Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Simplex XL Intermittents ?

This is topic Simplex XL Intermittents ? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011594

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 01-23-2014, 05:46 PM:

Has anybody ever had or seen the Hi-speed XL Intermittent listed in their Parts book as G-4126.
In probably 30 years of Asking projectionists this; none have said they ever had any
anything but the Standard OEM G-4312 in their Projectors, Many didn't even know that
Simplex even made such an intermittent and listed it in their Parts Manual.

I even checked years back with the 2 Denver based Parts Houses(ACME was one) and
they said they had never ever had one in stock and weren't even sure that they were
ever made or avaliable even though it was listed in the parts book with an exploded
drawing of all the parts.

The only part that is the same as the STD Intermittent is the P-1577 Starwheel. The
Cam for the STD is G1837 (G4131 Hi-Speed) Intermittent sprocket is even different
G-2330 STD (G-4148 Hi-Speed) Main Drive Shaft & Gear G-1836 STD (G-4128 Hi-Speed)
The Main Drive Gear shows the same number on Both Units G-1828 But shows 2
different Flywheels G-1830 STD (G-4192 Hi-Speed)

Supposedly this intermittent had a faster pull down rate for better illumination but
that is speculation. I would just like to know if it was ever Made and maybe pulled out
of Service because of Problems,etc. It seems strange they would have kept it in the
Parts Ordering Book if they never were going to be able to supply them....

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2014, 09:05 AM:

I installed some over the years. Back in the midwest I had several drive ins that only had single phase power. Then, it was the only way to increase screen brightness. They ran fine with Estar Film and produced an awesome image. There were lots of probems with them running acetate film and with cement splices because of the extreme 5 to 1 acceleration on pull down. But this was before....

Once Strong Switching rectifiers came on scene I would have simply paralleled two small units and ran a 4kw lamp. Parralell rectifiers need to be perfectly balanced and with the continous adjustmet current level they had it was a cinch to do.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 01-24-2014, 09:06 AM:

Yes it existed. The mechanism was quite complicated compared to a standard Geneva, service life not great, actual screen brightness advantage not overwhelming, and cost - either new or for a rebuild - high: you would likely save money replacing a worn one with a new standard unit and shutter. I don't think Simplex sold a lot of them: there were an awful lot of CC dual-shutter Century projectors for every XL high speed shutter version. I believe both were basically meant for drive-in use. The HSS Simplex would theoretically give you better light distribution without the centre brightening effect of the CC.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 01-24-2014, 10:30 AM:

I ran and serviced the high speed movement. Brighter of course as the math would show and the reduced size of the shutter blades which looked a bit like a bow tie.

I'd guess most DI's with XL's were high speed movements.

Damned noisy to live with for the operator. I'm sure there was more that could have been done noise wise as every once in a while you would come to a quiet patch of film and then it would go back to being noisy. Never got a chance to figure out why.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-24-2014, 11:04 AM:

Phillips also offered a high speed movement option for the FP7 called the super fp7
The massive drum shutter has two very small blades provided a sizeable increase in light but very noisey and rather hard on prints

Posted by Robert Koch (Member # 3728) on 01-24-2014, 04:08 PM:

In 1966 I installed one of these in a new drive in, in, of all places, Anchorage AK,land of the midnite sun. As a new installation I had nothing to compare it with. All I remember, as Sam stated, it was noisier than hell.

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 01-24-2014, 04:49 PM:

I rebuilt several of them. They were noisy like a cam pin noise even when properly adjusted. Mainly used in drive-in's to get more light with smaller shutter blade width.

Parts wore out faster as there were more moving parts and a light weight sprocket. Wolk used to rebush them for standard parts.
Dick

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-24-2014, 05:25 PM:

Tommy Hoyt in toronto (who invented the magnetic takeup and a peerless magnarc carbon changer) built many hi speed movements and did a lot of telecine movements as well

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2014, 06:34 PM:

Gord.... Do you have any pictures of the Peerless Carbon changer? I've only seen Jet Arcs with auto carbon changer on them...

Mark

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 01-24-2014, 06:53 PM:

One of our techs has a tattoo of the parts breakdown diagram of a high speed intermittent. It doesn't show the part numbers though . . .

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 01-24-2014, 10:02 PM:

I only just removed them. Still have one or two that we didn't convert to "normal". Louis