The Moving Picture World (October 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. 489 Projecting Machines and Their Manufacturer*. No. 2.—Charles E. Dressier'* American Projecto^raph. Under the above name, Chas. E. Dressier & Co., at 143-147 East Twenty-third street, New York City, manufacture a mo- tion picture machine which is illustrated in the appended cuts. Cut No. I shows the machine fully equipped for work, namely the mechanism with the upper and lower fire-proof magazines atached, a good size table with flanges and steel tube legs, an ideal lamp- bouse and the rheostat. Cut No. 2 illustrates the same machine with the lower magazine attached in front The framing device with its handle is also shown to advantage, as well as the film track and the upper and lower loop of the film. The mechanism is a marvel of simplicity and durability. Years of experience of the manufacturer as a mechanical engineer and practical mechanician, are centred in this ideal machine. It has long, hard, bronze bearings and thus especially built for constant grinding, i. e. for nicolodeon work. The film track is so constructed that only the extreme edges of framing handle is so conveniently located that the operator can rest his arm on the table and do the framing, and the whole the film come in touch with the track, thus avoiding any danger of scratching the film, and the sprockets are so compensated that the oldest film will run as well as good fresh film. The gears are made of hard upper and lower flame shields, as well as the automatic fire shutter, protect the film the entire length of its exposure, thereby avoiding all danger of setting fire to the film, and the automatic fire shutter is of such simple construction that a novice can understand its working, and since it is con- structed to work by friction, there is no possibility of its getting out of order. It always works. The lenses used in this machine are well selected interchangeable tube lenses, which permit of instantaneous changing for various distances. The lamp- house is a well constructed receptacle, both sides and the top open on hinges and the back slides upward, thus enabling the opera- tor to handle and adjust the lamp. In front of the lamphouse, fastened at same, is a condenser receptacle, made of iron, which holds the condenser in place; two •springs and loops, made of zinc, keep the Tig. S. of it (which is entirely optional with the operator, whether he wants it underneath the table or in front). It also shows the top of the lamphouse partly open, as also both doors opened and the lamp in place for projection. Cut No. 3 is an enlarged view showing the stereopticon attachment, the take-up de- vice with the lower magazine under the table and the lamphouse front with the slide carrier in place. Cut No. 4 illustrates the mechanism, with the automatic shutter, in operation, also the fly shutter guard and part of the shutter itself. It furthermore shows the upper and lower frame shields which pro- tect the film the entire length of its ex- posure. Cut No. s is another enlarged view of the mechanism, as seen by the operator. In this view the door with the framing window is left open, to show the steel winder which presses against the extreme edges of the film, in order to keep the latter steady. bronze and are cut with the view of re- ducing the noise to a minimum. The gear box or mechanism moves up and down, which has the advantage of less wear and tear on the film. ■ • The small window, which holds the film against the film track, is made of steel and highly polished, and receives its tension from four little springs, which insures equal pressure and thus a steady picture. The intermittent sprocket, the star wheel and pin wheel are made of steel and ac- curately ground, so as to be perfection in shape and size, their wearing surfaces are also made very wide, in order to avoid un- due wear of the parts. . The shaft bearing are all made of very hard bronze and are eccentrically adjustable. The fly shutter is perforated and balanced so as to eliminate the flicker, and, if properly adjusted, there is absolutely no flicker perceptible; it is also placed so near the film' that a very short focus lens may be used for extremely short distance. The «* condenser apart and allow of their expan- sion when heated by the rays from the arc, thus avoiding their breaking. In front of the condenser box and a part of it, is the slot into which the slide carrier fits which affords a firm hold and prevents the breaking of slides. The lamphouse track is a substantial support, composed of two parallel rods which act as shift guide, when the lamphouse is moved over to one side for stereopticon work. Both top and bottom of the lamphouse are lined with mica, thereby avoiding the danger of short circuiting. The lamp is very simple of construction and substantially built; the upper carbon may be 12 inches long and the lower 7 inches, without touching top or bottom of the lamphouse. The adjusting is done very easily, and when once in place it stays there, and is of no trouble "or inconvenience to the operator. An extra hand shutter is placed at the outlet tube of the rays of the light, to pre-