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).
Standardisation and modification of the clutch, gearbox, and back axle components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M11\ img107 | |
| Date | 18th December 1918 | |
| To BY.DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}& EH.from R.{Sir Henry Royce} -8- R7/G181218 Contd. (11) CLUTCH. The cotton fabric oil lubricated clutch at present standard on the car is considered quite satisfactory, and should be continued in manufacture. The oil retaining ring applied to the rear face of the flywheel hitherto only experimentally, should now be standardised. (12) GEAR BOX. The 4/12 gear box does not appear to be sufficiently oil retaining. The trouble does not occur when the box is running, so that the existing oil retainer appears to work perfectly well when the shaft is rotating, but allows oil to drain out when the car is standing, and shaft not rotating. Mr. Hives will investigate this matter experimentally, with a view to overcoming the trouble. It is usual in some crankshaft oil retainers to have an internal lip on the casing which collects oil drainings, and deflects them round each side of the bore so that they flow away below without reaching the exterior. Much discussion occurred regarding a proposal to either fit the 4/13 gear box complete, or alter the 4/12 gear box so as to incorporate the cantilever change speed mechanism, small lever and gate, and also the gear driven speedometer drive. It was finally decided that no alteration should be made at least on the first 250 chassis to be built, and that very possibly it would be necessary to make the 4/12 gear box as it at present stands, for the whole of the 40/50 H.P. chassis to be made, which it was thought might be limited to 500. (13) BACK AXLE. The other trouble in connection with oil and transmission is loss of braking power, due to oil getting on the brakes. It was decided that this could only occur through absolute neglect and carelessness on the part of the people in charge of running the car, and that no alteration to design was possible. The driving shafts on the rear axle should have finer serrations to avoid localisation of stress at the juncture of the shaft and the keys. This alteration should be applied to any previous models which may have been giving trouble. (Contd.) | ||