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).
Letter from Buick Motor Company concerning a device to prevent second gear from slipping on the overrun.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\3\ scan0421 | |
| Date | 24th December 1936 | |
| Handwritten: Hdy{William Hardy} Please return 1049 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /KAY BUICK MOTOR COMPANY FLINT, MICHIGAN VALVE-IN-HEAD Buick STRAIGHT EIGHT December 24, 1936 Mr. L. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Grylls Rolls-Royce Ltd. Derbyshire, England Dear Sir: Your letter addressed to Mr. Chayne was inadvertently misplaced and only came to light within the last few days for which we wish to offer our sincere apology. We do not have a device for preventing the second gear from slipping out while over-running down hill. However, on the transmissions which we use in our three larger series, we have a little trick which we do, which prevents this from happening. It consists of relieving all of the teeth except four on the coast side only of the second and third speed clutch. This causes the clutch to bind against the shaft on the coast and prevents it from sliding forward. In conventional construction where this is not done it allows the clutch to work itself outward as it is impossible to manufacture all of the teeth so that they have perfect contact and alignment. I am enclosing a print of this gear so that you will see exactly what I mean. We do not do this on our small transmissions as we have had no particular trouble with them. However, we furnish this same transmission to Pontiac and Oldsmobile and they have had a few cases of slip out. For this reason, Mr. Leach, Transmission Engineer of Pontiac Motor Company, has perfected a little device which acts as a latch holding the gear in place which is sold in service only to take care of these cases. I am today writing Mr. Leach and asking him to forward you prints and a description of just how this operates. Hoping that this information will assist you, I am Yours very truly, BUICK MOTOR COMPANY [Signature] W. C. Haight Executive Engineer WCH/k "BUICK'S THE BUY" | ||