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Author Topic: Early cinema automation Joseph Pandolfi Expert Film Handler Posts: 213 From: Milford, CT. Registered: Nov 1999 posted 02-02-2002 03:08 PM                     Benard: We still use the same 24 hour clocks that is on the console, but we have them mounted seperately on the wall. We would insert pins into the slots for show start times. We also have Rodene 36 minute timers if we wish use those instead of the 24 hour clocks.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-02-2002 08:11 PM                     In canada the FP7 were always the super7 with the highspeed movement and they were very loud and noisy but I have seen a Simplex 1K carbon lighting a 38' screen like a roman candle  |  IP: Logged Bob Koch Expert Film Handler Posts: 183 From: williams ca Registered: Nov 2001 posted 02-03-2002 12:13 AM                     The first alleged automation I`d ever seen was in pre 1940 era when someone decided they could automate changeover operation.I never really saw the point of this.There was a projectionist, we were known as operators in those days, in SF ca Local 162 named Crabtree who decided he could automate the xover. He started with a phenolic covered panel with proj motor contactors actuated with momentary on/off pushbuttons that you could normally run a show from. He then had a bunch of 2000 reel s made[Walter G Preddy Inc] that had fingers you could place at the motor cue[12ft and the other at xover,1 ft from the endas you put the film in the rewind.The magazine was drilled so these fingers actuated a mercury switch as it fell down and sent a pulse to the motor contactor in his panel and when the next finger actuated [changeover] the pulse would operate the douser.There were no pellits to strike the Magnarc in those days so you had to strike the arc manually before his automatic xover took oplace. I think this was designed around 1932-33 and the only one I ever saw used was in the town where Aaron Sizemore lives in Petaluma Ca. The old T&D.Jr California theatre had a booth where a huge beam prevented the operator from seeing the top portion of the screen where the cues were. This was before I went overseas and remember the operator of the time explaining this to me. Susequently went into a few theatres that had the control panel with the contactors but nobody except in Petaluma used the special reels. "Long ti I went overseas  |  IP: Logged Don Sneed Master Film Handler Posts: 451 From: Texas City, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2001 posted 02-03-2002 12:15 AM                        The Cinemation MK IV, was to me the best automation ever made !! I have a funny story, I was at a old single screen theatre a few years ago & the local newspaper run a full page story about the theatre, one thing they kept talking about was "ROBBIE THE ROBOT" a automation system that will allow the projectionist to attend other duties at the theatre....when I went to service the theatre & ask to see Robbie...Robbie was a "contactor" that started & ended the show !! The newspaper made a big deal over this !!  |  IP: Logged

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