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 from the Chief Engineer of the Chassis Division comparing wormwheel and drive designs between English and American cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 77\1\ scan0157 | |
| Date | 27th August 1919 guessed | |
| - 2 - because whereas on the English car the spindle can be dropped down and the wormwheel replaced without disturbing the lower half, on our engines this is impossible because of the reversed direction of thrust. A broken wormwheel is therefore an expensive job to repair on our cars, whereas if the square tube can be made to open up as on the Silver Ghost without other damage, the repair can be made in a few minutes. In the meantime we do not propose to strengthen the wormwheel with the standard drive because it evidently forms a valuable breaking piece as it stands. In other respects the square-tube drive, now run on 4 cars to 7000 miles maximum, appears entirely satisfactory. It is fully as quiet as the other and shows no wear or other signs of weakness. The saving in production over our serrated drive, which is somewhat more complicated than yours because of the reversed thrust, is estimated as $1.70 per car. These notes are sent to you as a matter of general interest. Yours very truly, ROLLS ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC. Maurice Olley Chief Engineer - Chassis Division. Encl. A-13240. | ||