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).
Detailed explanation of the operation of a compressed air-actuated clutch and steering mechanism.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 147\4\ scan0198 | |
Date | 15th May 1941 guessed | |
the flange 55 on the extension 54 of the driving member 51 of the second clutch and the member 53 secured on the shaft 41. By admitting compressed air to one end of the cylinder 60, the piston 59 is moved to the other end 5 of the cylinder and moves the outer race of the bearing 62 into engagement with the flange 55 so as to move the clutch member 51 away from the clutch member 50 sufficiently to disengage the second cone clutch. By admitting compressed air to the opposite end of the 10 cylinder 60, the piston 59 is moved in the other direction and the outer race of the bearing 62 engages and moves the member 53 and the shaft 41. The shaft 41 moves the clutch member 43, which is secured on it, away from the clutch member 44 to disengage the first cone 15 clutch: compressed air is admitted to and exhausted from the cylinder 56 through suitable connections, not shown. The operation is as follows :- When the vehicle is to travel in a straight line, the cylinder 37 and both ends of the cylinder 60 are open to exhaust so that 20 the slipping clutch 30-31-32 is disengaged and both the cone clutches 43-44 and 50-52 are engaged. The shaft 41 is not driven but both pinions 45 and 49 are clutched to it and lock the shafts 27a and 27b against rotation. The internal gears 23a and 23b are thus held, so that 25 the shaft 14, driven by the engine through the main clutch 13 and gear box 15, drives both shafts 16a and 16b and both sprocket wheels 17a and 17b at the same speed. To turn the vehicle compressed air is first admitted to one or other end of the cylinder 58, 30 depending on the direction of the turn, so that one or other of the cone clutches is disengaged. Compressed 9. | ||