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).
Design of the Goshawk II battery ignition, suggesting an ebonite band to prevent carbon tracking on bakelite mouldings.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\G\June1921\ Scan2 | |
| Date | 4th June 1927 | |
| To DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Copy to CC. " " WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} " " HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " " BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} " " T.C. ORIGINAL X3485 RE "GOSHAWK II" BATTERY IGNITION. We send you herewith drawing No. LeC.1398 shewing the battery ignition gear. There are five bakelite mouldings on this job, the H.T. distributor, the H.T. terminal, the base for the L.T. make and break post, and the condenser side plate and the rotor. We understand that when a surface spark passes across bakelite a carbon track is left behind, and the break down once thus having been accomplished tends to go on. Also that in view of this they have produced bakelite with a thin covering of ebonite, which latter substance does not have this undesirable feature. It is therefore suggested that the inside of the H.T. moulding may have a band of thin ebonite between the six distributor points and the L.T. casing - [Drawing showing a cross-section of a component labelled EBONITE] Would you kindly make enquiries as to how this can best be applied. The ebonite covering could be run right out at the bottom where the spigot is, or formed in an undercut recess. The design is arranged for trial with both tungsten and nickel points. When tungsten is used small pieces of it are welded on to carriers. When nickel is used the tungsten screws and the rotor blade are made entirely of this metal. Experiments should (Contd.) | ||