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).
The anodising of aluminium parts, automatic brake adjusters, Wilson gearboxes, and suspension systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\2\ scan0046 | |
| Date | 12th October 1937 guessed | |
| -4- Of other things seen, one of the most interesting was the anodising of all the aluminium parts in the cooling water system, which has overcome all corrosion troubles on these parts. The automatic adjuster on the commercial vehicle brakes, described sometime ago in "The Commercial Motor" has given them no trouble and works very well. A link from the neighbourhood of the cam is connected to a crank arm on the shoe, and this crank arm is connected by a ratchet or free-wheel to a shaft across the shoe, so that any movement of the shoe beyond a certain point causes turning of this cross shaft on the return stroke of the shoe. The cross shaft has a worm drive to a screw-jack end on the shoe which takes the actuating thrust from the cam. We heard also that they are trying a Lockheed servo on the commercial vehicle brakes. They have no trouble with the Wilson box, we were told of one test with the Birmingham Corporation where a bus in service had the gearbox sealed, and ran for 18 months in this condition. At the request of the Corporation the box was then unsealed and dismantled and found to be in good condition, though there was wear in some of the small bushes and washers of the running gear. At the wish of the Corporation, however, the box was again assembled with all the original parts and resealed and further running was done. In the arduous conditions of bus service this is a remarkable achievement. They have managed to bring the cost of manufacture down now, so that there is little difference between the wilson box and the alternative synchromesh box, in fact we were told that they are finding difficulty in getting a price saving of 25/- between the wilson box and the alternative synchromesh box on the Lanchester 14, announced as being available at £25 reduction. The wilson box is however still heavier than the alternative conventional gearbox. Their other car models are due for revision and on the larger cars they intend to fit a Packard-type suspension; the Andre-Girling type would give too large a change of caster angle for the 4" bump they require on the larger cars, (compared with 3" on Daimler 15) Handwritten text: Top right corner: Steadman What do we do. RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Next to the automatic adjuster paragraph: MARTINDALE How does cost compare with a servo Next to the Lockheed servo paragraph: A.F.M - What is this. | ||