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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 design and operation of Chrysler's automatic radiator shutters.

Identifier  WestWitteringFiles\T\2January1929-June1929\  Scan217
Date  1st May 1929
  
To R: from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Tsn.
c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}
c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}
c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}

Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Tsn1/LGL.5.29.

CHRYSLER AUTOMATIC RADIATOR SHUTTERS.

X4012
X3499

The attached sketch shews one of the elements for the Chrysler Thermostat for automatically controlling the radiator shutters. The thermostat has a name-plate on it - "Pines Automatic Winterfront".

It consists of 5 hollow brass elements with 4 corrugated sheet brass separators spacing them. The failure of one element does not put the apparatus completely out of commission.

These elements are concave either side when cold The separators are corrugated so as to be convex either side, so that when hot and expanded contact only takes place along the axis of the elements. They open the shutters against a strong spring and considerable friction in the mechanism. The friction is so great that the spring is hardly strong enough to close the shutters when the opening force is removed; engine vibration would probably assist.

Adjustment is provided at the back of the thermostat, and the Instruction Book says that the adjusting screw should be turned in until the shutters are fully open at 160°F (71°C) on the thermometer (connected to the cyl. head).

The engine has a fan and pump, on the same spindle. According to the Instruction Book a bi-metallic thermostat should be fitted as well, in the top water pipe on the cyl., to restrict water flow when starting from cold. On our car this is absent.

Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/S.S.Tresilian.
  
  


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