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).
Extract from a report on the Goshawk II engine's battery ignition system following a visit by Mr. Hives.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 54\5\ Scan164 | |
| Date | 9th November 1921 | |
| X3485 Extract from H7/G9.11.21. RE VISIT OF MR HIVES TO WEST WITTERINGHenry Royce's home town WITH GOSHAWK II ON MONDAY 7th NOV. 1921. X.3485. (8) BATTERY IGNITION (SEE ALSO ITEM 12 LATER) One has not to handle Goshawk II long before one finds that it (like other engines of its size and class) requires the ignition timing to be exactly correct for the speed at which the engine is running (possibly the Bosch Governor is moving the ignition the wrong way) and points out the wonderful advantage an engine derives from an automatic advanced battery ignition such as we are fitting, and I suggest that we make our automatic governor spring so that it does not start to advance the ignition until about 1000 crankshaft revs. then it advances it rather more quickly than the correct amount found experimentally. The exact reason for this was explained. It is based upon a less sloppy control of the ignition when the engine is not running or running very slowly; a reason why we made our ignition of the pattern we adopted. A slight improvement may be made in our governor by making more shapely balls. With regard to the condenser for the battery ignition, perhaps Mr. Beaver of Glovers would advise us on condenser materials. Mr. Hives reported that the Bosch condenser under alternating current tests becomes hot and loses a great deal of current, but completely regains its lost capacity on cooling. (12) BATTERY IGNITION. The range of the battery ignition governor should be from 1000 to 2500 R.P.M. of the engine. After 2500 there need be no further movement. The governor spring should be still further set out from the last instructions given. The range of the hand advance on the battery ignition may have to be increased if we wish to ensure that the engine can be starter on the switch. | ||