In a motion picture projector, there is a small loop of film located above and below the intermittent movement. These loops are placed there so that the continuous unspooling and respooling of the film can be converted to a stop-and-go movement as the film passes through the film gate and shutter.
What is the name of that loop, and why is it so named? Sorry, no prize for the correct answer except your own satisfaction! SETH
Movie projector trivia question
Movie projector trivia question
Please don't call the occasional theatrical release of an old movie a "reissue." We do not say "The next time you go to the Louvre, you will see a re-issue of the Mona Lisa.” -- Cecil B. DeMille
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Jack Theakston
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:25 pm
- Location: New York, USA
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The Latham Loop, named after Woodville Latham, inventor and friend of W.K.L. Dickson. The Latham Loop is actually the loop between the gate and the upper feed sprocket, not between the intermittent and lower feed sprocket, which essentially serves the same purpose.
J. Theakston
"You get more out of life when you go out to a movie!"
"You get more out of life when you go out to a movie!"
Curses! Foiled Again!! You are exactly correct.
I happened upon this little nugget in Terry Ramsey's "A Million and One Nights" and thought it was interesting (which tells you something about my life!). SETH
I happened upon this little nugget in Terry Ramsey's "A Million and One Nights" and thought it was interesting (which tells you something about my life!). SETH
Please don't call the occasional theatrical release of an old movie a "reissue." We do not say "The next time you go to the Louvre, you will see a re-issue of the Mona Lisa.” -- Cecil B. DeMille
Thinking about that lower loop (between the intermittent and the feed sproket) reminded me of the "loop restorer" gadget in the old Bell & Howell 16mm projectors.
This gadget was a spring roller located just below the film gate. If the claw in the gate failed to pull the film down for any reason (a fat splice, torn sproket holes, dry or dirty film, wrong phase of the moon, etc.), that lower loop would shorten and touch the roller. At that point the roller would "kick" downward -- in theory at least, restoring the necessary loop.
However, in my experience, the gadget rarely worked, and by yanking the film through the gate, only ensured that there would be many more torn sproket holes in at least another few feet of film.
These were the "AutoTheader" line of B&H 16mm projectors. But we referred to them as "AutoShredders," because that's what they seemed to do best! SETH
This gadget was a spring roller located just below the film gate. If the claw in the gate failed to pull the film down for any reason (a fat splice, torn sproket holes, dry or dirty film, wrong phase of the moon, etc.), that lower loop would shorten and touch the roller. At that point the roller would "kick" downward -- in theory at least, restoring the necessary loop.
However, in my experience, the gadget rarely worked, and by yanking the film through the gate, only ensured that there would be many more torn sproket holes in at least another few feet of film.
These were the "AutoTheader" line of B&H 16mm projectors. But we referred to them as "AutoShredders," because that's what they seemed to do best! SETH
Please don't call the occasional theatrical release of an old movie a "reissue." We do not say "The next time you go to the Louvre, you will see a re-issue of the Mona Lisa.” -- Cecil B. DeMille