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).
Use of a graphite-lubricated plate clutch for Mr. Williamson's chassis, including an extract from his letter.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 20\1\ Scan025 | |
Date | 13th November 1914 | |
Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/Mcr3/dl31114. X872 Re Mr. Williamson's Chassis. 13th. November, 1914. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Extract from Mr. Williamson's letter of the 7th. November, 1914. "New Type Plate Clutch, this I have suggested should be designed in a similar manner to that used by the Simplex Motor Company of Sheffield, and to be lubricated by Dry Graphite instead of Oil. I have pointed out after considerable experience with Italian Cars fitted with Oil lubricating Plate Clutches, that there is always a great drawback in using them, for, in the first place, the Oil has to be of a certain thickness, say one-third paraffin to two-thirds lubricating Oil; the chamber containing the plates has to be filled to a certain depth, which is usually determined by a plug in the side of the recept- acle, it is also often necessary every so many miles to thoroughly wash out this chamber and refill with oil. I understand that the plate clutch as designed and fitted by the Simplex Motor Co. is entirely satisfactory with Dry Graphite" We may assure Mr. Williamson that his car will be fitted with a Plate Clutch and that the method of lubricating same will be by graphite. We ourselves have done quite a large amount of experimenting with Plate Clutches and we do not propose to use oil in view of our previous experience. Our | ||