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).
Letter discussing the design and application of a torque converter for experimental cars with different engine sizes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\2\ scan0371 | |
| Date | 3rd January 1944 | |
| Confidential. 3rd January, 1944. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 4/h.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Dear Would you send Baird the drawing of the torque converter which you said that you got out for Oliver, of suitable dimensions to take care of the Meteor engine torque? If you do this, he will probably talk more intelligently about it when you go and see him. His address is: D.A. Baird, Nuffield Mechanizations Ltd., Common Lane, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, 8. (Telephone: Birmingham East 0162). I confirm that I should like to fit a transmitter to one of our experimental cars and if you will let me have the drawing which you said you made of the casing with the servo, I will check up that it will fit in to our latest installation. We are proposing to run it with 2 sizes of engine - 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 litres - and the maximum weight of vehicle with which it has to contend may be 42 cwts. empty. If you think it will blow up under these conditions, we will confine it to lighter vehicles. I have been thinking of what I should like to do to the transmitter, after the brief experience I have had with it, in order to remove the maximum number of its disabilities and retain its virtues. Presumptious though it may be to form an opinion after so brief a trial, I think that if I could have direct drive on the accelerator pedal from "throttle closed" to "throttle full open" position, and then by further depressing the throttle get the torque convertor, I should have a very delightful control. Naturally, there would have to be an alternative position where the torque convertor was in action all the time for shunting. That is a pity, because the driver would have to think, which he does not have to do now, but I suppose it would be better than the present parking conditions, where the driver has to select the right speed with the danger of stalling his engine if he does not use his accelerator intelligently. Could you give me the weight of the complete unit less change-speed mechanism, but including the reverse gear as fitted to your Humber. Yours sincerely, Captain J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} S. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Moore, Turbo Transmitters Limited, 48a, Cambridge Road, SOUTHPORT. Lancs. c. to London. | ||