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).
Aero engine flight tests, car construction, radiator design, and battery ignition.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M11\ img116 | |
| Date | 30th January 1919 | |
| TO R.{Sir Henry Royce} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} -2- E1/G30119 Contd. (1) OBSERVATION OF AERO ENGINES ON ACTUAL FLIGHT TESTS. X.3502. It is considered necessary for R.R. service testers to go up in the air with machines. Mr. Royce says certain of Mr. Platford's testers who were willing and suitable, should be permitted to fly as passengers. No doubt Mr. Hives would also require similar facilities for selected experimental testers to carry out personal observation of engines in the air. (2) PROGRAMME OF CAR CONSTRUCTION. Owing to representations made of the capacity of the U.S. and the English markets to absorb the present 40/50 H.P. R.R. chassis, and of the high degree of esteem in which this car as it stands is held, Mr. Royce considered it allowable to extend the programme of the chassis from 500 to some larger figure. At convenient stages in this programme, new features which were considered desirable, would be added as they became perfected. (3) RADIATORS AND RADIATOR SHUTTERS. X.3456 It was stated by Mr. Olley that a radiator blind or shutter must be on the outside of the radiator for a car used in the U.S. to protect it from the extreme climatic conditions which prevailed in Winter; also that with the hand adjusted devices more boiling took place in the Winter than the Summer, due to the tendency of the drivers to open up the device insufficiently. Regarding the size of radiator matrix tubes, Lieut. Col. Barrington pointed out that the higher the speed of the radiator through the air, the larger were the tubes required, and that the 10m/m standard adopted by the Air Board, was the size found most suitable for 70 m.p.h., corresponding to the general climbing speed of aeroplanes. Mr. Day gave the figure of 7m/m which has been found most suitable for airship radiators at 50 m.p.h. X.3456E. Mr. Royce decided that an 8m/m tube would probably be the best choice for car work, as a suitable compromise, and in view of the fact that a freer flow of air was required under the footboards. It should give equal, or greater water cooling and cooler floorboards. Instructions were issued to order experimental radiators with 8m/m tubes, with a view to standardising this size. (4) BATTERY IGNITION. X.3129 The cam for the non-trembler battery ignition should be made to give a simple harmonic movement, and the periods of make and break should be equal length. This instruction supersedes R7/G181218 page (5). It is expected that the coil cam can be made quick enough, if not already so, at this length of make for the highest engine speeds required. (Contd.) | ||