The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

BM-22 Highlights in Equipment News New Continuous Projector A self-contained, miniature theatre, which possesses possibilities for the presenting of institutional and advance picture ballyhoo, is the continuous projector recently developed by the Weber Motion Picture Corporation, New York. The new device is housed in a striking cabinet built by Stromberg Carlson, with a special screen and intensive illumination providing a brilliant picture day and night. In the projector itself, every inch of film rests on edge on the floating rewind plate, thus putting no strain on the film, no friction between film layers, with the result that there is no emulsion wearing, no film scratching or tearing. The film rewind plate will carry from 2 5 to 800 feet of 16-mm. safety film, coiled as an endless belt. While developed for the advertising trade, exhibitors will appreciate the possibilities of the apparatus for disseminating institutional information, even (possibly) trailers on coming attractions. Optical Equipment for Projection Available From the Fish-Schurman Corporation, makers of optical, scientific glass and porcelain, last fortnight came a new series of circulars which should be of interest to motion-picture exhibitors. They are — R265 — FS Optical Quality Reflectors. Carried is a full line of glass reflectors for the Ashcraft, Peerless, Morelite, Strong, Brenkert high-intensity lamps. Reflectors for such low-intensity lamps as Holmes, Mazda, Peerless, Strong, are also maintained in stock. On hand also at all times are front surface mirrors, such as are used in conjunction with the Brenkert Brenograph F-7 type machine. M2 5 8 — FS Standard Quality Condensing lenses, from two inches by f. 2.5 -6 inches to 14 inches by f. 21 inches. 241M — FS Extra Ffeat-Resisting Condensers, from 4% x 5 to 8 x 22 inches, as well as special condenser systems as used in the Hall and Connolly, Brenkert, Ashcraft, Simplex, other popular type machines. FS Genuine Optical Pla-Parallel Porthole Plates, from size 3x3 inches to 12 x!8 inches. Exhibitor may obtain copies of the bulletins by addressing a letter to the company at 250 East 43rd Street, New York City. GTEC Reports for 193 8 A consolidated net profit of $507,267.41 is reported for the year 193 8 by the General Theatres Equipment Corporation, including six subsidiaries— International Projector Corporation, National Theatre Supply Company, Theatre Equipment Contracts Corporation, J. E. McAuley BETTER MANAGEMENT Manufacturing Company, Hall and Connolly, Inc., The Strong Electric Corporation — but excluding Cinema Building Corporation, J. M. Wall Machine Company, Inc.., the Zephyr Shaver Corporation. The earned surplus, December 31, was $643,976.81. Reported at the same time were current assets of $1 ,63 5,5 88.91 ; investments of $5,017,071.15 (in 20th Century-Fox, $5,016,816.15; in Fox Theatres Corporation, $2 5 5 ); of capital assets of $630,018.36 (good will listed at $2); of investments in non-included subsidiaries, $286,396.34. Current liabilities totaled $646,219.96. Net sales for the company was $8,3 26,246.65, which shows a gross profit of $2,0 5 8,943.46. Officers of the company are Earle G. Hines, president; Walter E. Green, vice-president; Matthew V. Carroll, treasurer; Regnold B. LaRue, secretary; Carroll, Robert L. Clarkson, Chester W. Cuthell, Edward C. Delafield, Green, Ralph N. Harder, Daniel O. Hastings, John E. McAuley, Herman G. Place, Seton Porter .directors. Issue Catalogue of Mats, Uses All types of floor matting, the correct application of each one in the theatre field are discussed in detail in the new, profusely illustrated catalogue now available to all interested parties by the American Mat Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, without fee or obligation. Rubber, wood, composition, steel matting for commercial, industrial, decorative uses are included in the complete matting service offer offered by American Mat. A trained staff of engineers, located throughout the U. S., are available to solve any specific matting problem. Some of the more important types of matting fully described in the catalogue are Ezy-Rug, Rub-o-Rug, Air-Tred, Counter-Tred, Amatco, Tuf-Tred. Various factors, which induce the installation of floor matting, include safety, sanitation, modernization, cleaning costs, comfort, beautification, each of which is authoritatively discussed at length in the new publication. Vallen Presents New Take-Up Device A new automatic slack rope take-up device, designed to eliminate all slack and whipping of curtain ropes and cables, is the latest addition to the Vallen line of proscenium equipment. Small, compact, sturdily built, easily bolted to the floor, the new Vallon Uni-Tension” is entirely self-adjusting, compensating for all slack caused in curtain cables and ropes by use, or weather changes, and keeping the rope at uniform tension at all times. Stamped from machine steel, with cushion springs with a cast wheel four inches in diameter, and oil-less, noiseless bearings, the "UniTension” can be furnished to fit any curtain size in any type of auditorium. "Uni-Tension” carries the quality guarantee that goes with all Vallen equipment, including Vallen Aero-Speed, Floating, Junior Curtain Controls, as well as the new Rear-Fold track, noiseless all-steel safety tracks, and the automatic shade operator and screen control. All these and the many other Vallen items are designed for application on stages of all sizes, and in church, school, club auditorium, hospital clinics and the like. Typhoon Offers New Units Operator of small theatres, still needing and wanting air conditioning, will be interested in the announcement recently of the Typhoon Air Conditioning Company of a new three-, five-, sevenand-one-half-ton self-contained units. According to the company the Typhoon Prop-R-Temp self-contained unit was planned for small and medium-sized situations, with space and budget restrictions. The engineers have developed an over-sized three-ton and an oversized five-ton unit to give maximum efficiency. The units have definite advantages over skimpy units of the same size on the market: it can cool a larger area and can achieve a lower temperature than other units of equal size. Its large lowspeed compressor will outlast the small high-speed compressors used in other make units. The Prop-R-Temp compressor is 178 percent larger and the coils are 76 percent larger than the average of three well-known makes. Prop-R-Temp enables the smaller establishment to meet the competition of its larger neighbors. At a fraction of the cost, all the advantages of a large built-in system can be obtained. The units range in price from $9 5 0 to $1600. Storage System Cuts Cost The Typhoon Air Conditioning Company announces the development of a refrigeration storage system, whereby the refrigerating medium is manufactured with a mechanical compressor of approximately one-quarter the size ordinarily required. The electric current is consumed principally in off-peak hours — that is, from, say eight or nine o’clock in the evening until the following day, when the show starts. The reduction in demand charge for operating a smaller machine results in a material saving in electric current cost. The engineers estimate that the electric bill can, in many cases, be reduced by half. In theatres, where the ice-cooling systems are already in operation, the addition of this new development can be made at a comparatively low price. Portable Sound Recorder Developed A "Super-portable” sound recording channel for location work, which weighs 84 pounds less than the equipment now in use, but whose performance approximates the finest studio installations, has been designed by the Electrical Research Products, Inc., in collaboration with the sound department of Metro. Extreme portability characterizes every feature of the new design. In contrast with earlier "location” equipment, which was housed in nine separate cases, weighed 900 pounds complete, the two units of the new apparatus weigh only 150 pounds. The larger cabinet contains the recording machine, associated controls, including those April 19, 19)9