The motion picture projectionist (Nov 1929-Oct 1930)

12 Motion Picture Projectionist September, 1 930 and operation of which is also conventional, is so arranged that each movement of the sprocket shaft 42 which carries the bevel gear 30 causes the shaft 32 of the counting device which carries the numeral rolls to record the passage of one frame of the film. In the form of counting device shown there are five numeral rolls which are capable of recording the passage of 99,999 frames of film. The usual length of the rolls of film is 1,000 feet or 16,000 frames. Therefore, by referring to the exhibited numerals of the counting device during any point in the projection of the roll of film it is possible to calculate accurately the number of frames of film which have passed the lens of the projector and the amount which remains to pass. Referring to Fig. 4 which is a plan of a fragment of the sound record 18, the starting point is marked by the dot indicated by the small arrow near the central portion of the record, and the word "start" adjacent thereto. Secured to the scale bracket 20, and extending horizontally above the face of the record 18, is a plate arm upon which is supported a scale 52 which carries a graduated scale beginning at the inner end of the plate and progressing outwardly of the record and which carries markings which indicate by means of the arrows the starting point on the record 18 and the points marked by the dots on the record at which the sound corresponding with the beginning of the 400th, 800th, etc., frame of film will commence. Such scales may be made up for every size and type of record. The reproducer arm carries the needle 50 which follows the grooves of the record and adjacent the needle pointer 51 which moves outwardly of the record with the needle 50 opposite the scale 52 and indicates by means of markings on the scale the progress of the needle 50 on the record. Tt is preferable to indicate by dots or other means on the record points corresponding to the scale of indications, so that when desired the needle may be set upon any one of the dots corresponding with the scale indications. The bracket 20 may be slidably mounted upon the hori zontal bar 21 which is attached to the turntable standard 16 so that it may be shifted to position the scale accurately relative to the record 18, and hinged as at 22, so that the scale may be tipped back to permit removal of the record. The records may be marked with dots as described. It will be understood that the mechanism operating the turntable which carries the record 18 is synchronized with the mechanism operating the intermittent film moving device so that the reproduction of sound will coordinate with the visual action projected from the film. The starting end of a reel of film is usually provided with a frame indicating the start, ■ and a starting point is shown as indicated on the sound record. In operation, the pulling of the frame of the film carrying the start indication past the lens by means of the sprockets 43 causes the counting device to register the numeral 1, indicating that one frame of the film has passed. When the projection machine is ready to pull the starting frame through, the needle 50 on the reproducer arm is set at the starting point on the record 18. The operation than commences and as the film passes through the projection machine the counting machine records the number of pictures or frames that have passed, and the needle on the reproducing arm follows the record in coordination with the passing motion picture film. In the event of a break in the film above the sprockets 43 the projectionist immediately stops the machine and notes the number of frames recorded by the counting device. Ordinarily when such a break occurs, the projectionist cannot determine the point on the sound record 18 at which the needle 50 of the reproducer arm 19 should be placed to coordinate with the following frames of the film; thus, the only procedure left for him to follow is to repair the break and start again at the beginning of the film and the sound record, or to disconnect the reproducing arm from the sound record and complete the projection of the reel without the sound accompaniment. Or, as sometimes happens, ihe film does not break but the needle on the reproducer arm skips or jumps or repeats some of the grooves on the record, and thereby throws the sound record out of coordination with the film. In such cases, the only procedure left is to start again at the beginning of the film and record or to disconnect the reproducing arm from the sound record and proceed to complete the reel of film without the sound accompaniment. Such procedure frequently annoys the audience. By using my device, however, such annoyances and the accompanying trouble may be avoided. When the film breaks above the sprockets 43 the machine may be stopped. It will generally be impossible to stop the intermittent mechanism the moment the film breaks and consequently the number of frames recorded by the counting device will be greater than the number that has actually been projected. However, by consulting the footage numbers on the film the projectionist can quickly determine the number of frames to pull through, without operating the intermittent mechanism, to equal the number recorded on the counting device, or he may reverse the machine and turn the counting device back to the frame number above the break. The film may then be again connected with the intermittent mechanism and the projection machine \^J7