Hello Charlie and excellent work sir. I have inserted a photo of your Google patent find into your post. I will attempt to contact the individual that stated he was in possession of Mitchell Sound Recorder number one and see if we can get some photos to be posted here. The link you provided contained a reference to his web site!
Also, in combing through American Cinematographers magazines from the early 1930's, I found this ad in 1932 from the Artreeves company who go into detail, about their new recording head. I think it sheds additional "light" as to how these machine worked. And it looks very similar to oldprodp's Mitchell ad. These stand alone machines must of been common in the 30's. So common that the Mitchell Camera Corporation saw the new to improve upon them and submitted their patent in 1938 of which you found. Again, great work Charlie. Below is text from the 1932 "New "Artreeves" Recorder" ad which appeared in American Cinematographer.
- Artreeves Recorder photo one
Of interest in the sound field this month is the newly announced recording head placed on the market by the Hollywood Motion Picture Equipment Company to go with the "Artreeves" Recording System. This recorder has many novel features. It has two sprocket wheels, one acting as a pull down and feed sprocket and also acting as a takeup sprocket. The other sprocket is fed by a loop of film, and its purpose is to move the film over the recording block and feed it with a loop to the takeup sprocket. The recorder is constructed so that binding of the take-up or uneven pull of the magazine will not reflect upon the recording sprocket.
The recording block contains the optical unit which is permanently set in proper position and does not need further adjustment. The optical unit is set to carry a focus on the film in a light beam of .0007 of an inch in width. The recorder uses a standard Bell & Howell film magazine. The recording camera is threaded, as is shown in the accompanying illustration, with two small loops between the sprocket wheels. The idle rollers are thrown in and out by the knobs marked (R) and are locked in positive position. The idle roller opposite the recording block holds the tension on the film so it will travel smoothly. The recording lamp is slid into the recorder as far as it will go. The recording lamp ring is fastened to the base of the lamp by a clamp screw, the stops are slid into proper position so that the lamp may be placed in the same position upon replacement. The cathode of the lamp must be placed in recorder so it is parallel to the aperture of the optical unit.
- Artreeves Recorder photo two
The motor is a D.C. interlocking type, operating on 110 volts at 14^0 revolutions per minute. There is a rheostat control to regulate motor speed, which may be read upon tachometer. On the switch control under the motor there is one switch for the recorder, one for the camera motor and three joined together by a bar for interlocking. The Dcpuc Automatic Sound and Silent Multiple Printer Another interesting bit of equipment now being handled by the Hollywood Motion Picture Equipment Company is the Depue Automatic Sound and Silent Multiple Printer. As shown in the accompanying illustration, the two center discs on the left side are used when making prints in multiple.
Two prints may be made from a single negative in one operation. The first print is rewound on the upper disc while the disc below carries the raw stock which passes through the lower sprocket, making the second print. This is really two machines in one. The picture is printed on the upper sprocket with the sound track masked off. The sound is printed on the lower sprocket with the picture masked off. Thus the picture and sound track have separate light controls but are printed in one operation. This machine operates at a speed of 85 feet per minute. Contact is secured without air pressure. All four rewinds are operated by a single belt 40 watt lamps are used. The apertures on both printing heads controls but are printed in one operation. This machine operates at a speed of 85 feet per minute. Contact is secured without air pressure. All four rewinds are operated by a single belt 40 watt lamps are used. [END]
Regards,
Theodore Wilhelm
MitchellCamera.com administrator
Hello Charlie and excellent work sir. I have inserted a photo of your Google patent find into your post. I will attempt to contact the individual that stated he was in possession of Mitchell Sound Recorder number one and see if we can get some photos to be posted here. The link you provided contained a reference to his web site!
Also, in combing through American Cinematographers magazines from the early 1930's, I found this ad in 1932 from the Artreeves company who go into detail, about their new recording head. I think it sheds additional "light" as to how these machine worked. And it looks very similar to oldprodp's Mitchell ad. These stand alone machines must of been common in the 30's. So common that the Mitchell Camera Corporation saw the new to improve upon them and submitted their patent in 1938 of which you found. Again, great work Charlie. Below is text from the 1932 "New "Artreeves" Recorder" ad which appeared in American Cinematographer.
[attachment=1]artreeves_1.jpg[/attachment]
Of interest in the sound field this month is the newly announced recording head placed on the market by the Hollywood Motion Picture Equipment Company to go with the "Artreeves" Recording System. This recorder has many novel features. It has two sprocket wheels, one acting as a pull down and feed sprocket and also acting as a takeup sprocket. The other sprocket is fed by a loop of film, and its purpose is to move the film over the recording block and feed it with a loop to the takeup sprocket. The recorder is constructed so that binding of the take-up or uneven pull of the magazine will not reflect upon the recording sprocket.
The recording block contains the optical unit which is permanently set in proper position and does not need further adjustment. The optical unit is set to carry a focus on the film in a light beam of .0007 of an inch in width. The recorder uses a standard Bell & Howell film magazine. The recording camera is threaded, as is shown in the accompanying illustration, with two small loops between the sprocket wheels. The idle rollers are thrown in and out by the knobs marked (R) and are locked in positive position. The idle roller opposite the recording block holds the tension on the film so it will travel smoothly. The recording lamp is slid into the recorder as far as it will go. The recording lamp ring is fastened to the base of the lamp by a clamp screw, the stops are slid into proper position so that the lamp may be placed in the same position upon replacement. The cathode of the lamp must be placed in recorder so it is parallel to the aperture of the optical unit.
[attachment=0]artreeves_2.jpg[/attachment]
The motor is a D.C. interlocking type, operating on 110 volts at 14^0 revolutions per minute. There is a rheostat control to regulate motor speed, which may be read upon tachometer. On the switch control under the motor there is one switch for the recorder, one for the camera motor and three joined together by a bar for interlocking. The Dcpuc Automatic Sound and Silent Multiple Printer Another interesting bit of equipment now being handled by the Hollywood Motion Picture Equipment Company is the Depue Automatic Sound and Silent Multiple Printer. As shown in the accompanying illustration, the two center discs on the left side are used when making prints in multiple.
Two prints may be made from a single negative in one operation. The first print is rewound on the upper disc while the disc below carries the raw stock which passes through the lower sprocket, making the second print. This is really two machines in one. The picture is printed on the upper sprocket with the sound track masked off. The sound is printed on the lower sprocket with the picture masked off. Thus the picture and sound track have separate light controls but are printed in one operation. This machine operates at a speed of 85 feet per minute. Contact is secured without air pressure. All four rewinds are operated by a single belt 40 watt lamps are used. The apertures on both printing heads controls but are printed in one operation. This machine operates at a speed of 85 feet per minute. Contact is secured without air pressure. All four rewinds are operated by a single belt 40 watt lamps are used. [END]
Regards,
Theodore Wilhelm
MitchellCamera.com administrator