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).
Gearbox problems and comparing various design schemes, including epicyclic and Maybach.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 6\4\ 04-page255 | |
| Date | 26th May 1930 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Ry. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. Fs.{F. Steele} Ds. X5310 RL/M26.5.30 X.7310 X.5310 X.523 GEARBOX PROBLEM. WW. propose to concentrate on our complete epicyclic scheme and what we have given Derby, viz. (1) Constant mesh 3rd. (2) Freewheel sideshaft (all gears) (3) Epicyclic 3rd. (The last one was held up because only providing for 3rd. speed was not considered complete enough). It will be left to Derby to make what they can of these. Otherwise we shall get nowhere by being delayed by intermediate schemes. We have examined the Maybach scheme and while it has some virtues it appears to us to have the same objection as our No. (3), with other defects, viz. two pairs of gears always running in mesh, and on top the sideshaft is faster even than usual so that one wheel is much over engine speed. The spool gear and some others must depend for their ease of engagement on the slack in the transmission, and I have suggested fitting rubber couplings each side of the gearbox. This would not do any harm and might provide some near flexibility to facilitate gear change. We give here the features our gear should have, it shews also its difference to the Wilson gear, which is really very like Lanchester's, but has automatic adjustment of the change gear brakes. The work has been progressing and I am not sure whether our patent situation is clear. Our gears are very simple and we believe should not give any trouble. Our clutch (main) is the same, and gear control lever has simple motion forward, neutral, and reverse. | ||