MEDWAY AIRCRAFT PRESERVATION SOCIETY Ltd

Trolley Accumulators

 

Trolley Accumulators were equipment used primarily for starting Rolls-Royce aeroplane engines.  They consisted of a bank of lead-acid calls termed accumulators or batteries, with a small motor-generator set to charge the cells.  Mounted on a small trolley, usually with large wheels so that they could be wheeled up to the aeroplane and they varied significantly in design.   The motor was a JAP single cylinder, two stroke engine which drove a dynamo to trickle-charge the four 6 Volt, 17 Amp/hour cells through a simple regulator.  When used to start the engine, it was connected by a heavy cable and capable of delivering 60 to 100 Amps at 12 or 24 Volts.   Later versions had greater battery storage capacities. 

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MAPSL has restored several Trolley Accumulators over the years.  The two that are currently in the workshop are for different clients.  The older has pneumatic tyres with the motor-generator set mounted on the rear.  The newer has solid tyres with the motor-generator set mounted on the top.