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).
Extract from a letter detailing service troubles with starting motors at the Springfield facility.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 62\1\ scan0012 | |
| Date | 1st February 1932 | |
| X6079 EXTRACT FROM LETTER FROM RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} IN AMERICA. February 1st, 1932. RE : SERVICE TROUBLES AT SPRINGFIELD. Starting Motors. There appears to be a surprising amount of starter motor trouble here. Mr. Soutter, their Service Manager, tells me that between twelve and fifteen of the P.II out of 50 or 60 have given trouble with starting. One trouble he has run into has been sluggish engagement due to dirty commutator. Are the brushes we are using too soft? He has had various troubles with the operating button due to bad fitting in the instrument board. He does not count these as they were found before the cars left the Works. He had one case where the armature motor windings had been pulled out of the slots & fouled the pole pieces and so rubbed off the insulation. I can only conclude that on pinion jammed in the fly wheel teeth and was revved up to high speeds. Would it not be possible to improve the banding of the windings to prevent this? It would be an assistance to Mr. Soutter, if Mr. West, could let him have a note enumerating all the troubles we have run into on the P.II starter motors and cures we have adopted in each case. | ||