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).
Design review memo for a Phantom's direct flywheel geared starter switch unit, with a sketch and improvement suggestions.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\January1927-March1927\ 126 | |
| Date | 10th March 1927 | |
| TO AJS. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} EFC. EH. (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} to BJ. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ORIGINAL R1/M10.3.27. Z REC'D & DESPATCHED FROM WW.14.3.27. PHANTOM - DIRECT FLYWHEEL GEARED STARTER - X7625/33 AUTO: SWITCH UNIT. Mr. Stent's drawing - LeC. 2381. - should have another clean start with the object of getting the design more simple, more manifest, and more practical - very sound & more crude. I fear there is no more direct and simple scheme than one facing the other, each having club foot magnets. Both armatures arrive home together. [Text associated with diagram] Both units have spring plunger and flex: Magnet faces shewn in red all becoming paper clearance same time. Make a good pivot control and let this piece be extended on one side to carry downward platinum contact which touches set up flexibly carried from housing B. Should we use flex: current carrying spring like magnet or spiral springs and plungers in centre of magnet and flexibles according to the current more like brush holder, the latter would be easier to get right and not restrict the design, so I should go on with this type. A.{Mr Adams} should be the overall length and as small as possible i.e. the centre of motion of the two armatures, plus allowance for flexibles. We now want a simple and clever way to get the three contacts. For the holding on magnet I suggest a copper plate on the back of each armature: upwards contacts could be central, or carbon one side copper the other. The moving pieces would be simple with fixed carbon (probably). The stationary ones would be carried from the base or from the housing B. & B. The general design suggests considerably increasing width at centre C. and fitting double carbon and copper contacts of half the capacity, one of each at each side, armature carrying copper and fixed carbons if you find it best, but copper plate might carry sliding back carbons. To make an inexpensive job the base should be sheet steel, perhaps thick and hot bent. The armature should be cut from flat bar. Avoid castings (except die castings) where-ever we can. (f) | ||