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).
Critiquing and dismissing a patent specification for an improved fluid drive transmission mechanism as 'very hopeless'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 147\4\ scan0155 | |
| Date | 15th May 1941 | |
| SECRET. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}10/JH.15.5.41. To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} re Improved Fluid Drive Transmission Mechanism. (Hon. Benson Esq., ) We return herewith Mr. Benson's Patent Specification and regret to have to say that the idea appears very hopeless. Because the hydraulic reaction member dervies its torque from the rotor churning oil in a fixed casing, power must be lost continually. To provide greater reaction the rotor has to go faster and waste more power. All this wasted power must appear as heat. Since an engine idles round about 500 r.p.m. at the best, the rotor and vane casing must be so designed to produce no reaction at 1000 r.p.m. of the former. If the idling speed of the rotor for no action is 1000 r.p.m. we wonder what its speed would be when providing reaction equal to full engine torque. Mr. Benson's claim for a 2 - 1 step up gear also becomes impossible in view of the foregoing considerations. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||