Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

October 22, i g 2 i 2191 NEW THEATRE Construction (s^ Equipment p^Qj^^^Q^ Department ALEX. G. CRUIKSHANK CAMERA TECHNICAL EDITOR Inventor Presents New Automatic ''Non-Rewind" Device Watchmaker Shows Projector Manufacturers a New Improvement An invention that gives promise of development into a worth while improvement for projection machines, has recently ben patented by Harry M. Stephenson of Denver, Colorado. This is a device which, added to the present day projector, does away with the second winding of the film. Mr. Stephenson has brought a model of his machine to New York, a photograph of which accompanies this article. An expert watchmaker for years, Mr. Stephenson was attracted to experimenting with an automatic rewind by witnessing the operation of a projector some two years ago. He decided that there is a great deal of room for improvement in this direction. He spent two years of his time and nearly ten thousand dollars before he applied for his patents. He succeded in obtaining basic patents which protect him exceedingly well and that his rewind is of different principle than any other brought out heretofore. A number of prominent motion picture men witnessed demonstrations of the new device and were very free in their praise of its effectiveness in doing the job for which it was designed. The technical editor of Motion Picture News in company with the technical engineer of one of the large projector manufacturers witnessed such a demonstration. The construction and workmanship of the model is excellent. In operation it did exactly what the inventor claimed. ' In explaining his invention Mr. Stephenson states : " My invention takes the place of the lower magazine of a motion picture projector, adding a feature which does away with the second winding of the film. This, however, does not do away with the present construction of moving picture machines, but embodies the combination of a reversing reel and means for holding standard reels also. " The motion picture machine is not shown, as this is the demonstrating model. A commercial construction is now being made which will embody the lower part of a projection machine. This is a model of the Stephenson Autoniatic " A'on-Reivind " device. The projector head zvould come betzveen the reels. " The basic principle of the invention, is a rotary contracting drum, which winds the film from the outside and finished in the center by means of ten fingers which travel with the drum and hold the film outward. " As the film builds up, the fingers yield inwardly and at the point where the film enters, these fingers are lifted and lowered again by positive cam action, without a spring. " This ' non-rewind ' device remedies a condition that is impossible to overcome in the present motion picture machine, namely : the creeping that takes place in the lower magazine during the time the picture is being shown on the screen. Not only is this slipping overcome, but the slipping that takes place during the rewinding of the 'film. " With my new device the film is taken from the motion picture machine and inserted about two inches into the reversing reel. No fastening whatever is required, as the fingers hold the film down. Herein lies the condition which keeps the film from creeping. The film is not wound in a round form but is wound from point to point inside the fingers, thus winding the film in the form of decagon. " The film runs over an automatic governor, which keeps the film at a very light tension, from start to finish of winding. " When the film breaks in the motion picture machine, the re-threading is much simpler and easier than re-threading the standard reel ; this requiring the simple operation of inserting the end of the film and continuing. " Each machine is equipped with special expanding core reels. One-half of a reel is placed in the machine before winding and when ready to remove the other half is snapped on and the film is then pulled out ready for immediate showing. " The machine not only saves the tedious task and damage done to film in rewinding, but has two outstanding features, namely : the elimination of the film creeping in the lower magazine of the motion picture machine and the case of operation, such as re-threading in case of a break in the motion picture machine." The final test as to the practical value of the " non-rewind " will be the building of half a dozen projectors equipped with it. The verdict of the projectionists after using this machine a few weeks will tell the story. So far the model gives promise of success to such a venture but it will be necessary to conduct such an expeiimental test to get approval for its practical operation. Mr. Stephenson, it is said, is now arranging to build half a dozen machines equipped with his Stephenson Non-Rewind. The results of these practical tests will be interesting, for their success may mean a great deal to the future design of motion picture projectors.