Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

September 21, 1918 (Equipment Service) 1899 carbon manufacture, and have undoubtedly improved the performance of the projection arc. The carbon sizes given by the correspondent for D. C. up to 50 amperes, i.e., H" cored upper and 5/16" Silvertip lower, are those recommended by the National Carbon Company as the correct D. C. trim, but if Specr carbons are used then the same size (W) cored upper carbon is used but the lower carbon should be the Speer Hold-Ark of 7/16" diameter. The Hold-Ark, although a metal coated carbon, differs from the Silvertip in that it has a hard core. It accomplishes the result implied by its name and has won praise from operators in many localities. Although the procedure of burning craters on a number of sets of carbons for use throughout the day's performances is not often mentioned, its importance cannot be too strongly advocated, as there is no comparison between the screen illumination from a new and previously unburnt carbon, and one which already possesses a well-formed crater. We are glad to state that the importance of forming the craters prior to the projection of pictures is realized in New York, and in many other localities also. When the operator does not see fit to prepare a lot of carbons in advance he can still have the proper condition at the arc if he has two projectors and a current supply which permits him to burn a new trim for a while in one machine while the other machine is in operation. This is commonly done by operators where conditions permit. There is no doubt whatever, as the correspondent states, that the Projection Departments of the trade journals are the best sources of information for operators, and the reason is not difficult to seek, for the operator who studies the suggestions of these Departments can then turn to his equipment and try them out practically, whereas the operator schools, which unfortunately are again coming into prominence, are most all handicapped by the lack of sufficient equipment, while their goal is the license bureau rather than the picture on the screen. Royal, San Francisco, Has Up-to-Date Operating Room IT is hard to beat the progressiveness of the Coast theatres, and the Royal theatre of San Francisco, Cal., is exemplary in this respect. The management has endeavored to provide every facility lor making their patrons comfortable while enjoying the pictures, and they have succeeded splendidly. I'll L 1 1 ! OB C'J rH _'V ft] — ML! ■ 1 4 i ! 1 ! E£? Mi I mi -c Switchboard in Operating-room of Royal Theatre, San Francisco Sixteen hundred persons can find easy, commodious seats in the large, well ventilated auditorium. A large fan driven by a 5-horsc power motor furnishes an ample supply of pure fresh air, while a 5-foot Ventura fan exhausts the impure vitiated air. An American Photo-Player Co. organ, the blower of which is operated by a 5-horse power Westinghouse motor, furnishes the music. The operating room is equipped with a 72-ampere Westinghouse motor generator set and the pictures are projected a distance of 130 feet upon a flat white screen, 16 feet by 21 feet. A full non-flickering current at the arc is secured for projection from the Westinghouse motor-generator, which is complete with two ballast resistors, magnetic control and transfer switch. A switchboard gives a direct-current breakdown service from a 3wire direct-current supply circuit. The equipment includes two Simplex machines with Type S lamp houses, special arc controls and Elbert speed regulators. There is also a Brinkct spotlight, which is used during the RobertMorton organ recitals. Slides are run on a Power double stereo. Everything in the room is equipped to run by motor, including the Elbert rewind, taking 2,000-foot Bell and Howell reels. A glimpse at the accompanying photo will show the up-to-date arrangement for the operating current supply, of which the management of the Royal theatre is justly so proud. Books on Projection JUST at the present time there seems to be great interest manifested in the study of motion picture projection, as is evidenced by the requests which are constantly coming to hand for the names of books on this subject. There are quite a goodly number of published works on cine projection, which may be consulted at public libraries in the larger cities; some of the particularly goods works being, however, in French, and therefore not of much use to the average reader. Some other books published in England and the United States were good ones in their day, but are now either out of date, or too amateurish to accomplish much in advancing the knowledge of the modern operator, while other works which are sufficiently exhaustive and accurate in some departments, are utterly bad and misleading in others, the correct theory of the projector optical system having proven a stumbling block for some writers of books, who have printed incorrect data on the same, while in other cases this phase of projection has received insufficient attention. Under the circumstances no published book on projection is the cure all of the class room," but the following selection is recommended as covering (1) general operating procedure, (2) motion picture mechanisms, (3) electricity: (1) Optic Projection by S. H. and H. P. Gage Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, New York Price $3.00 (2) Hopwood's Living Pictures 2nd Edition Revised and Enlarged by R. B. Foster, B. Sc. The Hatton Press, Ltd.. Publishers, 123-25 Fleet St., London, E. C. England. Price 8 shillings ($2.00) (Must be ordered by mail from the publishers in London) (3) Hawkins Electrical Guides Published by Theo. Andel & Co., 72 Fifth Ave., New York Set consisting of 10 volumes costs $10, but each volume may be purchased separately, price $1.00. Numbers 1 to 6 are especially interesting to the operator. Graphoscope Company Issues Two Neat Booklets FROM Washington, D. C, the home of the Graphoscope and its inventor, Mr. C. Francis Jenkins, one of the genuine movie pioneers, have just some two neat little booklets describing the most recent and popular of his creations — the Junior Graphoscope. The first of these booklets, entitled "Why the Graphoscope?" sets forth the necessity of a simple and safe projector in educational and industrial motion picture presentation, and points out the features which must be embodied in a safe machine, showing, in addition, that these desiderata are met in the design and construction of the Graphoscope. The other booklet contains " Directions for Setting Up and Operating the Graphoscope Junior," and gives all the necessary instructions within the compass of eight small pages. The instructions are facilitated by two good half-tone illustrations of the Junior Graphoscope, in which all of the important parts are designated, with reference lines and numbers printed in red. Supple