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).
Broken starter motor shaft and the conditions leading to its failure.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 61b\3\ scan0042 | |
| Date | 14th November 1918 | |
| X.573. 8602 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from EH. c. to CJ.. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to EY. c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} ---------- EH1/LG.141118. 14th Nov. 1918. X. 682. RE 7-CA. X. 3175. The shaft which takes the drive of the starter motor through the internal bore of the side shaft in the gear box has broken. It has sheared off close up against the serrations of the jaw clutch. This shaft has been on the gear ever since the starter was fitted early in 1914. During hte last two years the starter gear has been working wiht the friction clutch bolted up solid. The drive on the starter gear does get very severe shocks under certain conditions, for instance, it frequently happens that the starter button is pressed and the engine gives one puff and throws the clutch jaw out; whilst the motor is still revolving very fast the button is again pressed which means that the drive is taken up with a bang. The worst condition of all can happen when the eng-ine is very hot, the button is pressed, the engine gives one puff forward and throws out the clutch and then runs backwards; if, when the engine is still running back-wards, the starter motor button is pressed, a very severe shock is put on to all the gear, as the clutch engages whilst the engine and motor are driving against each other. Contd:- (Upside down text at bottom: H.R. Ltd. 500(T) (S.D. 408. 26-4-17. Bin. 2/156/13.) | ||