Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

1270 ACCESSORY NEWS SECTION Vol. 14. No. 8 in Fig. 1-B the hole through which the liquid reaches the lower pad, flowing along the distributing groove C. E-E are holes for fastening the cleaner to the rewind table, using two inch wood screws. F the distributing groove for the upper pad, thus taking care of both sides of the film which is being cleaned. D is the spring that holds the device closed and the tension on the film can be regulated by loosening or tightening the two screws shown. This film cleaner known as the " LELAND " is the invention of S. B. Leland, Montpelier, Vt., and is handled by the Picture Theatre Equipment Co., 1604 Broadway, N. Y. It is furnished complete and the cleaner, one pint of fluid, and 100 pads cost so little that it should be to the interest of every exhibitor to see that his operator is supplied with one. no VOLT COMPENSARC ON 220 VOLT CURRENT O. p. McNutt, chief operator, Castle Theatre, Havana, 111., wants to know how to connect in multiple, two 110 volt Ft. Wayne Compensarcs on a 220 volt circuit, and how many amperes they would deliver at the arc. He has two 110 volt compensarcs (I presume he means the type A, which met with such great favor. — Ed.) and the current coming into the building is 220 volts A. C. Now I want to connect the two together in order to handle the 220 volts the same as though I had one 220 volt compensarc. Your an^ swer will be greatly appreciated. Answer: It can't be done. It is absolutely impossible to operate two 110 volt compensarcs in multiple on a 220 volt circuit. The reason for this is that they are auto transformers and connecting them up in this way would short circuit the windings if the lamp leads were connected in multiple, and if one set of lamp leads were not connected you would not be able to get any regulation. The only thing for you to do is to purchase 220 volt compensarcs. Later. — Why not, if you have a three wire system, connect each compensarc to the outside wires of your line and operate them as 110 volt, machines? By outside wires I mean connect one compensarc to the positive and neutral wire (or what would be positive and neutral if you had direct current) the other to the neutral and negative wire, thus balancing your system and utilizing the apparatus you now have. The 60 amperes you are able to get with the compensarc should be all that you would want to use, and with the proper sized carbons should give you excellent results. WANTS TO IMPROVE PROJECTION AND REDUCE CURRENT BILLS J. A. Kelerer, Rockport, Ind., writes: We would like to improve our projection, and if possible at the same time reduce our current bill. We have a sixt--five foot throw on a screen 8 x 11 ft.; use 110 volt, 60 cycle A. C, we are at present consuming an average of 640 K.W. monthly on the following equipment: 41 — 40 watt tungsten lamps; 10 — 16 ■£•/>. carbon lamps; 8 — 8 c.p. carbon lamps; Z—Ys h.p. 110 V. motors, and one arc lamp which carries 35 amperes through an oil transformer. There are a number of small manufacturing plants that run large motors on the day current which causes the current to weaken and vary quite a great deal in voltage. What would be the result of installing a rotary converter, or would you suggest the installation of a mercury arc rectifier for arc lamps only? Answer: I had purposely delayed answering this inquiry for the reason that I was tempted to suggest the installation of a lighting set, but after considering the matter from all angles I came to the conclusion that Mr. Kelerer had answered his own question in the closing paragraph of his letter. The mercury arc rectifier has its following, for it is a device that requires very little or no attention after once being installed, and on a sixty-five foot throw will give very good screen results, then too the cost of this machine as compared with others which obtain practically the same results is such as to make a strong appeal to the exhibitor who has to consider the initial outlay. The rotary converter (of which there are many types on the market) as well as the different motor generator sets put out by various manufacturers and advertised in the columns of the News are all made with the same end in view : To reduce current bills. And there is no doubt, if you install any one of these devices that you will find a material decrease in the bills rendered you by the lighting company. FILM CEMENT FORMULA Robert Leslie, Owen Sound, Ont., asks: Would you kindly oblige me xvith the best film cement recipe you know off Answer: With the greatest of pleasure. The following is the formula of a cement which I myself used for some years and I found it to give very good results : Elqual parts of amyl acetate and acetone. This will not turn white or dissolve the film as cement using ether in its composition will. Can be used on all kinds of stock, but MUST BE HANDLED QUICKLY. Scrape film clean, use a small brush, preferably of camels hair, and see that it is distributed evenly over the end of the film before making patch. And BE SURE TO KEEP THE BOTTLE TIGHTLY CORKED WHEN NOT IN USE. YES— IT WILL John A. Dawson, Clarksburg, Ohio, writes: Will a meniscus bi-convex condenser combination give a better light than two piano? Answer: Such is the opinion of a great many operators who have been experimenting along these lines. The principal advantage of the meniscus bi-convex over the piano is that it is possible to have a much smaller " spot " at the aperture with the former when the equivalent focus is the same in each case. The most important factor in getting a better light is to see that your lenses, both objective and condensing are ABSOLUTELY CLEAN, not some of the time, but ALL THE TIME. MAKING AN ELECTRIC FAN FROM A MOTOR Herbert Schneler, Ft. Wayne, Ind., writes: Having used your columns before and being well satisfied I would again like to have you help me if you will. Here's the problem: I have a 110 volt 60 cycle motor and have added a fan blade in order to tnake an electric fan out of it, but the motor is a little too speedy, therefore it wont stay where you put it, and another thing it heats up on this speed and is quite noisy. Would there be any way to cut down this speed through a coil of some kind or how are those speed regulators made. What would you recommend as an inexpensive way to reduce this speed a little ; do you think if I were to put on a 12 or 16 inch blade that it would help me any? Answer: The most inexpensive way I know would be to get two porcelain weatherproof sockets and connect them in series with the motor, using an 8 c.p. lamp in one and a 16 c.p. lamp in the other. This would give you about all the resistance you would need for the reduction of speed and would also tend to eliminate the excessive heating you complain of. The size of the blade has nothing to do with it, there being no pull, consequently your motor would not heat up from that cause, it is more than likely that the heat is caused by induction and if so should not give you any concern. Try this scheme and if it does not work out to your satisfaction let me hear from you again. AN APPEAL TO THE OPERATOR FROM THEIR FRIEND To the Boys in the Projection Room. Dear Boys : While in Chicago at the Exposition it was so very warm that I could not help but think of the great discomfort you so often experience in order that we, the public, may enjoy the pictures which you project for us upon the screen, and I am hoping that a day will come when some great mind will invent for you a means of operating your motion picture machines without the necessity of confining you to the hot and all too small booth which is in use today. Why do not some of you turn your minds and genius to that end and so have it to your credit that you are interested not only in yourselves, but in your co-workers as well? n It seems, sometimes, at least to me, that you do not always appreciate how very important your part in the Motion Picture industry really is. The manufacturers and artists may spend all their energies, and bend every effort, financially, mentally, and artistically to make a wonderful picture which by careless, inattentive projection is so often spoiled. Now, boys, it is up to you to WAKE UP and take a greater and deeper interest in your profession. It is an injustice to j'ourself to let yourself be responsible for the ruination of a beautiful -picture by letting your machine become dirty, by scratching the film,