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).
Letter discussing a carburettor sketch, its potential for a patent, and its suitability for car versus aircraft engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M11\ img152 | |
| Date | 11th March 1919 | |
| To EH. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to CJ. " SRN. ORIGINAL. 11th March, 1919. R5/G11319. (Factory) RE CARBURETTORS. X 2511 RECEIVED With the sketch of the carburettor that you sent us you did not suggest that there were novel features that you thought might be worthy of a patent, and I certainly failed to notice any distinct progress in the design that you had suggested, over so many designs that have been made and tested, and I certainly did not notice the novelty in the feature of the diffuser nozzle being used as an extra air valve. I have sent a copy of this letter to Mr. Southern, who will protect the idea in the interests of yourself and the company, if he finds that it is possible. Personally, I doubt if this is the real way of getting a perfect car carburettor, though it may have been quite a useful idea to have tested in conjunction with aircraft engines, and still may be. The disadvantage, however, with any gravity automatic arrangement with aircraft work is that it increases the tendency for the mixture to grow strong at higher altitudes, in addition to the natural defect of a simple carburettor in the same direction. Such a device, however, will compensate somewhat for various openings of the throttle and for changes of engine speed with the full throttle. The carburettor required for car work appears to be one that expands from the very smallest dimension up to quite a large area for full power, the car work being very exacting, apparently because one has to follow the grades in the road (Contd.) | ||