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).
Technical description of a servo-assisted cone clutch mechanism.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 73\1\ scan0117 | |
| Date | 1st February 1924 | |
| BY1-P27.2.24. contd. - 2 - The basic idea which makes the above possible is assuming an ordinary servo clutch mechanism, which for simplicity would be of the cone clutch variety, the member of the clutch usually keyed fast to the servo driven shaft is arranged free to slide axially to the shaft in question on spiral keys between two collars. The loose member of the servo carrying its brake lever is moved endways by any ordinary scheme, preferably your spiral key system. A parallel drum is attached to the driving member of clutch on which a light brake pressure is exerted by a pad,(for instance) held on by a light spring, the action of which keeps the driving member of the clutch always abutting against the collar at the end of the servo contiguous to the brake lever operated by the foot pedal. It will now be evident that if the car is stationary and the foot pedal is depressed, the operating lever is rotated and by a cable transmits the foot pedal energy to the equalising shaft direct, its only action on the servo clutch being to push it axially along its shaft, due to the spiral keys between the lever in question and clutch member carrying the servo brake lever, and such sliding of the whole clutch unit freely would use up no measurable amount of energy, as there need be no spring even to operate against it. contd. | ||