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).
Further report on the Lanchester Car, detailing its epicyclic gear and engine characteristics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\7\ 07-page09 | |
| Date | 8th March 1912 | |
| Recd. 11/3/12. Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence. 8th March.1912. X 411 C.J. and Technical Committee. Re Lanchester Car (further report) The epicyclic gear is, I think, the best epicyclic gear that has ever been schemed. The particularly clever feature is the way the second gear is obtained by compounding the first speed. A great weakness in this gear, however, is that when the engine is running light there is always a considerable number of gears running free in the gear box; viz. the reverse gear driving pinion (sun wheel) is driving its planet wheels and its brake drum in the same direction as the engine is running, - planet wheels running about half the speed of the engine. The engine running light, - car standing, - does not run very regularly or quietly. The valve mechanism is not very silent, and wear is quite perceptible at both the valve spindle end and cam end of rocker arm. The mechanism is such that one would expect this wear. The valves are also unreasonably heavy, evidently made like this in order to get a good wearing surface. As far as I can see, any wear in the engine crank-shaft bearings will seriously affect the alignment | ||