hitches on to the bumper bar, and does not necessitate grovelling underneath the car. | ||