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).
Sunbeam car, discussing engine cleanliness and a comparison of worm gears versus bevel gears.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\1\ Scan004 | |
| Date | 21th July 1923 guessed | |
| A great point about the Sunbeam car appeared to be the covering in and although the car had that morning been brought from Wolverhampton that morning and the roads were in a very bad state, when the bonnet was taken up the engine and general mechanism was remarkably clean. The space between engine and frame was filled in with aluminium which was part of the crankchamber casting. The driver explained that they had X lately given up worm gears in preference to bevel as they had found the bevel all round to be most satisfactory also they have had considerably less trouble and expense in producing bevel gears than they had with worm gears. The efficiency of the worm gears was to bad to be satisfactory and the driver explained that although comparatively the loss in H.P. when running at certain speeds may not be much they had found that the acceleration with the worm gears was bad as compared with the bevel. The driver also explained that when the load was suddenly applied on to the worm gears the friction was considerable. It would appear that they did not have any trouble with their bevel gears, the only difficulty being [crossed out: distortion] by hardening which he explained they had now overcome by the latest process and that this being their only objection to bevel gears they have decided to go back to same. [Footer, upside down] R.R. 2S. 2S- (100) (H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints}) 30. 19.(809) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} C. 254 | ||