Correspondence dated 13 April 1955

Summary

An item from the surviving correspondence of William John Sands.

Historical context

This item forms part of the surviving William John Sands correspondence and is dated 13 April 1955. It is preserved in the William John Sands Family Archive as evidence of Sands’s professional work and relationships. The accompanying transcript was produced by machine OCR and should be checked against the original scan before being treated as a definitive reading.

Catalogue description

Original correspondence scan imported from the Sands and Ferguson family archive. Source file: 19550413.pdf.

Machine transcript — unreviewed

[Page 1] "Myrtlefiela" Hillsboro'Qld Road, LISBURN, 14th April, 1955, Dear Mr, Ferguson, Thanks a lot for vy interesting letter of Maroh 31st, et eae held over pending a test on my transmission, I hed e run about a week ago but I was getting a lot of friction and heat from some oilite thrust washers which were preventing the engine from reving up I fitted thrust ball races at these points and so got better results, The engine I sm using is a two cylinder horizontally opposed eir eooled foursstroke giving & maximum torque of l6lbs. ft. at about 1500 revolutions on full throttle. The transmission is very simple unless it was I could not make it ith the tools I possess, I will give you particulars when I prove that I eam on the risht lines, My test equipment consista of a pulley on the output shaft with adjustable wooden brake blocks providing the friction. On the first test the brake was adjuphed to cive a load of 40 lbs. at 1 foot radins, as soon an the Engine reve reached 1500-2000 the pulley began to creep although the engine throttle was only about half open. I checked on the brake load again and this still registered 40 lbs. ft. <A further test with the brake adjusted to 50 lbs. ft. it was still possible to make the pulley creep by increasing the engine revs beyond 2000 R.P.M. I quit at that as I was afraid of some of the bits flying off and coming through the protecting screens, The fast that the engine revs and torque go on increasing in the stalled or locked position of the output shaft indicates a high efficiency, with the output shaft stationary no power is being transmitted or used therefore the unused power must be fed back to the engine, Of course this is assuming no power is wasted in drag, friction or sim: penketince within the mechanism, Although the tests look good I am still suspicious of a snag somewhere so in order to make some further studies I have made up a simple stroboscope to be able to see what in happening at speed, There does not seem to be any problema of noise, balance or smoothness up to the tested [Page 2] non : , speeds, and I see no reason why engine speeds up to 10,000 R.P.M. should not be possible so that anything from a Tiddler to a Locomotive “@ould be catered for.td:.-am afraid all this is a bit optimistic but optimism is necessary in any work of a research nature, just as soon as I can sey I have got something I will 16t you have perticulare, Efficiency & cost The efficiency of any transmission as I see it, bears a direct relation to the terque conversion obtained, for example, with 100 per cent. efficiency (if that were possible) end say, a quarter H.P, motor it should be possible to obtain a stalled torque of uny ratio depending on the R.P.N. The coat of The Hook up I have at present would not be as much as the present day clutch, but as far as I can see at the moment a flywheel or snsing heavy enough to absorb the feed beck impulses would be necessary. ZI have noted your remerks about my go00d friend Mr. Peacock. It is very kind of you to give him the necersary instructions apart from whet you have done already. Kind regerds to all. - Yours sincerelt,