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).
Proposed scheme for gearbox improvements, including synchronised brakes and epicyclic units.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 13\7\ 07-page103 | |
| Date | 21th October 1931 guessed | |
| (2) This scheme embodies: (1) R's idea of synchronised brakes applied to epicyclic. (2) R's idea of using bevel or other accelerating unit to reverse drive, thus avoiding any extra wheels etc for reverse. (3) Mr. Hardy's idea of delayed action of release to jaw clutch drive. Never until I suggested it has an epicyclic unit (in a change gearbox) been fitted with a brake to bring it to rest, (and alter the revolving speed of the main clutch and other associated parts) so that a positive lock by pawls or jaws can be applied without noise or shock. This is not done by Salerni; his baulk ring prevents engagement until synchroism takes place by alteration in engine speed. We ask the rolling car to do the work of synchroism by brakes before the clutch is engaged the same as synchronous mesh is with revolving friction cone clutches. The synchronising brakes become in fact clutch brakes but they intelligently alter the speed of the driven member of the clutch instead of bringing it to rest, as happens with the now out-of-date clutch brake. Naturally it will take some time to make and try, and may be disappointing, but considering the time we have spent during so many years we ought to be able to do something. R.{Sir Henry Royce} P. S. Written some weeks ago : it is standing by for urgent work with P. 2. scheme of synchronous mesh ordinary box. | ||