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).
On the failure of make & break levers due to loose tungsten points and the subsequent plan for testing new parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 35\6\ scan 406 | |
| Date | 3rd April 1928 | |
| COPY. ROY.{Sir Henry Royce} c. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. Sft.{Mr Swift} c. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} X 2894 BY7/G.3.4.28. MAKE & BREAK LEVERS. BATTERY IGNITION. PHANTOM & 20-HP. We have had a further failure on test due to the tungsten point coming loose in the lever, and as a result I have lost confidence entirely in Reynold's abaility to really rivet up the tungsten point in a satisfactory manner. We have 50 levers, which have been bought to my instruction from another source. These should be put on the running rigs, at least 10 of them, and tested for a considerable period before we make up our minds as to their value. In the meantime we should revert immediately without hesitation to platinum contacts until we have satisfied ourselves on a stationary rig by running for a week continuously on a number of levers that the new source of supply is satisfactory. If improved levers come from Reynolds we should put them on a similar test. I consider that we should get a number of the contact breakers running and do a 100 hour test on 10 of the levers from the new source of supply. If these are all satisfactory I should be prepared to accept them, but until this is done it would be wrong to have them fitted to chassis as a loose contact point means the battery ignition out of service, a risk we dare not run on our cars. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||