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).
Different schemes and trials for a silent third gear system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\5\ Scan154 | |
| Date | 9th September 1930 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} K7310. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/AJ.9.9.30. X523. XS310 K7310. SILENT THIRD GEAR ETC. Replying to Sgl2/HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}9.30. We do not know definitely what form the schemes will take which R.{Sir Henry Royce} mentions in his memo RL/A.9.30. It would appear that he has gone back to a simple Epicyclic gear in conjunction with a normal sliding gearbox, and in one case he will use brakes to operate the gear and in the other form jaw clutches. We believe R.{Sir Henry Royce} wishes to send the two schemes through together so that they could be tested simultaneously. He has the opinion that if we had a simple scheme we shall adopt that before we give the more perfect scheme a trial. Until the designs are completed it is impossible to say what form they will take. In the meantime we are endeavouring to fit a freewheel to the Phantom car which we have running with the Helical third speed. This is an easy change silent third in its most simple form. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||