The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

December 23, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 781 PROJECTION Fifteen Do liars a Week Abe Greenwald, of Local 307, Philadelphia, writes as follows : Dear Friend and Brother: — Well, Frank, It's a long time since I saw you last, in the rays when we used to ride home together in the extremely early (or was it late) hours of the morning after attending those perfectly wonderfull meetings of that perfectly wonderful Auxiliary Local Union No. 35. That was in the days when the "operator" got fifteen whole dollars for seven (count em, 1111111) days, and thought he received big money. Pauses to Remark I might here pause to remark that I have observed that the projectionist who does not get more than the union scale usually stays put in about the same place for quite a spell. I have been following the Projection Department for several years, but have never said anything about some of the ideas I have put into practice in connection with my Simplex projector. After reading about Brother Baldassari, Hamilton, Ontario, I concluded it was my move. I therefore herewith subit two of them for comment and approval. Sketch No. 1 represent sa tube, made from sheet tin, to fit over the projection lens barrel, with an aperture cut in its front end. This aperture is the exact size of the effective light beam, and intercepts all stray rays, so that they cannot reach the screen. The tube is made long enough to reach out to the rotating shutter. The back end is cut as per Fig. 2 in sketch No. 1. To do this just cut a "V" every % inch, and then bend the points in a bit, so they will grip the lens barrel. If you do this and do it right, you may be a bit astonshide at the improvement in your picture. Sketch No. 2 represents two 3-point switches wired to control a motor from two different points. To install same so that you may start or stop the projector motor from working position beside the other projector, remove the four-pole switch from the projector and connect one wire from line to motor, soldering the necessary wire joint, of course, or using a good "connector," the other live leg to run to 3-pole switch located in convenient position near the other projector. These two wires are indicated by broken lines. You then connect two wires from 3point switch to another 3-point switch located on projector. Connect other pole of motor to the still vacant contact of one of the switches, and the job is done. A piece of 8-wlre BX is all you need from outlet box on projector to other outlet box. Plan la Practical This plan is entirely practical and will be found very convenient for projectionists who are alone either a part or all the time. It will, in fact, be found to be a very handy thing in the long run, regardless of whether a man is alone or not. To illustrate its convenience, suppose you are at one projector, and the other is about through with its reel. You are waiting to make the change-over, hence are not beside the working projector. Something happens to the working projector — a not at all impossible, or even very improbable thing, considering how some so-called projectionists butcher up the end of reels with paper stickers which are often more or less loose and overworcked punches. In this event you can instantly stop the projector and start the other, thus avoiding letting the audience know anything went wrong and possibly avoiding damage to film, or even a fire. I hope I shall see you when next you visit the City of Brotherly Love. I am at the Loenst Theatre, Fifty-second and Locust tsreet. In closing I wish you a Merry Christmas. F.H.RICHARDSON Notice to All PRESSURE on our columns Is such that published replies to questions cannot be guaranteed under two or three weeks. If quick action is desired remit four cents, stamps, and we will send carbon copy of department reply as soon as written. For special replies by mail on matter which, for any reason, cannot be replied to through our department reTnit one dollar. THE LENS CHART Are You IV orking by "Guess" or Do You Employ Up-to-Date Methods? You demand that your employer keep his equipment in good order and up to date. He owes it both to himself and to you to do so, but you owe it to him to keep abreast with the times in knowledge and in your methods. The lens chart (two in one, 11x17 inches, on heavy paper for framing) is in succesful use by hundreds of progressive projectionists. "Don't guess." Do your work RIGHT. Price, fifty cents, stamps. Address Moving Picture World, either 516 Fifth Ave., New York City, or 28 East Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, 111. Good Stuff Good stuflf, Brother Greenwald 1 The publication of such ideas as this does not in the least injure you — quite the reverse, in fact — and is helpful to other progressive men all over the world. Your ideas are excellent. I was obliged SKETCH ONE Tube Fitting Over Lens Barrel to change the wording of your letter quite a bit, but don't think I changed your meaning. I tried not to anyhow. The tube and aperture will prove of some value in all cases, if rightly made and rightly used. Under some conditions they will be very valuable indeed. What you have done is to follow the recommendation of Brother Griffith and place the stray-light mask at the shutter 3PT SWITC\^ skBrrH plane, the shutter plane being presumably, at the aerial image. The tube and aperture should be painted a flat black, both inside and out, but especially inside. When I next visit Philadelphia I would be delighted to visit you. I enjoy visiting the projection room of any and all progressive men — men whose ideas are not entirely limited by or to quitting time and payday. The trouble is, however, that in a city like Philadelphia there are so very many things to do in the limited time at my disposal that when I leave there is always much left undone. I will, however, bear the matter in mind and try to pay you a call anyhow. SKETCH TWO Motor Control Switch What Do You Think ? From a projectionist in Pennsylvania comes a complaint that his theatre has been called upon to pay for damage done while running first run by scratches caused by deposit of emulsion on tension shoes. He says : Inclosed find communications between myself and one of the local exchanges relative to damaged film. The De Luxe Exchange, of Philadelphia, sent a first-run two-reel comedy for a run in our theatre. I put it into the projector and it started off fine, but in a few moments the tension shoes started chattering, which was, of course, caused by emulsion deposit on them. In my opinion the exchange should inspect the films and properly lubricate them to prevent this trouble. If the projectionist parafines or oils them, the exchange howls its head off and we catch the devil just the same. If we run them as received we are forced to pay for damage, as in this case. The film is scratched for about fifty feet along both edges. No other damage was done. Any suggestion by you will be appreciated and will be followed. No Proof of Damage In the first place the fact that a scratch mark shows is no proof that any APPRECIABLE damage has been done the films. If the marks are merely on the surface of the emulsion then the exchange has no valid claim, since no appreciable weakening of the film has occurred, provided the added strain set up by increased friction was not sufficient to abrade the edges of the sprocket holes. If the scratches are deep, but do not extend through the emulsion, then while the celluloid base has not been weakened, it is probable that the edges of the sprocket holes have not entirely escaped damage by abrasion, due to the added strain put upon them by forcing the intermittent to pull against the high friction set up. If the scratches extend through the emulsion and into the celluloid base, then the damage ij serious, and the injured portion should be immediately replaced, because the stock is weakened and unquestionably the sprocket hole edges have not escaped, even though they be not actually broken at the corners. Microscope Needeil It is for just such examinations that the projectionist really should have a microscope, or at least a high-power magnifying glass. A condenser will not serve. In the end it might pay such of you as use first runs to have one. BUT, mv friend, are you, yourself, blameless. HOW MUCH TENSION HAS YOUR PROJECTOR at the aperture??? If it is excessive, then YOU ARE NOT BLAMELESS. You are in fact culpable, and I