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).
Improvements to the instruments and engine design of a chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 14\5\ Scan136 | |
| Date | 16th September 1929 guessed | |
| (7) INSTRUMENTS. The arrangement of the facia board has been simplified and improved in appearance by the provision as standard, of a frame in which the instruments are mounted, and provided with interior lighting. ENGINE. Although the latest RR. chassis engine embodies no revolutionary departures, there are many new features of design to improve and refine its performance, and to reduce the weight of the power unit. In our work with aero engines we have used methods of construction and materials which have resulted in much saving of weight without sacrifice of durability and reliability, many of these have been embodied in this redesigning chassis engine with the same result. The new chassis engine is arranged with the whole of the induction system on the steering side entirely separate from the exhaust, with greater safety from fire and petrol fumes. Our 40/50 chassis is still unique in that no other is fitted with governor to control the speed and close the throttle while over-running on luffing up, so saving fuel and brakes, firing in the exhaust, and petrol fumes. It is also fitted with two entirely independent systems of ignition with synchronised automatic advance (the only chassis so fitted) adding to reliability, and facilitating the prompt tracing of any engine failure. Both engine and chassis lubrication has been much improved with great economy of oil and wear. The new induction system possesses considerable advantages as regards distribution, particularly in respect to the range of temperature at which satisfactory distribution obtains. It is also well arranged to avoid accumulation of liquid fuel. The exhaust ports are grouped in three pairs between the six sparking plugs on the nearside of the car, and discharge into a three way manifold connected to a single downtake pipe of ample capacity. The system is arranged to promote easy flow of the exhaust gases, and provide the minimum of radiating surface under the bonnet. To accomodate the changes in the induction system some re-arrangement of the units has been made necessary, and the dynamo and the magneto are now on the exhaust side of the engine, while the water pump and the throttle governor have followed the carburetter to the steering box side, where the battery ignition tower, with automatic advance mechanism remains as heretofore. To avoid the disadvantages attached to operating the autovac by suction from the induction pipe, (this is a failure on | ||