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).
Description and operational overview of the 'Startix' automatic starting switch.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168a\2\ img077 | |
| Date | 9th August 1932 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/wst. c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Ref. c. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} L. c. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Dx. (6147) Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/wst.1/AD9.8.32. STARTIX This is an automatic starting switch recently marketed by the Eclipse Co. of America and now about to be manufactured in England by Lucas, presumably under an arrangement. It eliminates the usual starter button or switch and is fully automatic in its operation. The ignition switch is simply turned "on" and Startix immediately automatically operates the starter motor. Apart from being an interesting gadget its only real advantage would appear to be the prevention of involuntary stopping of the engine. It is incidentally an infallible reminder that the ignition switch has been left on when stopping the car! Startix is now fitted as standard on several American cars and no doubt will become a "feature" on British cars as soon as Lucas start manufacturing. Briefly its method of operating is as follows :- Inside the metal case there are two solenoids, one of these being the usual solenoid for operating a relay main starter switch and the other solenoid has two sets of windings connected to the starter and generator circuits respectively. When the ignition is switched on, it also feeds current to a small terminal on Startix which passes the current round the main switch solenoid winding and via a pair of contacts to earth thus operating, when the contacts are closed, the main switch. As soon as the main switch closes, it feeds current to the motor and also to a winding on the second relay solenoid. The action of this solenoid breaks the pair of contacts through which the starting switch current is fed and would thereby throw out the starting switch and stop the motor, but its action is neutralised, while the starter is operating prior to the engine firing, due to the fact that the heavy starting current is passed round a large one half turn series coil in such a direction that its magnetic effect opposes the action of the contact breaking solenoid plunger. The main switch is thus held in as long as the ignition switch is on and the engine fails to start. | ||