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 discussing production delays, parts shipments, and communication with Dayton Engineering Laboratories regarding ignition tests on an aviation engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 163\7\ img005 | |
| Date | 23th September 1918 guessed | |
| OY9-F23918-3 tests with this ignition in the near future, and much regret the delay which has occurred in preparing the apparatus. As you will understand, this delay has been due to the fact that we have all been exceedingly busy on the actual production program, and all matters concerning experimental work of this nature have had to be regarded as of secondary importance. I trust that the success of our production program here will be sufficient justification for the delay, and I believe that shipments of finished parts, cylinders, connecting rods, inlet pipes, etc., which are at present being made to England will go to prove that we are able to manufacture here with equal facility to your side, and that the quality of the manufacture is not inferior to the English quality, and we are doing our best to turn out better work than in England. 9. We have a letter from the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co., asking that their engineer be allowed to be present when the tests are made. They say that they have recently made tests on a 60°, 12-cylinder aviation engine, and that some difficulty was encountered with the ignition coils, which they attributed to the location of the distributors and to the vibration which is found in a 60° engine, rather than a 45° engine like the Liberty. I presume the trouble they have had is that the distributors have shaken themselves until the contacts have jumped the tracks. They speak of special ignition coils, with special flexible leaves, which they have sent to their engineer in England ready for our tests, and which they believe will rectify any trouble which may occur. I have not had an opportunity of seeing these people recently, and so do not know the de- | ||