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).
Technical memorandum discussing the 'STRAITS' engine design, focusing on the cylinder head and induction system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 6\6\ 06-page009 | |
| Date | 11th August 1934 | |
| SUBJECT. To Mr. True Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Mr. Spr. Mr. Ol. Mr. Art. Mr. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} FWR/McA/LT.11.8.34. "STRAITS" ENGINE DESIGN. We have discussed with M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} the engine design as far as it has gone. The comments we have to make are as follows. CYLINDER HEAD. In the immediate future on R.R. cars we expect to reduce the efficiency of our camshafts for three reasons. (1) For slow running. (2) Silence of the exhaust system. (3) Silent operation. In order to avoid any great loss in efficiency in doing this we want to use the largest size of inlet and exhaust valves that we possibly can. We consider that even if this means lengthening the engine slightly it will be worth while. If we are going to have an all aluminium unit, increasing the length of the engine will not mean a large weight addition. In addition we could reproduce the 'Host's' policy of having a slightly larger engine size available without a complete redesign. We should like to get a cylinder head of the proposed final dimensions running on the single cylinder unit as soon as possible. INDUCTION SYSTEM. We recommend that we should follow the La{L. A. Archer} Salle induction system, the drawing of which was brought over from the States, as closely as possible. It is not only for distribution, but for equal "ramming" of all eight cylinders. The Americans have shown that it is possible on a line eight cylinder engine to spoil the pick up smoothness by having different compression pressures on various cylinders when running at the same speeds. We appreciate that the La{L. A. Archer} Salle is a side valve engine and ours is an overhead | ||