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).
Development and contract amendment for a battery ignition screening system for the Light Tank 20/25 engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 163\2\ img019 | |
| Date | 25th November 1932 | |
| WST 816008 To WGT. from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} E.1/HP.25.11.32. c. [illegible] Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Fst. [illegible] Light Tank 20/25 Installation - Screening of Battery Ignition. Yesterday we had a visit from Mr Sheryer who will act as inspection officer in charge of the Light Tanks. His visit was made at our request to clear up the position which has arisen in connection with the screening of the battery ignition on the 20/25 installation. Owing to the speed with which the contract for 50 engines was rushed through we were compelled to quote on a scheme for screening which had not been tried in any way, and which was an entirely unknown quantity, as we do not know at the moment how much screening is necessary from a wireless point of view and how such screening our battery ignition system will stand before the operation is rendered faulty electrically. There are certain improvements we wish to incorporate and certain further improvements were asked for by Mr Sheryer to meet the conditions under which Tanks have to operate in service, which conditions are more severe than was anticipated owing to the casing above the engine not being capable of keeping out water. It was agreed, therefore, that the appropriate department at the War Office should be asked to issue a contract to Rolls-Royce covering the development of a satisfactory screening system on the second installation, and also to amend the contract for 50 engines to cover the extra cost of any departures from the original scheme on which the contract was based. It was also further agreed that to avoid any delay in the output and delivery of tank engines, delivery of which commences in January next, that we would carry on with 12 sets of the present scheme which could be afterwards modified as found necessary, the cost of such modifying being covered by amendment to the main contract as aforementioned. Regarding the contract to develop a satisfactory screening, this would cover the preparation and test of one | ||