CHAPTER VII.

GENERAL HINTS ON INSTALLATION, OPERATION, AND CARE OF MACHINES.

_Tools._--First of all provide a suitable and sufficient set of tools. There should be an assortment of screw drivers, large and small, to fit the different sizes of screws used not only with the machine but about the operating room and with other devices as well. Keep these screw drivers filed or ground to proper shapes. A screw driver rounded off, or too small, or bent, will ruin the heads of the screws. There should also be a collection of pliers (especially such as are commonly termed “gas pliers”), files, raps, chisels (for wood and metal), punchers, drills, and monkey wrenches; a hack saw, a blow torch, and a vise will also come in handy. Tools, however, depend upon the man who uses them. There are men who would be no better off with such a collection at their disposal; on the other hand, a clever man would be able to make use of all these tools and show his skill thereby.

_Aligning the Machine._--The first thing to do in setting up a new machine, after it has been unpacked and put together, is to line it up properly. This can be done by stretching a string from the lamp house, through the center of the condenser opening, film gate, and objective lenses. These must all be in such a position relative to one another that a taut string will pass through the center of each. The center can be determined by measurement either with a suitable rule or a pair of calipers.

_Anchoring the Machine._--The next step is to anchor the machine so as to reduce vibration to a minimum. Vibration is often due to a flimsy floor which will not stand the strain of the unavoidable vibration and thus helps to increase it. Often, however, the vibration is due to some part of the running gear of the machine, such as the revolving shutter, for instance, being out of balance. If there is undue vibration, the machinery should be looked after first, for it is much better to prevent the vibration by removing the cause than to seek to restrain it by bolts and braces. If the machine runs very badly, it cannot be bolted down with any satisfactory results.

_Inspection._--After the machine is lined up and running smoothly, the next step should be to inspect every part of it thoroughly for loose screws, pins, gears, or other parts. It is best to do this by beginning at one end and continuing to the other so that no part may be overlooked.

_Upper Magazine._--See that the spring in the upper magazine, or on the door of it, which prevents the momentum of the upper reel from running off film after the sprocket has ceased pulling, is in good order and the reel true. A crooked reel will generally cause trouble and force the operator to keep the magazine door open so as to be able to aid the movement of the film.

_Fire Trap._--The fire trap must next be looked after. The upper magazine, the fire trap, and the sprockets must all be in perfect alignment and the film must run through the trap without touching either side. Film wears the metal very fast and a day’s run with the film brushing one side of a valve will show decided wear. If it is allowed to run this way, it will soon cut through the side of the valve, forming an opening in which the film will run and in which it will often catch and tear splices. Special care must be exercised to see that the traps are kept clean and, when not in use, they should always be covered. The film is drawn through the traps very rapidly and any kind of dirt accumulating on them is apt to scratch it. After a fire, burned film is likely to be found in the trap, and this, when cold, becomes hard and is difficult to remove.

_Cleaning Machine._--After the machine has been used for a considerable time, it is advisable to wash out the gears thoroughly. Not only the gearing, but the bearings also, should be reached by this process. If one has plenty of gasoline and a suitable receptacle, the quickest way is to take out the lenses and immerse the whole machine for a while in a vessel filled with gasoline. It can then be taken out, worked a little, and immersed again; this process being repeated until all of the old and hardened grease is worked out. If facilities for immersing the machine are not at hand, the bearings may easily be cleaned by using kerosene or gasoline to oil them and then running the machine a little; this will work all of the old grease out of the bearings. The gearing can be cleaned in the same way. If gasoline is used, it will quickly evaporate and leave the machine in good order.

_Oiling Machine._--After the machine is thoroughly cleaned, it may be oiled again. The best lubricants to be used range all the way from sewing-machine oil to beeswax. Beeswax is used only for the gearing and only where that is somewhat worn. It is solid enough to compensate for some of the wear. That part of it which works out on the sides should be wiped off at once. There are many lubricants to be recommended; in general, however, the particular kind to be chosen depends upon the parts to be lubricated. A part moving rapidly with no great friction can be well served with a light lubricant, but heavier parts, or parts that fit so closely as to cause much friction are best served by some lubricant that has more body. If a light oil is used, it will of course have to be applied oftener than a heavy oil. None of the extremely light oils should be used because they run off too fast.

_Care of Sprockets._--Having thus cleaned and oiled the machine, the next step is to look after the sprockets. In an old machine it is likely that the sprocket teeth will be so worn as somewhat to resemble hooks. A little wear of this kind will do no great harm, but beyond a certain point of wear, the sprocket teeth tend to carry the film farther than is necessary and in so doing tear out the holes. Some sprockets are made reversible and the trouble can be remedied by turning the sprocket wheel around. In most cases it will, however, be advisable, when the old teeth are badly worn, to get a new set of sprockets.

The sprockets must also be examined for accumulation of dirt, for in case there is much dirt on a sprocket, it will not guide the film properly. The dirt will cause it to jump, and thus bring about an unsteady picture; or, if the accumulation of dirt is sufficient, it may even cause the film to jump off the sprocket. Hundreds of feet of film have been ruined in this way. The sprockets should be cleaned every day with a suitable brush. An operator too careless to clean his machine properly, is also as a rule too careless to watch the picture properly; and he suddenly finds himself with a length of film ruined by sprocket teeth which have cut a row of holes through the center of it.

The sprocket should be made to align perfectly with the upper and lower magazines, the fire valves, the film gate, and the path of the film. They may be aligned with a straight edge made of a flexible piece of steel or, if nothing else is available, a piece of film may be placed upon the sprockets. Be sure to examine the film carefully before using it for this purpose; old film is apt to be warped. The film must fit perfectly in the aperture and on the different sprockets. The sprockets must have little or no end play, especially the intermittent, or it may cause the picture to wiggle sideways. The idlers, or presser rollers, should not fit tight enough to bind, but must fit closely enough to hold the film securely. In the adjustment of these and all other parts of a moving picture machine, considerable practice and judgment are necessary to estimate how much freedom of movement is permissible.

_Adjusting Intermittent Sprocket._--The “Geneva” wears rapidly when it is not well oiled or protected; and it becomes necessary to adjust it. There are other ways of doing this but generally it is done by means of an eccentric bushing which must be set to compensate for the wear. In many operating rooms, there is a wide range of temperature and, as heat expands the metals, they will bind unduly when they become warmed up, if the star and cam wheel are set too close while cold. In many machines the heat from the lamp warms them up irrespective of the temperature in the operating room.

_Automatic Fire Shutter._--Some means of adjusting and regulating the automatic fire shutter is usually provided; this should be adjusted so that it will not rise before the machine is in motion and will fall before it has come to rest. Under no conditions should the stationary film be allowed in the path of the light. There are fire shutters that do not depend upon the motion of the machine, but are raised as soon as the handle is pressed to give motion to the machine. This type of shutter is raised as soon as the handle is pressed and may expose the stationary film to the light. Such a shutter should not be tolerated at all. The fire shutter should be carefully tested to see that it operates properly under all conditions. If one is not acquainted with the particular type of fire shutter in use, it is advisable for him to test it with the lamp turned on it for some time. Some shutters are so thin and are placed so close to the film they are supposed to protect, that it is possible to fire the film through them.

_The Revolving Shutter._--In some machines the light is shut off before the film begins to move, and in others a very slight movement of the film is permitted before the shutter closes out the light entirely. The general object of the shutter is to shut off the light while the film is moving and to interrupt the long period of light so that it may not affect the eye too strongly and give rise to the sensation of flicker. The exact manner of setting the shutter varies with different machines, but in general the above consideration must be kept in view. Where a shutter has several blades, it is always the larger one that shuts off the light while the film is moving and this is the only one to which any attention must be paid while setting.

The best test for the setting of the shutter is the appearance of the picture. The best kind of picture with which to judge a shutter is one that has strong contrasts of light and darkness. If a picture contains a very bright object, the travel ghost will appear if there is any motion while the light is on the film. If the shutter is set too late, the travel ghost will be in the lower part of the screen; and if too soon, in the upper. If the shutter is made too small, the travel ghost cannot be entirely eliminated but must be divided half on the lower and half on the upper side of the picture. The travel ghost and other imperfections of a picture are much more noticeable to persons close to the screen than to those far away. As the operator himself is the farthest away of all spectators, he is likely to miss many imperfections that are plainly visible to the audience. For this reason many operators have opera glasses through which they view their pictures.

_Framing._--When the machine is finally threaded, the film should be so placed on the upper sprocket that, with a proper loop, the picture will be in frame when the framing lever is about in the middle position. This position will allow the operator to frame either up or down without seriously affecting the loop. The framing is best done by looking at the picture thrown upon the screen.

_Film Gate._--The film gate needs special attention when new film is being used. Very often new film is so damp that some of the emulsion sticks to the gate. Wet film running through a machine makes it work hard and is likely to cause much trouble. With such film it is often necessary to stop during a run and clean off the gate and it is always necessary to do so after each run. Never use a sharp tool or anything that may scratch the gate or roughen the bearing surfaces where the film runs. The gate must be watched closely for wear; if worn too much, the picture may be out of focus or jump in all directions.

_Tension Springs._--The tension springs will repay careful study by the operator. The object of the springs is twofold: First, to hold the film flat, and second, to introduce sufficient friction to overcome quickly the slight momentum which the film has acquired while in motion. The springs should be just tight enough to do this. The pressure of the springs necessary to overcome the momentum of the film is proportional to the speed at which the film moves. If the film is to be run at a high rate of speed--as is often the case when a crowd is waiting outside the doors--the tension must be increased, unless it was originally great enough to hold the film at this rate of speed.

As the film varies in thickness, the adjustment cannot be made too close; but the springs must be made tight enough so that they will hold the film at the highest rate of speed when the thinnest part of the film is passing through. If the springs are not sufficiently tight, the picture will seem to move a trifle. They must be just tight enough to prevent this at the highest rate of speed at which the machine is to operate.

_The Take-Up._--The lower sprocket exists for the purpose of restraining the take-up from pulling on the intermittent sprocket. There is thus actually always a strain that the one puts on the other. For this reason the tension on the take-up should be no greater than necessary. Excessive tension will increase the wear on the machine; may cause the tearing of many splices; and will cause the machine to run hard, thus imposing extra labor on the operator. While the lower reel is nearly empty, the strain is small; but as it fills up, the strain becomes greater. The driving wheel or belt must move at a fixed rate of speed while the slip of the driven wheel becomes greater with every turn. Thus the energy expended in friction becomes greater as the picture progresses. Defective belting, crooked reels, or poor adjustment of tension are the most frequent cause of annoyance in the take-up and the take-up as a whole gives probably more trouble than any other part of the equipment.

_Cover._--Every machine should be covered when not in use and the cover should be dust tight.

_Getting Ready for the Show._--The first thing for the operator to do before entering the operating room is to put away all smoking paraphernalia he may have about him. No smoking tobacco or matches should ever be found inside of any operating room. After taking this precaution the next thing will be to rewind and inspect the films to be used for the next performance. If the reel happens to be properly wound when received, it is not absolutely necessary to rewind it and, in an emergency, one may take a chance and run it through without previous inspection. When possible, however, the operator should always inspect his film before using and also familiarize himself with its contents.

A film is best inspected by rewinding it slowly from one reel onto another, gripping it with a gentle pressure, and allowing it to run between the fingers. This method will catch all splices and also all split films. Films are frequently split along the line of the sprocket holes. The film should be run through the fingers in this manner twice: once to catch such irregularities as make themselves manifest along the outer edge and again to catch the defects that exist only in the middle of the film. Every splice should be carefully inspected to note how the sprocket holes match and whether the splice will throw the picture out of frame. All splices that are not properly made should be re-made as directed in Chapter VI.

If there is sufficient time, it would be well to run the film through the machine in the regular way. Thus the operator can familiarize himself with the picture and note every place where improvements can be made by adjusting the speed, for very often a picture may be improved by slowing down or increasing the speed in certain scenes. The flicker varies with the illumination; the brighter the light the greater will be the tendency to flicker, if the machine is not run at proper speed. The operator should know before hand just when his brightest scenes will come on so as to adjust the speed or, in case he must run slowly, so as to reduce the flicker by reducing the illumination. Running the film through will also show every place where the picture goes out of frame and all such places can be corrected. All bad places should be cut out of the film, but not more than necessary. Every additional section cut out of a film will increase the jerkiness of the motion. A few are not noticed, but one often sees in old reels, scenes that are simply ridiculous because too much film has been cut out. Such effects are especially noticeable if a picture is run slowly.

The operator must always be prepared to run pictures at abnormal speeds. It is bad practice to do so but often unavoidable; for instance, if the next number on the program is delayed, it is desirable to extend the picture until it is ready in order that the audience may not be dissatisfied; or if all the seats are filled and people are waiting outside, the manager may demand extra speed so as to make room for the outsiders.

The operator who is wise and has had experience will provide himself with a receptacle in which he can store the pieces he cuts out of films. Saving such pieces and taking them to the exchange will often make an impression upon the exchange management and induce greater care in the inspection of films at the exchange. Such pieces will sometimes be good evidence in the hands of an operator, too, in case he is charged with having damaged a film. While the film is being run through the machine, it can also be measured. Every turn of the crank means one foot of film.

Before the film is wound upon the reel from which it is to be exhibited, an opaque piece of film about two feet in length should be attached to the tail end of the film. This piece of film will in some cases serve a double purpose. With some machines the film can be rewound from the lower magazine into the upper without taking it out of either, if this tail piece is long enough to remain fast to the upper reel after the whole film is run off the upper reel. Thus the operator when through running the picture may immediately change his crank and, without delay, begin to rewind. The main purpose of this tail piece, however, is to shut off the light immediately after the last section of the picture has been exhibited. If the light is left on the screen while the operator slows down the machine, it will cause a disagreeable flicker to appear before the eyes of the audience immediately after the picture is over, and thus leave an unpleasant impression.

The beginning of the film should be provided with a leader from three to five feet long. The purpose of this leader is to allow the operator time to frame his picture and get his lamp adjusted before the title appears, or is finished, so that when the picture actually begins, everything will be running smoothly.

The film must be rewound upon the reel in such a manner that when threaded, the emulsion side will face the lamp. If this is not done, the titles will read from right to left instead of from left to right as they should. It will be well for the operator to form the habit of regularly testing his film by the actual projection to see that his titles are right. There are often many other things to think of and cases of absent-mindedness are not uncommon. If the title shows wrong, the reel may be taken out and turned around; this will reverse it, but ordinarily it is best to wind it in one certain way.

Every operator should have a full supply of good reels for use in the machine and should never let these get out of his house. The reels furnished by the exchanges are often very bad and if perchance a real good one is sent out, some wide-awake operator will surely keep it.

Although it is best to rewind a reel as slowly as your time will permit, it is necessary sometimes to do it very rapidly. The reel from which the film is being unwound should be under a steady tension and some form of brake is often provided. The practice of “pulling down,” which is indulged in by so many operators, is highly reprehensible. It causes the emulsion side of the film to slide over the other and any dirt or dust that may be between the two is thus ground into them. The scratches thus caused soon fill up with dirt and cause streaks in the picture which are commonly termed “rain.” The dirt--especially the carbon dust, which is so plentiful in an operating room and which is very sharp and cuts badly into the emulsion or the celluloid--disfigures the picture very much.

A good film box should be located in every operating room and it should be so conveniently located that the operator will use it in preference to anything else. Such a box should be provided with automatic self-closing covers and should be near the floor, as the film is less liable to dry out there than if placed near the ceiling where the heat is greater. Nothing whatever should be placed upon the floor itself and it should be kept absolutely clean. Although it is very bad practice to run film on the floor and it should not be done, there are occasions when it will be done and, if the floor is clear of all obstruction, the hazard of doing so is much reduced. An operator who, having trouble with his take-up and having run the film on the floor, has had it entangled, will appreciate this fact. The spasmodic bursts of applause which an impatient audience is apt to offer while the show is being delayed are not especially comforting to any one in such a position.

Under no circumstances should film ever be left exposed. Occasional small fires at the aperture plate are unavoidable and in such cases the operator will seek to tear off the burning film and throw it on the floor, and it may then ignite the film lying about. Form the habit of keeping your film under cover; and make up your mind that it is absolutely necessary. Keeping films under cover will also tend to save them from drying out and prevent accumulation of dust.

A slide with the words “Just a moment please,” or some equivalent expression, will reassure the audience; one should always be kept in place and when any trouble causes an interruption of the show, the lamp should be pushed over thus exhibiting this sign. The habit of pushing the lamp over in case of interruption is also a very good one. It is the simplest and most natural way of taking the light off the film and satisfying the audience at the same time. This practice should become a habit. It will be a great protection against fire in addition to the other safety devices. All the work of making ready should if possible be done before a considerable part of the audience is in the house. It is best to let none of them see the process of getting the show in readiness.

As has been stated before, an occasional fire at the aperture is unavoidable. Sometimes pieces of film are torn loose, stick where they are subject to the light, and in time catch fire. A fire thus started may easily consume all of the film between the two magazines and will progress slowly toward the lower one, but towards the upper one very rapidly. If the doors of the magazines are tightly closed and fit tight and if the fire traps are in good order, there will be but a small chance of fire getting at the rolls of film that may be in either magazine. Every effort should, however, be made to extinguish it before it reaches the fire traps. Just what can be done depends upon the design of the machine. In order to be prepared for such an emergency, the operator should study his machine and decide what would be best to do. In many cases the film can be torn off before the fire extends to the magazine and thus break the connection. In some machines the film runs in such a narrow groove that the fire is generally extinguished there without any outside help. Some operators have been known to open their magazines and attempt to remove the film after a fire had started, resulting in burning all their film. It is far better to leave the film in the magazine and trust to the fire traps than to attempt to remove it.

No visitors should be allowed in any operating room during the time that the audience is in the house, more especially when the time for opening the show approaches. There should be nothing to distract the operator’s attention from his duties. The arc lamp should be started a few minutes before the show is to begin so that the electrodes may burn to their proper shape and the light be adjusted. Before the show begins, the house should be made dark for a few minutes. This will make the picture appear brighter.

In case the film tears during a run, some operators have the habit of pinning the pieces together with the intention of making the splice after the picture is run. This practice is well enough for an operator who feels sure that he will not forget about the pin, but with one who is forgetful or absent-minded, or who has a lot of other duties which might take his mind off the film, it is a bad practice. The film may be rewound with the pin remaining in position and cause very serious trouble. It is safer to put the film on the take-up without pinning.

In a general way the points alluded to in the following list should be carefully looked after. This is a list which is used by the Electrical Inspection Bureau of the City of Chicago in checking up operators and their equipment.

Theatre address.......................................................

Perm. Operator’s name ................................................. Temp.

Address.................................. Lic. No. ...................

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE INSPECTION.

An x indicates defect; a check, satisfactory condition.

-------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 1 Smoking? | |25 Fan Motor? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 2 Matches? | |26 Guards on inc. lights? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 3 Condition of Films? | |27 Unauthorized persons? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 4 Magazine closed? | |28 Rewind approved? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 5 Film exposed? | |29 Rewind location? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 6 Arc enclosed? | |30 Rheostat, 5 ft. above floor? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 7 Guard fastened? | |31 Rheostat, contacts enclosed? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 8 Upper fire guard? | |32 Rheostat, safe location? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 9 Lower fire guard? | |33 Box for films, approved? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 10 Upper magazine approved? | |34 Box for films, cover? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 11 Lower magazine approved? | |35 Shutters, guides? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 12 Upper magazine, lock well? | |36 Shutt’s self-closing, | | | supports? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 13 Lower magazine, lock well? | |37 Booth lining? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 14 Light shutter? | |38 Floor? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 15 Fuses enclosed? | |39 Shelving? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 16 Fuses, proper size? | |40 General appearance? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 17 Inc. circuit? | |41 Door, self-closing? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 18 Arc switches, enclosed? | |42 Box office? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 19 Arc switches, control | |43 Unapproved display? | rheostat? | | | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 20 Arc switches, condition? | |44 Main cutout cabinet? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 21 How much open arc wire? | |45 Emergency cutout cabinet? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 22 How much open inc. wiring? | |46 Number emergency lights? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 23 Open contacts? | |47 Fan motors auditorium? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 24 Flexible or BX cord? | |48 Rheostat in base. cond.? | -------------------------------+--+--------------------------------+-- 49 Exits.....? Gas.....? Sperm Oil.....? Electric.....? ----------------------------------------------------------------------

............................. Inspector.

These defects must be corrected within..............days.

The Electrical Inspection Bureau must be notified as soon as repairs are made.