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 declining a proposal for an instrument and suggesting the inventor approach accessory makers.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 33\4\ Scan015 | |
Date | 11th April 1924 | |
X1756 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG. 11th. April 1924. J.H. Braithewaite, Esq., 22 Shambles Street, Barnsley. Dear Sir, Thank you for your letter of the 10th. inst. enclosing description and photographs of your instrument. We consider the instrument ingenious and an improvement over the Synchronometer which is made by Messrs. A.V. Roe, Manchester which is a device for a similar purpose. We doubt, however, the usefulness of such an instrument. On the modern car, practically the whole of the running is done on top gear; when change gear is necessary it is generally for traffic jam and under that condition there is no time for observing the instrument. Also, when climbing a steep hill, there is the danger of the car running backwards if the gear lever is put into neutral position in order to adjust the relative speeds correctly to change gear. We should not consider fitting such an instrument ourselves. We very occasionally get customers who ask for such a device but it is not a thing we ever recommend. We thank you for sending the description and photographs - we are returning them herewith. We suggest the most hopeful people to take this up with would be accessory makers such as Elliotts or Smiths. Yours faithfully, | ||