SEPTEMBER 2OTH, 1945 FLIGHT

•ROLLS-
ROYCE
GRIFFON
(65)
Review of the Latest
^Rolls-Royce Piston Engine :
Classic Orthodoxy of Design Highest Specific
Powers Yet Achieved

W HEN confronted with the Rolls-Royce Griffon for

the first time, the facile result of an initial rapid
appraisal is that the engine is nothing much more
than a scaled-np Merlin, and, although there is doubtless a
29.5m., and Merlin 2y.825in. It would seem well-nigh
impossible, ,011 the face of it, that with such similarity of
overall dimensions in two engines of the same basic type,
the swept volume of one should be 35.9 per cent, larger
certain amount of justification for this view, it is not wholly than that of the other. Such, however, is the case. Piston
accurate. In actual fact, as one's investigations progress, area of the Griffon is 23 per cent, greater than that of the
the impression is steadily strengthened that, far from being Merlin, this having been achieved by increasing the cylinder
merely a scale-up of an existing engine, the Griffon is an bore to 6oin. : a figure which is just about verging on
entirely new engine in its own right. I t would, however, the optimum limit.
probably be pretty accurate to hazard the assumption that In view of this one is led to wonder what form the
the Griffon was born of a desire to redesign the Merlin, Griffon's successor will take; the useful limit of piston
eliminating all the snags and, at the same time, increase diameter halving been reached, one is forced to the conclu-
the capacity to meet the imminent demand for a larger sion that any largar capacity piston engine that Rolls have
engine whilst retaining the smallest overall dimensions in m^nd to follow the Griffon will, of necessity, have more
possible. cylinders. It is an interesting speculation which naturally,
How well the men of Derby have succeeded in doing and on precedent, takes it for granted that Derby do intend
what they set out to do may be appreciated in part by a to produce a new and bigger orthodox engine.
comparison of overall dimensions as between Griffon and
Merlin, together with the respective swept volumes and Influence of the Racing ' ' Buzzard ''
piston areas. In overall length the Griffon 65 is 8iin., Before going on to deal with the Griffon, a word should
three inches longer than the 78m. of the equivalent Merlin, be said on the prevalent and somewhat erroneous assump-
the 66; overall heights are respectively, Griffon, 45111., and tion that the engine is a counterpart of the famous " R "
Merlin, 43.675111., whilst the overall widths are: Griffon special Buzzard racing engine which secured the Schneider
Trophy for England in 1929 and 1931, and
„ BEARING
VENT PIPE established a World's Speed Record. Certainly,
the bore and stroke size are the same and so is
the fundamental layout of the engine—but there
the similarity ends. I t can truthfully be said
that the lessons learned on the " R " engine
have had their influence on all the subsequent
Rolls engines, but equally, the knowledge
gained in the Merlin has resulted in the refine-
ments which distinguish the Griffon. The one
particular feature which the feriffon owes
directly to the " R " is the crankshaft, for the
amount of development put into this member
on the racing engine virtually paved the way
towards making the Griffon a success from
the very beginning of its life.
It is not, perhaps, gener-
7 ally known that the
Griffon was" originally de-
Induction throat
to impellers show- veloped primarily to meet
ing turbulence the Fleet Air Arm's specific-
spider with fuel needs—low-altitude power,
nozzles. ease of service, reliability,
etc. In the early days of
 FLIGHT v

LENGTH .. .. 8lin.
(to airscrew rear cone)
ROLi*
AUXIIJARY CONSTANT
TACHOMETER GEARBOX SPEED UNIT
HEIGHT .. 45in. DRIVE DRIVE MOUNTING FACE
INDUCTION TRUNK.
WIDTH . . 29.5in. DELIVERING TO WET
CYLINDER BLOCKS
INTERCOOLER CYLINDER LINERS
DRY WEIGHT 2,0901b.

MAX. B.H.P. .. 2,220

HONEYCOMB
BLOCK
FRONTAL AREA
Bare engine . . 7.9 sq.ft. INTER-STAGE
COOLANT CONNECTIONS
Installed (Spitfire XIV) TO
AIRCRAFT RADIATORS
11 sq. ft.

INTER-STAGE
COOLING
PASSAGE -

ACCELERATOR PUMP
INIECTOR NOZZLE

INJECTOR
FUEL NOZZLE

TURBULENCE
SPIDER

SUPERCHARGER
IMPELLERS

THREE-BARREL
THROTTLE SUPERCHARGER
ENTHY
CHANGESP6ED | N T E R C O O L E R

COOLANT
PUMP
SCAVENGE FOUR
OIL FILTERS

UNIT
ROLLS-ROYCE
BENDIX-STROMBERG
INJECTOR TYPE
CARBURETTOR

This special copyright Flight drawing by Max Millar iays bare the component arrangement and structural design of the engine, to
beautiful piece of work be illustrated more effectively, and, further to emphasise this point, the reader may refer between the &
follow the disposition of the various units.
 SEPTEMBER 2OTH, 1945
311

QYCE GRIFFON (65) ENGINE

WO EXHAUST TWO INLET VALVE T W I N EXHAUST TWIN INLET
VALVES VALVES ROCKERS •CAMS CAMS
ER CYLINDER PER CYLINDER

DRIVE TO CAMSHAFT
FROM AIRSCREW
REDUCTION GEAR

STARTER DOG
DRIVING CRANKSHAFT
THRO.UGH AIRSCREW
REDUCTION GEAR

CYLINDER HEAD
HOLDING D O W N
' STUD

FRONT SCAVENGE
OIL DUCT

CYLINDER BLOCK
ANTI-SURGt HOLDING D O W N
TRANSVERSE OIL BAFFLE STUD
BEARING CAP
BOLTS

* MAIN
COOLANT
PUMP

**t t h e amazing compactness of this

me right and the drawing and so
 FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 2OTH, 1945

MAGNETO

ROLLS-ROYCE GRIFFON (65)

the war the Griffon was rather displaced by the PORT
Vulture until the latter was discarded, then the CAMSHAFT
Griffon was resurrected as the need for a larger ENGINE COOLANT
OUTLETS TO DRIVE
engine than the Merlin was again realised as a HEADER TANK
necessity. The various marks of Merlin Spitfires
were capable of handling enemy aircraft at height,
but. when the Fw 190 was de-rated to give maxi- MAGNETO
INCLINED DRIVE
mum performance low down we were somewhat
pressed. A quick decision was reached to put the
Griffon II into some Spitfire VIII's, which then be-
came the mark XII ; these were built in limited
numbers, but effectively squashed the opposition.
F.A.A. and R.A.F. Requirements
'] hese models of the Griffon wer,e all fitted with
single-stage, two-speed blowers, and this basic
type has progressed for Fleet Air Arm use (vide AIRSCREW
the Fairey Firefly), whilst the special needs of the REDUCTION WHEEL
R.A.F. have been met by the two-speed, two-
-stage engine for high-altitude use. As may be
expected, the Grifton owes a fair amount to Merlin Detail of front
development, but what is peculiarly interesting is end showing how
that various practices initially proved on the • cam drive and
Griffon have been incorporated in the later magneto drive are
taken from re-
Merlins. duction gear.
Basically the engine is, of course,
on the same lines as the Merlin,
although the detail design is new both throws of No. 4 and the reai
CAMSHAFT-
pretty well throughout. One of the throw of No. 6 bearings each hav-
VAIVE ROCKER
most important innovations is in STELLITE- ing a separate balance weight bolted
taking the cam- and mag-drives ROCKtR SPINDLE to them. Vibratory troubles in the
from the front. This was decided crankshaft have been very few, but
upon in order to relieve the valve .BRIDGE-PIECE a pointer to the Derby standard is
operation from as much variation that the firing order geography was
as possible: by interpolating a selected to give optimum crankshaft
semi-floating coupling between the harmonics.
crankshaft and the driving wheel of Crankshaft Lubrication
the reduction gearing and, in addi-
tion, by taking the cam drives from Perhaps the most novel feature
the airscrew-driving gear, angular 1
I COOLANT CONNECTION
of the crank assembly is that the
variations in crankshaft speed are I FROM SKIRT TO HtAO main bearings and big ends are all
greatly reduced in their transmis- lubricated from the hollow interior
sion to the camshafts. Further, air- of the shaft. This scheme, though
screw inertia results in a reasonably novel, is by no means new, Rolls
constant rate of r.p.m., and, to top- having first tried it years ago ; how-
off the advantages, the front drive ever, the Griffon is the first Kolls
allows a comparatively shorter engine in which it has become .prac-
'overall length which, in turn, per- tice. Feed is into each end of the
.._ CYLINDER BLOCK
mits the larger and more powerful SECURING STUD shaft and, in addition to the system
engine to go into existing fighters pressure, shaft rotation provides a
--BUBBERRING " b u i l t - i n " centrifuge. A great
Whilst on the subject of the c a n k - advantage of the system is that the
shaft, we might as well deal with - 0 1 BRAIN TO
CRANKCASE amount of oil supplied to each bear-
that interesting component. It is, C8ANKCASE'
ing is not influenced by relative
ol course, machined all over from a shaft / bearing movement. Jn addjr"""
forged billet, and is fully counter- c tion, each main journal has internal
balanced, the front throw of No. 1, ection through cylinder and head illustrating
simple valve gear and large coolant areas. standpipes which act as sludge
traps as well as permitting, by a
variation in their diameter, a means
of metering or controlling the
amount of oil supplied to any par-
ticular bearing.
Another interesting feature of the
crankshaft is that it is rigidly
connected neither to the front nor
the rear driven members. At the
front end an internally toothed
annulus is bolted on, this meshing
with and housing a semi-floating
ring which itself is internally
splined to a coupling shaft. The
latter is splined at its front end to
Three-quarter front view of crankshaft with semi-floating toothed annulus in front the driving wheel of the reduction
coupling. Note the detachable counterweights on crank throws. gear so that this mechanism is
 SEPTEMBER 2OTH, I945 FLIGHT 1*3

MAIN BEARING CRANKSHAFT

ROLLS-ROYCE CRIFFON (65) OIL STAND PIPE BALANCE WIEGHT

partly relieved from crankshaft rotational variations and

totally relieved from end-float effects.
Going to the other end of the shaft, we encounter the
beautifully neat torsional spring-drive coupling, the pur-
pose of which is to relieve the crankshaft from impeller
inertia. When the throttle is opened quickly the "fly-
wheel '' inertia of the impellers does not allow them to
be accelerated as quickly as is the crankshaft by the
pistons, and the resulting lag engenders a tendency to twist
the crankshaft. Again, when the throttle is rapidly closed
the impellers try to overrun the crankshaft, with reversed
but similar twisting effect. To relieve the shaft from these
embarrassments a spring drive is embodied between shaft
and impellers, which absorbs the initial shock loading re-
sulting from the inertia. The coaxial shaft and sleeve STOP PLATE
which, splined together, form the springing member, are LIMITING TORSIONAL
shown in a detail drawing. MOVEMENT SPRING DRIVE GEAR
There is not such a number of gears at the rear end of Three-quarter rear detail of torsion spring drive coupling at.
the Griffon as is found in the Merlin, the front-end cam- rear end of crankshaft.
d r i v e arrangements,
^etc, being the cause;
nevertheless, there is fc* --' *s which is carried to the absolute of logical con-
still a goodly number of Underside view of triple-entry clusion. I t is for this reason, almost un-
wheels, bearings and throttle with metering Venturis i f w doubtedly, that the Griffon carries further the
shafts at the back of and injector carburettor. - " " s t a n d a r d set by,the Merlin as being the high-
the Griffon, and to at- est performance engine in exist-
tempt to describe these ence, for other engines of similar
individually would, as power are larger or, if of the
well as being tedious, same size, are lower powered.
serve no worthwhile Such a feature, when coupled to
function. They can great reliability, cannot well be
almost all be traced in achieved by '' mushroom
the Max Millar drawing methods—it comes only by way
and other details ; how- of lineage of thoroughbreds
ever, it is worthy of born of painstaking care and
emphasis that the nest- unrivalled experience. It is on
ing of this mass of this foundation that the name
drives is as compact Rolls-Royce rests so securely.
and neat as the highest The main body of the Griffon
order of mechanical de- is not unlike the later Merlins
sign ingenuity can in that it has a light-alloy
make it. pentagonal-section crank-case,
In the title sub-head- the lower half of which is a dry
ing of this article are sump housing the oil pressure
the words '' Classic and scavenge pumps with their
Orthodoxy of Design," niters in a well at the rear end.
and in the Griffon probably more than in any other Rolls A baffle plate is also embodied in the lower half case
engine is this trait manifest. There is nothing about the to restrict oil surge and prevent excessive breathing under
engine which is awfully cunning or '' super new." It is negative G accelerations. Cylinders are floating wet liners
the epitome pf plain, straightforward simplicity of design, fitted in light alloy jacketing blocks, the compressive stress
due to the holding-down studs being taken by the jacket.
The liners are chromium plated in the bores for about 2^
REDUCTION GEAR
P'NION COVER
SEMI-FLOATING CRANKSHAFT OIL inches down from the head as an anti-war measure, it being
DRIVE -ANULUS PEED DE-AERATEh
in this area that maximum wear from corrosion and great
temperatures occurs. A flange is incorporated round the
head of the liner, and, with aluminium sealing rings above
and below, is nipped between the cylinder head and jacket-
ing block. Thus all thermal expansion and contraction of
the liner takes place relative to the lower end.
This fashion of nipping the liners at the top means that,
when tightened down, there is a gap of 0.15 in. between
adjacent faces of the cylinder-head block and the jacketing
block which, until one knows the reason, looks very queer.
To prevent excessive cantilever loading on the joints
adjacent to the end studs when at normal running tem-
peratures, flat steel plates are interposed at each end of
the cylinder bank between head and jacket, these plates
transmitting the load as the engine warms up.
CRANKSHAFT I AIR BLEED HOLE Combustion chambers are machined all over and are
rDA , • OIL SUPPLY TUBE I quite orthodox in shape. Valve seats are shrunk-in inserts
SUPPLY GIVING COUPLING . and the porting passages are scurfed—very smoothly indeed
DUCT on the inlet side (as is to be expected), but fairly roughly
Three-quarter front view of semi-floating coupling between on the exhaust side. The valves have Brightray seat fac-
crankshaft and reduction gear. ings and, whilst the inlet valves have extended guides, the
 FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 2OTH, 1945

exhaust valves are partially filled in the stems with metallic of pilots, nothing but advantage can result from the use
sodium. ot the power lever control.
Rocker gtar is very similar in design to that of the Further to ensure the most advantageous and sale
Merlin, the central camshaft operating the two rows of operation of the engine, a boost regulator unit is fitted
valves through cantilever rocker arms. The cams them- the purpose of which is to restrict boost pressure below
selves are of reasonably quick-lift profile and are designed full-throttle height to a safe maximum. As may be
to give harmonic negative acceleration. Two springs per realised, although the maximum boost pressure of the
valve are employed, of Griffon 65 is nominally 21
opposite helix and differing lb. /sq. in., the blower i s
periodicity, the latter being
an anti-surge measure. ROLLS-ROYCE GRIFFON (65) capable of delivering nearly
twice this pressure at low alti-
The ignition system of the (CONT INUED) tudes, and in order that the
Griffon is well worthy of pilot
p can slam forward the e
attention, not so much as a lever to obtain maximum
system, for the plugs and screening harness are standard, power without having to worry about the safe boost limit,
but in view of the unusual timing arrangement and very effi- and to save the possibility of the engine from disintegra-
cient magneto. This is a B.T.H. duplex type which runs "at tion with expensive noises, a regulator unit is installed
half engine speed, being driven through bevel gears from an which limits the delivery below throttle height for what-
inclined shaft taken from the base of the port bank camshaft ever boost is being used in the appropriate gear. The
drive. The timing arrangement is " built-in " to the inclined regulator comprises an aneroid-controlled relay piston linked
shaft arid comprises a hydraulic ram, at the base of the to the throttle butterflies by a differential gearing to shut
shaft, subject under control to engine oil pressure which is off the degree of throttle opening as necessary. The relav
used to alter, as required, the linear position of the inclined piston is subject to the differentials of blower intake and
shaft. At the top end, the shaft is helically splined to delivery pressures, so that if, for example, combat climb
the mag.-driving bevel so that linear motion of the shaft is required from the ground up, as eJtitude is gained
will, via the helical splines, cause a change in the relative aneroid capsule tasting the boost will move a piston valve
positions of the cam and rocker pad in the magneto to to admit the pressure difference across the blower to the
achieve the desired timing—i.e., the cam is caused to strike relay piston t o open the throttle progressively and main-
the pad at an earlier or later point of crank angle. Addi- tain boost up to full-throttle height.
tionally, as the power input to change the timing is pro-
vided by oil pressure, the pilot's control loading is Powers and Future Use
extremely light; in fact the only load is that needed to
operate a smal! pilot valve to regulate oil flow to the ram. Whilst on the question of powers it is noteworthy that
the continuous cruising powers of the Griffon 65 are well
Mention of pilot's controls leads one naturally to con- over i.ooo h.p. from sea level up to over 30,000ft. Com-
sideration of what, in the writer's opinion, is most aptly pare this with the original Merlin at the outbreak of war
called the ' p o w e r lever control" system. Briefly, what which had a maximum S.L. power of 880 h.p. (at 6J lb.
this means is that, instead of the normal cockpit arrange- boost) rising to 990 at 12,250ft., the maximum rated
ment comprising separate throttle and airscrew or, rather, height.
r.p.m. controls a single " p o w e r " lever is fitted which Although the Merlin is ^uch a magnificent engine—the
governs the boost, r.p.m and ignition. Maximum perform- outstanding engine of all time—as an alternative for future
ance (that is, max. r.p.m. and max. boost) is obtained at air liners, it would surely be sensible to instal a derated
full forward movement of the single power lever, and at Griffon to give similar performance more economically and,
intermediate positions of the lever suitable combinations at the same time, gain all the benefits of advanced de-
of boost and r.p.m. are obtained for various other flight velopment. I t is not without significance that the Griffon
conditions. is one of the very, very few engines ever to have succeeded
Override Essential to general service without experiencing modifications neces-
sitating grounding. There is, too, a good deal of advan-
There is little doubt that this scheme is a most useful tage the Griffon has over the Merlin on the subject of
one in that it relieves the pilot from responsibility in servicing and maintenance.
ensuring that the engine is always operating \mder the We have mentioned that the maximum boost of the
best conditions.. However, it is rather essential that an Griffon 65 is 21 lb./sq. in., but there are other models in
override control be fitted to allow normal separate settings existence which have been passed for 25 lb./sq. in. maxi-
of boost and r.p.m. when required—for example, when mum boost (with 100/1,50'grade fuel) and the maximum
landing or in combat. The Griffon is provided with an over- powers in the respective moderate and full supercharge
ride lever for these particular functions, and there is every gears have thus been stepped up t o : MS, 2,375 b.h.p. at
reason to suppose that, despite the innate conservatism 1,250ft., and F S , 2,140 b.h.p. at 15,500ft.

HIGH PRESSURE
OIL FROM ENGINE
DRIVEN PUMP

COMPRESSED AIR
FROM AUTOMATIC
ANEROID GOVERNOR

Diagrammatic illustration of supercharger change-speed unit showing (left) MS gear engaged ; (centre) changing from MS to FS
gear ; and (right) FS gear engaged.
 SEPTEMBER *2OTH, 1945 FLIGHT 3*5

LEADING PARTICULARS ASPIRATION

Type .. .. . . Pressure liquid-cooled, in-line Go deg. Valve timing . . Inlet opens 24 deg. before T.D.C.;
closes 44 deg. after B.D.C.
No. of cylinders .. 12, arranged in two monobloc banks Exhaust opens 64 deg. before C.D.C.;
of six with detachable heads. closes 4 deg. after T.D.C.
Bore and stroke .. Coin, x 6.6in. Inlet port area (valve
Unit capacity .. 186.6 cu. in. throat) 5-54 sq. in./cyl.
Total swept volume . . 2,239 c u - m - (36-7 litres). Exhaust port area (valve
Reduction gear ,. Direct spur gear—:Ratio : 0.5102 : 1. throat) . . 4.12 sq. in./cyl.
Rotation . . *. . . Left-hand tractor. Piston area to inlet valve
Airscrew shaft size ... No. 5 S.B.A.C. Standard. area ratio . . 5.103 : 1
Valve, type , . Poppet—exhaust valves sodium Piston area to exhaust
cooled. valve area ratio . . 6.867 : !•
No. of valves/cylinder .. Four, quadrantly disposed. Ratio of piston area to
Supercharger .. Centrifugal two-speed two-stage with frontal area .. .. 0.298 : 1.
inter-cooler. Cylinder compression ratio 6 : 1 .
Carburettor .. Rolls-Royce Bendix-Stromberg pres- Max. internal compres-
sure injection type 9T/40/1 triple- sion ratio of blower 5-3:1-
entry up-draught. Impeller diameters 1st stage, 13.4m. ; 2nd stage, 11.3m
Magneto .. B.T.H. C.S.H. 12-125/3 duplex type M.S. gear ratio .. 5.84 : 1.
with integral distributors. F.S. gear ratio 7-5S: 1.
Plug positions ,. Two/cyl. diametrically opposite and Equivalent tip speeds M.S. cruising, 1,071 ft./sec.; M.S
radially disposed one each to inlet max. power, 1,228 ft./sec.
and exhaust sides. F.S. cruising, 1,391 ft./sec:; F.S.
Firing order .. ,. (P = port; S = starboard) iS, 4P, max. power, 1,594 ft./sec.
3 S, 2P, 5 S , i P , 6S, 3 P , 4 S , 5 P , Eye area of 1st impeller 56.1 sq. in. free, 40.5 sq. in.,re-
2S, 6P. stricted by tail bearing support.
Ignition timing . . ,. Fully advanced : Inlet plugs 45 deg. Rich mixture ratio 11 : 1 by weight.
before T.D.C. Exhaust plugs 51 Weak mixture ratio 14 : 1 by weight.
deg. before T.D.C.
Fully retarded : Inlet plugs 10 deg. POWER
before T.D.C. Exhaust plugs Max, boost pressure 21 Ib./sq. in.
16 deg. before T.D.C. Max. cruising boost pres-
Crankshaft type . Counterbalanced six throw. • sure 7 lb./sq. in.
Max. b.h.p. 2,220.
BEARINGS Max. r.p.m. 2,750-
Main bearing diameters Cruise r.p.m. 2,400.
Main bearing areas Centre, 5.45 sq. in. Ends and inters, Max. b.m.e.p. 286 lb./sq. in.
5.12 sq. in. Altitude to which 1 ata.
Big-end diameter Fqrk rods, 3.10m.; plain rods, 3.773m. manifold pressure is
Big-end areas Fork rods, 6.28 sq. in. ; plain rods, maintained 39,500ft. in F.S. gear.
2.61 sq. in. Power/cu. in. swept
Gudgeon diameter 1.50m.
volume 0.992 h.p.
Total gudgeon bearing Power/litre . . 60.5
„„..,h.p.
... r .
area .. .. . . 6.83 sq. in. Power/sq. in. piston area 6.54 h.p.
Rod/gudgeon bearing area 2.976 sq. in. Power/sq. ft. frontal area 281 h.p.
Piston/gudgeon bearing Power ratio/sq. in. piston
area .. .. . . 3.854 sq. in. area to sq. in. frontal
Con. rod length, centre to ' area .. .. ' . . 3.35 : 1.
centre . . ' . . 10.65m.
Ratio of con. rod length AUXILIARY DRIVES
Auxiliary drive speeds (ratio relative to crankshaft)—
to stroke .. . . 1.614 : i ^ = 3.228. Tachometer . . . . 0.250 : 1.
Max. angularit)' of con. Gearbox input . . 0.984 : 1 (Accessory drive faces:
rod 18 deg. hydraulic pump, electric
Cam base circle dia. 1.150m. generator, air compressor,
Cam major axis length . . I.53o8in. vacuum pump).
Valve lift . . . . 0.570m. Magneto 0.50: 1.
C.S.U 0.82 : 1.
Fuel pump 0.887 : 1.
WEIGHT Oil pumps 0.984 : 1.
Power/weight ratio . . 0.941 Ib./b.h.p. Engine coolant pump . . 1-793 : i-
Weight/sq. in. piston area 6.159 lb- Inter - cooler coolant
Max. mean piston speed 3,025 ft./min. pump 1.799 : i-
Weight of piston and rod Starter 1 : 1.
ass'y/cyl. " .. . . 12.23 lb. Type of starter Coffman combustion type L5.

-V The very high output of the engine would not be pos- gears can both be in constant mesh with the impeller
^ » sible without the two-speed two-stage supercharger which, pinions.
ait.hough of greater capacity, seems to be smaller than that
of the equivalent Merlin; nevertheless, a price of no less Automatic Blower Gear Change
than 600 h.p. is paid in driving the supercharger and, even If the aircraft climbs into an altitude range where F.S.
more amazing, this power is transmitted through relatively gear is required, the change of speed is effected automatic-
small friction clutches in the speed change unit. A driving ally by a selector mechanism which actuates a piston valve
frheel on the spring drive coupling a t the rear of the crank- so that oil delivered by the special pump in the crankcase
shaft meshes with a hollow layshaft in the change-speed is directed to the appropriate side of the change-speed unit
unit, this layshaft housing a stationary piston and sliding piston. The pressure exerted against the piston reacts on
'•:• cylinder assembly. Mounted on the layshaft are a series the cylinder causing it to move, and by so doing, push
of clutch plates and driving rings on each side of a driving the fly-weights away from the M.S. clutches towards the
I member in which are pivoted six fly-weights ; the clutches F.S. clutches; as the weights move beyond the neutral
on the crankshaft side of the central weights are for full plane centrifugal force again takes hold and forces them
supercharge drive (F.S.), whilst those on the impeller side to engage the F.S. clutches which thereupon transmit the
<>! the weights are for moderate supercharge (M.S.), the drive through the high-speed F.S. gear.
respective clutches transmitting the drive through gears The automatic selector mechanism which effects the
which mesh with pinions on the impeller shaft. blower speed change comprises an aneroid capsule which
When, for example, M.S. drive is in operation, the fly- operates a micro-switch to open a valve in the aircraft's
Weights are held inclined rearwards by centrifugal force air supply, and so pass compressed air to a ram on the end
k t>; engage the clutch plates of the M.S. gear, and, as the of the piston valve which directs the distribution of oil
i'S. clutches are disengaged and doing no work th,e driving to the change-speed unit. However, the pilot is provided
 FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 2OTH, 1945

ROLLS-ROYCE GRIFFON (65)

with a change-speed switch to by-pass the aneroid and so to the volute delivering to the intercooler. An accelera-
thus permit a change in blower speed for emergency use, tor pump is located in the up-draught throat between the
to allow of retaining low gear for formation flying, or to nozzle spider and the impeller eye, and discharges through
allow of ground testing. a single nozzle.
In order that no ill effects result from small axial The inter-s'tage impeller case cooling has the effect of
movement as between the driving gears of the speed- increasing the charge density as an irTtermediate measure,
change unit and also to preclude the effects of an over- and by so doing increases the capacity efficiency of the
hung drive, the respective drive pinions on the impeller second stage. This principle lies behind the use of the
shaft are not integral. In point of fact, only the M.S. main intercooler, for an increase in charge density for a
pinion is mounted on the impeller shaft itself, the F.S. given volume enhances the volumetric efficiency, and
pinion being supported in a housing around the spring- although this leads to a large flow through the carburettor
drive sleeve, with a bell coupling separating the pinions and, thus, a higher consumption, relative to the power
and splined to each. increase, the step-up in consumption is well worth while.
Induction is updraught through a triple-barrel- throttle For the future, Rolls-Royce have evolved a metering
in the mouths of which are the Venturis for fuel metering pump to supplant the present system, and it also seems
balance. The carburettor is a Rolls-Royce modification of likely that water / methanol injection will be introduced
the Bendix-Stromberg metering injector, and supplies a before very long, not necessarily only as an emergency
governed measure of fuel to a series of discharge nozzles measure but as a normal running condition. Direct in-
arranged in a " h u b " from which project eight "spokes." jection to individual cylinders will also, without doubt,
On the downstream side of these is created a depression eventually be incorporated. There is this to be said for the
or turbulent area into which the fuel nozzles discharge, new metering pump : it is an extraordinarily simple unit
and from here the mixture is taken straight into the eye of great reliability and meters so accurately throughout
of the first-stage impeller. Rectifying and diffuser vanes the whole performance range that it is not too much of
are interposed between the first and second impellers, and an exaggeration to state ,,that flights could be planned to
in this inter-stage area the blower casing is cooled by its within a half-gallon of fr^ll endurance. With this is natur-
own little coolant system. From the second-stage impeller ally Jjj3lwfr"1T*TOn*«4«nd pre-knowledge of specific con-
the charge is passed through a further diffuser ring and ption such as hjpsn^yer before been known.

Sir Arthur TedderV 'omotioii

Deputy Supreme Commander M&rsl of the Royal Air Force
^ A
T HE London Gazette of September
n t h announced the promotion
of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur
JOL
on the^Navy of the Restoration, which was
iewed in/^he Times. His first commission was
Tedder, G.C.B., to Marshal of the Regiment, and with it he went to France in
Royal Air Force. __ us he be,l<5ngs to the honourable company of " Old
The public remembers Sir Arthur :mptibles.",.~'ln 1916 he was seconded to the Royal Flying
chiefly as having been A.O.C.-iu-C. Corp?, and during the war was mentioned several times in
the Mediterranean Air Command from despatches. >4ut the battle of Arras in 1917 he commanded No.
1943 until he was appointed Deputy 70 Squadron, which was equipped with 18 Sopwith two-seaters.
Supreme Commander of the Allied •—. Since the 1918 Armistice Tedder saw service during the
Armies of Liberation under General Chanak crisis in 1922. In 1928 he attended a course at the
Eisenhower. But his earlier career Imperial Defence College—a very good preliminary for his
had been full of promise. He entered subsequent post as Deputy Supreme Comma^fler of British and
the Army in 1913 with a University American forces of all Services. In 1936 he was appointed
commission from Cambridge, where Marshal of trie R.A.F. A.O.C. Far East Command, with headquarters at Singapore.
he was at Magdalene College. As an Sir Arthur Tedder, He has also held various important posts at the Air Ministry,
undergraduate he gained a University G.C.B. including that of Director-General of Research and Develop-
ment and'Director of Training.

LINCOLN'S CIVIL SISTER : A new photograph of the Avro Tudor I doing a little overweather flying. The wing arrange-
ment of the Lincoln and the Tudor I is identical.