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 and standardization of the framed instrument patch, including gauges, lighting, and finishes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\7\ Scan099 | |
| Date | 11th February 1929 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} W/S (Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}). X7530 BY/G.11.2.29. S.S. FRAMED PATCH OF INSTRUMENTS. Referring to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}25/E.8.2.29. we think that the suggestion put forward, and this is a matter in which Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} concurs, is premature. The K.S. gauge has been standardised, but after being standardised we held it up because certain points had arisen in connection with the working of same. We now propose to go ahead with the K.S. gauge again in view of its great convenience, but it is not considered desirable at the moment to incorporate it in the patch. Later when we have had increased experience we would consider its inclusion in the patch, at the moment it is considered desirable to keep it separate on the left hand side of the column. We cannot at this stage consider wiping out what is practically a wipe out of the present design of patch and its replacement with the scheme, which will mean all new details and involve new parts and dies being ordered. The present scheme has been tested and approved by R.{Sir Henry Royce}, and we think it should be allowed to rest at that. The Experimental Department are strongly in favour of having at least one lamp which can be switched on which would illuminate the gauge and also serve many other useful purposes, as the present lighting of the patch gives you no possibility of seeing anything except the instruments themselves, and it is often desirable of course to look at a map or use it for other purposes. In regard to the proposed new finish of the dials in the patch viz. black with white lettering, we are ordering samples, but there would be no difficulty in getting these produced, what we really want is to have it definitely understood that :- a/- The present patch is all that we can consider if a patch is to be incorporated. b/- A settlement as to whether a scheme can be arranged for the customer to pay for the extra instruments which we put in the patch or a decision for us to pay. All the existing patches with their instruments have been used on chassis, but Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} will have a car ready in about 10 days which will represent the model production car, and he suggests would be suitable for your examination. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} [initials] | ||