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).
Inter-house memorandum concerning the examination of a faulty speedometer.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 165\2\ img265 | |
| Date | 10th September 1940 | |
| MEMORANDUM FOR INTER-HOUSE CORRESPONDENCE ONLY. RP 492. SMITH'S AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS. CRICKLEWOOD WORKS, LONDON, N.W.2. To. MR. NICHOLS. Copies to Mr. Buckland. Mr. Dorer. Mr. Arrowsmith. Date 10th Sept. 1940. From MR. MOSS. Rolls Royce Model A.T. Speedometer No. Z.183 off Chassis No. 3.B-50. I have received the instrument referred to in your memo of September 9th, and have gone over it with Mr. Arrowsmith. The instrument is one of those that were specially modified to suit the flat dial R.R. lighting and supplied on March 3rd, 1939. It was returned for rev. conversion on May 12th, 1939, and the mileage shown is 20,000. Mr. Arrowsmith assures me that this instrument is not one of those with trip counter components of the low tin alloy. On examination we found the re-setting motion to be exceptionally harsh and further teeth were removed from the stars during our manipulation. Consequently I am convinced that the trip counter could not have been in this condition of adjustment throughout the mileage quoted above, and therefore, that the star tension springs had been re-set recently. Incidentally I am of the opinion that these special hand-made samples are seldom as reliable as production pieces and I would urge Messrs. Rolls Royce to consult the service records of production instruments for a truer picture of the performance of this trip mechanism. Mr. Arrowsmith assures me that apart from trouble with Rolls Royce trip, complaints are now quite unknown. E.B. MOSS. EBM/HCW. | ||