Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2730 ACCESSORY NEWS SECTION Projectio siiiliiEi Edited by Ira G. Sherman, Past Pr* sidciii. I.o< al \(.. 58 1. I. A. 1. S. E. Who will answer all questions you may send in, no matter how simple or difficult THE HORTING AUTOMATIC STOP, MOTOR DRIVEN FILM REWINDER THE rewinder, illustrated, called the Horting Automatic Stop, M^tor Driven Film Rewinder, was devised to assure absolute safety in the winding and rewinding of motion picture films. It is the only machine approved b^ the National Board of Fire Underwriters that entirely encloses the film when rewinding. This machine is driven by an enclosed Westinghouse motor, selected as the best adapted for the work both from principle of operation and construction. The cost of operation is said to be less than five cents per day, based on a twelve-hour performance. As shown by the illustration this rewinder is very simple. It is supported by two uprights, which in turn rest upon an iron base, giving proper rigidity without undue weight. There are two magazines, one larger than the other. Each is a separate enclosed compartment, with a cast aluminum cover or protector designed to conform to the shape of the reels. The larger magazine is used for the reels during rewinding; the smaller one contains the operating mechanism. The machine will take reels of 2,500 feet or less of any make, and will operate only when the magazine covers are closed, unless set for examination or inspection of film. This feature makes it fool-proof and reduces the danger of any explosion due to the carelessness of the operator. The operator does not have to give the machine any attention whatever after once starting the mechanism, for at the end of the film the machine will automatically stop and the operator can then remove it from the rewinder and place it in the vault. mi The Rewinder Shown Open and Closed Another feature of this machine is the automatic stop should the film break during rewinding; this action is positive, for should the film break while the machine is in operation the rewinder will automatically stop at the point where the break occurred and allow the operator to make his splice, after which it will proceed to rewind the balance of film on the reel . Operators and owners are often annoyed by the presence of rain on the screen, which is caused by dust and particles of dirt which collect on the face of the film during rewinding, when the rewinding is done in the ordinary way. As the Horting rewinder winds the film under cover, perfect pictures are assured, as no dust can get on the film. It has another advantage in that it does away with unnecessary mutilation or cutting of films, as the perfect ease with which it operates prevents tears and breaks during the process of rewinding. The device is being made by the Automatic Film Rewinding Company, Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., and should merit the careful examination of exhibitors who are looking for something '■ worth while." LOSES LOWER LOOP ON EDISON MACHINE R. E. Johnson, Burton, Ohio, writes: We have an old exhibition model Edison machine and experience a great deal of trouble through losing the lower loop. We have tried everything ; putting on new sprockets and guards, and are running with the least possible tension at the take up. Could you suggest anything that zi'ould stop this trouble. I also want to say that J made a shutter after the pattern which you published in the News a few weeks ago; the one u-ith the curved blade, and cut it down to use as an inside shutter on our imchine and it is giving excellent results. Answer. — The fir.st thing that came to my mind when I read your letter wherein you said you tried everything and could I suggest a remed}', was to advise you to purchase a new machine, but I knew that is not the answer you want. You will admit though, that it is " cruelty to animals " to use a machine that has been antedated several times by later models which have many improvements over the model you are using. I would suggest that you examine the film as it passes into the lower magazine to see if it is passing perfectly straight. A side pull, caused by your not setting the mechanism in perfect alignment with the lower magazine sometimes causes the trouble you complain of ; again, it might be due to your not having your idler roller close enough to the lower sprocket. Adjust this so that the teeth of the sprocket are covered equally on each side of the sprocket by the groove in the idler roller and see if this does not effect a remedy. I am glad to know that the shutter of Hosford's is giving such excellent results, and am expecting to have other ideas from him that will help along the good work that the operators throughout the country are trying to accomplish. Those who are interested in the above-mentioned shutter can obtain full information regarding it by consulting the Projection Department of the September 2. issue of the News. BRYSON IMPORTS CONDENSERS THE Northwestern Picture Equipment Company, Minneapolis, Minn., of which J. V. Bryson. popularly known as " Jimmie " is the president, are filling orders for their Meniscus-Bi-Convex condensers which they import from the Jena (France) glass works, the finest and purest white glass condensers made. The use of this style of condenser reduces the lighting bills to a considerable degree and also gives greater illumination of the picture on the screen. To prevent condenser breakage this company also has a new type of condenser mount that can be installed upon any make of machine, and when we consider that for a long time it has been thought impossible to stop condenser breakage this device should make a strong appeal to the exhibitor who has suffered long and patiently, especially in view of the fact that with broken condensers it is not possible to obtain perfect projection. The scarcity of imported condensers has caused a number of exhibitors to use broken condensers in their projection machines until they fell out, caused by their becoming badly splintered.