Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

The Show Must Go On . . . AND DOES with a ROBIN-IMPERIAL ouier The btst means of avoiding the arc power failures which make refunds necessary. Designed specifically for projection lamp service. Not just an ordinary motor generator, but a guarantee of service— a power plant with 56years' electrical know-how and 40 years' theatre experience "built-in" See your independent theatre supply dealer or write for literature. J. E. ROBIN, INC. 330 W. 42nd St. New York City Motor-Generators and Motors for Every Requirement Gradual drlenoration of protector arc lamp rtllerlors results in a correspoading loss in cliicifncy Since the only light which can reach the screen must be rellecled by the mirror, the loss in screen light is in direct praporlion to the loss in mirror efficiency Endeavonng to make up this light loss through the use of more current represents a pure waste in the form of unwarranted power bills Periodic mirror replacement accordingly is a good investment. Strong precision reflectors for all types and makes of lamps are sold by independent theatre supply dealers The STRONG ELECTRIC CORPORATION Toledo 2, Ohio WOBLPS tAHGFST W4KER OF PHOJECTIQIV AHC8 Special blend of pure vegeloble oils refined and colored for use in wet or dry poppers. Also popping oil, salt, cartons, socks. AMERICAN POP CORN CO. SIOUX CITY, IOWA \iOUYTIMr -americaIs f inest POPCORM SEASONING. ' WAYS & MEANS in operation, installation, maintenance John J. Sefing Is a graduate mechanlcof engineer and has /ong speciaflzed in tfieafre work Construction of Roof Housing For Generators and Rheostats IT IS TO BE hoped that when the post-war theatre remodeling program can really get underway, some consideration will be given the motorgenerator in those houses in which Mr. M. G. Set has been treated, these many years, like a tramp. We take for granted (or should we?) that in new construction, the plans will properly provide for this important equipment, if it is the intention of the owner to use this type of rectification apparatus. Once upon a time, which isn't so long ago in the short history of the motion picture, motor-generators were stuck in any old place — in the corner of a crowded projection room, in storage rooms, on the roof and what-have-you. Now a motorgenerator is a pretty tough piece of equipment, but there nevertheless are limits to the kind of treatment it can take and still stay healthy. We've been called in on many a case of m. g. sickness in which the equipment had been doomed the day it was installed. This in spite of the fact that it does not come under the financial heading of miscellaneous gadgets. A t3T)ical instance is one in which a small set (it was of design quite unlike that of today's models, of course) was giving arc trouble, with the light on the screen varying considerably. We checked the lamps, the wiring and the d. c. panel, then went looking for the m. g. set. It wasn't jammed into a corner of the little projection room in this case. We found it on the roof, where it could be reached by climbing a ladder through a trap door. It was housed in a metal enclosure, along with ballast arc rheostats. The housing was crudely constructed of thin sheet metal with slots cut on the sides for ventilation, and had a pyramid-shaped cover. Examination of this cover showed that it did not fit the housing properly and that it rested loosely on top; leaving a large opening on one side through which dirt and rain could easily enter. It appeared that the cover was actually left a little open for the purpose of letting in enough air for ventilation. On taking the cover off, we saw that the generator, rheostats, line switches and starter just barely "squeezed" into the enclosure. The rheostats were resting on a piece of transite supported by several bricks, and the generator was placed on 2 x 4 pieces of wood. All connections to the generator and rheostats were loose, wiring was open with the insulation brittle and cracked in many places. The equipment naturally, was very dirty, and the heat was trapped within. improper and hazardous ins-fallafion of motor-generator set and rheostats on roof. 42 BEHER THEATRES, JUNE I, 1946