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).
Standardisation of tungsten contact points for battery ignition, comparing them to platinum points.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 172\3\ img099 | |
| Date | 6th September 1927 | |
| RR 755 REVISED (10M) (DE 649-26) SM. 2/1157. "ORIGINAL" COMPLETED 21.9.27 STANDARDISATION of CHASSIS PARTS. Date 6.9.27 X No. 2894 Drawing No. D.51560 D.51408 Part List Description of Parts. TUNGSTEN CONTACT POINTS FOR BATTERY IGNITION. Origin. Greater life and reduced cost of these as compared with platinum points. Experimental Test Report. Tungsten points do not require attention more frequently than platinum, and suffer less removal of material when attention is required. They have thus the advantage of longer life. Reasonably good results have been recently obtained with tungsten points on bench tests, as compared with platinum. For further details see our report EFC1/T31. Road Test Report. See attached note. Weight of Old Part. Cost of Old Part. £ 13s 6d. Weight of New Part. Cost of New Part. £ 6s 2d. Difference per Car. Difference per Car. £ 7s 4d. saving. Signature from Cost Dept. that above is correct. G/Rb.{R. Bowen} 19.9.27 A Scrap and replace at all costs, including Chassis already delivered to Customers. B Scrap and replace on Chassis in Works. C Scrap present stock and replace on all Chassis not yet handed to test. D Use existing stock until alteration effective on future Chassis. Cost of Parts in Works which will be scrapped if commenced on :- Series.........£......... Series.........£......... Series.........£......... TABLE OF SIGNATURES & REMARKS: INITIAL | DATE | REMARKS B.J. | 21.9.27 | Agreed. B.J. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | 6.9.27 | Agreed. J.H.B. I think these have the great advantage that several new pairs of points can be kept by the owner owing to their low cost & new ones fitted instead of trimming defective ones badly. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} | 6.9.27 | Agreed. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} RG.{Mr Rowledge} | 14.9.27 | Agreed. RG.{Mr Rowledge} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} | 10.9.27 | Agreed. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | 7.9.27 | Agreed. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | 6.9.27 | Agreed, as probably no worse, and may be better. Road test reports not very satisfactory. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | 16.9.27 | Agreed C.E.A. PN.{Mr Northey} | 29/11/27 | Agreed P.N. CWB. | 15.9.27 | Agreed. CWB. These points appear to be at least as good as platinum and as they are presumably cheaper the change is desirable. Further improvement in the reliability of this fitting is desirable. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | 6.9.27 | Agreed. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}: however most desirable. | ||