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).
Use of Watford magnetos and modifications to the Phantom Automatic Advance system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 48\2\ Scan443 | |
| Date | 27th March 1926 | |
| TO HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EFC. {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} FROM R. {Sir Henry Royce} BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} (Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) Copy to CJ. BJ. PHANTOM AUTOMATIC ADVANCE. ORIGINAL R1/M27.3.26. Rec'd at WW. evening of 31/3/26. X8796 X8685 X8796 Regarding Watford magnetos I feel we ought to be extreme-ly careful in changing to another make, and we ought to make the best of what has proved reliable and has really met our specifica-tion, and until commercial, or some other reason of value for money in equally good quality at a lower price forces us to change. (Lucas' have not - I believe - a good name for magnetos.) Working as I do away from the Exp. Dept. I cannot see any reason why the sleeve friction should be over 1 lb. and the other 2 lbs. should not be a retarding spring on the rocker arm of the magneto. 7-EX. is now so fitted up and the servo motor will return to zero without any other spring, so that as far as I can see the oil pressure need only be about one third the minimum stated in some recent notes. EFC. {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} is I feel sure not correct when he says my spring on the magneto rocker will not do instead of the friction. Certainly I am convinced that at least a half can be spring if for some other reason a half should be friction. Again my spring is more lasting than the friction, and the return spring can at least be reduced to a quarter of its present strength. This will considerably reduce the required oil pressure and lag - (to about a quarter.) You will realise that you are not making the best of this apparatus, probably due to EFC {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} 's remarks. I find from HS {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /RM. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} that we already arrange that the servo motor gives an advance as soon as the oil pressure is sufficiently independent of the governor: this should take care of the lag quite well so that there now seems little wrong with 7-EX. as I have it - RM. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} knows my views. R. {Sir Henry Royce} | ||