Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

sensitive mechanism operates a switch that is connected to the closing coil of the changeover dowser. In threading the projector, a normal lower loop is made which rides on the sprocket. During normal operation of the projector, the safety sprocket is rotated at 360 r.p.m. by the film. "Anything that might cause a fire will instantly affect the sprocket. A blown fuse or frozen bearing will slow the sprocket; loss of the loop, torn sprocket holes or a break in the film will stop the sprocket. Should any of these things occur, the mechanism within the sprocket will instantly cause the changeover dowser to close before a fire can start. By using the changeover dowser, which is standard equipment for all projection installations, the extra cost of an additional safety dowser is saved." Drive-In Equipment Demand Seen Crowing the drive-in theatre is "growing up" as a division of motion picture division and has come to warrant the establishment of special provisions for supplying it according to its particular requirements. This is the view voiced in a press statement by J. E. Currie, manager of National Theatre Supply's Drive-In Theatre Department. He said that inquiries and orders for drive-in equipment had been steadily increasing since the end of 1946. He emphasized the significance of the in-a-car type of speaker as an equipment development representing the growing popularity of the automobile theatre. "Our in-a-car speaker, for example, was designed to bring the drive-in theatre patron high sound quality right in the privacy of the family car," he pointed out. "This compact, ultra-modern, waterproof permanent magnet speaker has a 6^-inch cone, is mounted in lightweight durable housing, and is provided with a handy volume control to satisfy the most exacting patron." The National in-a-car speaker is mounted in heavy aluminum shelters. Placed with National in-a-car speaker and aluminum shelter. in easy reach from a car window, the speaker can be attached directly to the window or it can be placed on the front seat, and in either case the windows of the automobile can be closed. • William H. Marsh has been appointed Western sales manager of Marsh Wall Products, Inc., Dover, Ohio, manufacturers of Marlite plastic-finished paneling for decorative interior treatments, and also of aluminum mouldings. Mr. Marsh is one of seven brothers operating the company and although he has been an executive in another field, he has been a director of the Marsh corporation for ten years. He will now have charge of the Western states, with headquarters at 1628 Webster Street, Oakland, Calif. Steel Lounge Furniture With Changeable Cushions for just such requirements in service and maintenance, in addition to attractiveness, that are found in theatre lounges, a line of steel furniture with reversible cushions has been brought out by the Admiral Chrome Furniture Company, New York. The line includes a club chair, a two-cushion love seat, and a three-cushion settee. Each style is constructed of 16-gauge (diameter 1 inch) tubular steel, which is triple-plated in copper, nickel and chrome. The cushions in all models are reversible, yet are made with inner coiled springs, built as a unit. Further, the cushions are interchangeable as back or seat cushions. They are covered in two-tone leather type coated fabric, which is available in any of nine different colors. HOW ELECTRONIC LAMP CONTROL OPERATES The automatic carbon feed control of the new projection lamp developed by the Forest Manufacturing Corporation, and placed on the market last fall, is sketched with the elements labeled. The solenoid coil for actuation of the feed control mechanism is itself controlled by an electronic timer which is set for a certain number of impulses. This timer consists in a small thyratron tube in circuit with condensers and resistors for the regulation of current flow. The number of impulses is set, as desired, by turning a knob of the variable resistor. For such regulation a dial is provided to show arc amperage according to the type of carbon, and the timer can thus be set at the specific arc current of the lamp. The rate of carbon feed, when set, is maintained without further manipulation of the control so long as the arc current or carbon size is not changed. \ PAUL POSITIVE MANUAL RE6ULAT0R 32 BETTER THEATRES, APRIL 5, 1947