Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

THEATRE EQUIPMENT Equipment Progress George H. Schade, exhibitor of Sandusky, Ohio, is to be congratulated upon his interest in the matter of greater safety for the theatre and upon the device he has designed for the projection room reported in the accompanying story. Equally commendable is his liberal attitude in presenting the subject and passing his plan along for the benefit of other exhibitors. Theatre equipment is a subject of vital interest to every showman and in this, as in many other matters, exhibitors can help each other by passing along new ideas, and methods used in attaining the greatest efficiency from equipment. Every exhibitor is confronted with problems on various phases of installations in his playhouse. The solution of these problems is a thing of great interest to other exhibitors who are, or may be, confronted with similar situations. The columns of the Herald's Theatre Equipment department are open for discussion on ways and means of increasing efficiency in the operation of theatre equipment. New methods, short cuts, improvements worked out, in fact many things that tend to bring about greater efficiency in the various departments are being solved by the exhibitor from time to time. By reporting these little incidents the exhibitor will help his brother showman and, in turn, profit himself by methods and ideas worked out by others. Exhibitors will find Mr. Schade's plan of decided interest and well worth studying. Exhibitor Perfects Device for Cutting Fire Risks in Theatre Projection Room Portholes Closed Simultaneously in Invention by George H. Schade— Gives Plan to Fellow Exhibitors How many machines have you in your operating booth? Two or more, probably. Suppose a film should catch fire — how quickly can you close the shutters of your portholes? Both, or all at once — or, one at a time? Did you ever think of an automatic device that would instantly close every porthole with a single action? Fire is something no one expects and everyone hopes will never come, but the wise exhibitor is always ready for it. If you're interested in a simple but effective device for closing the portholes of your operating booth, working like an automatic sprinkler works and getting into action the minute it comes in contact with heat, install the device illustrated on page 83 with the compliments of George H. Schade, of Sandusky, Ohio, exhibitor and public official. And you needn't worry about royalties, because Mr. Schade says any exhibitor can have it free of charge. How Mr. Schade, who is also one of the city commissioners of Sandusky, happened to invent the new device is an interesting story. Some time ago he decided that his theatre's operating room ought to be made a little safer — if making it safer were possible. The "portholes" had been annoying him for some time. Analyzes Own Situation "They're protected as far as there is protection to be had at the present time, but it seems to me there's some way of making the operating room still safer, by getting up some sort of a contrivance that will close them all at once in event of fire in the operating room, instead of one at a time as the flame strikes the fusible link controlling the covering," he mused. And so it happened that within a short time his aims were realized. The Schade's operating room was just as Schade said — like most other up-todate operating rooms. Each porthole was protected with a "drop," but each closed of its own accord only when the fusible link with which it was connected up succumbed to flame attack. While the flame that might happen to break out would be confined to the booth, when the shutter fell on the porthole most affected, there was nothing to prevent the smoke from passing through the open portholes and, perhaps, precipitating panic among the patrons of the theatre assembled in the auditorium below. Closes All Portholes Mr. Schade has studied out a contrivance that closes every porthole opening out from an operating room the moment that one fusible link gives way to attack. He had his theatre's operating room equipped and, after everything was working right, sent for an expert draftsman by whom a blueprint was prepared. "Anyone with a little knowledge of operating rooms ought to be able to get the idea and adapt it to almost any theatre," said Mr. Schade as he surveyed the sketch. The print, completed, was forwarded to Associated First National Pictures, Inc.. New York, in accordance with instructions from Mr. Schade. "Call it a First National Week offering," he wrote. Praised by Experts "I am giving the scheme for what it is worth and in so doing take occasion to remark that in my opinion it is a move in the way of safety that is worth many times the trouble and expense that it takes to realize it," he added. "If any of my fellow exhibitors want to adopt it they're welcome to it." Mechanical engineers and others who have inspected his contrivance believe it a valuable contribution to theatre safety. Hirsch Building $75,000] Playhouse at Dayton, O. Robert J. Hirsch is building a new motion picture theatre at Dayton, O., which, when completed, will cost approximately $75,000. The new playhouse is located in the suburban district of Dayton, known as South Park. It has been named the Sigma, and will have a seating capacity of 700. Blanchard Building and Engineering Company of Dayton are the designers and the new theatre promises to be one of the finest of its size in the state. Arrow Film Corporation points out that conditions seem to be improving all over the country, and according to reports from state right buyers, marked improvement is noticeable in territories all over the United States. It seems to be the universal opinion that the next two months will show an excellent increase in business, Arrow officials believe.