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).
Describing the trial and advantages of a Newton Centrifugal Clutch.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\2\ scan0218 | |
| Date | 7th February 1934 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} c. to WOr.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} X2200 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}9/KW.7.2.34. Newton Centrifugal Clutch. ------------------------- Hdy.{William Hardy} and the writer tried this device on a Riley Car in conjunction with a Wilson gearbox. The centrifugal part of this clutch acts against the main spring holding the clutch disengaged below (in this case) 700 r.p.m. At this speed the clutch engages and at higher speeds cannot slip. The advantages of this scheme are that there is no noise idling, that this clutch and not the Wilson bands are used for starting from rest, a smooth getaway thereby obtaining. In traffic stops a clutch or gear-changing pedal need not be held depressed, nor the gear lever moved to neutral. Riley's have arranged that the clutch will only transmit 1 1/2 times engine torque. This lessens to some extent shocks on the transmission due to inexpert gear changing. On this particular car the clutch worked smoothly and from the point of view of the driver did everything that a fluid flywheel would do. In conjunction with a de Normanville box driving would be made very easy since the necessity for using a pedal other than the accelerator and brake would not exist. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Grylls. | ||