CINCHRO SILENT PROJECTOR Serial No. 170
Manufactured by Cinechrome Instruments Company Ltd. London.
The origin of this silent
35mm projector is not known. It was manufactured by Cinechrome
Instrument Co. Ltd. of London and thought to be produced
around 1916. It could have been produced as a Bioscope
machine but equally it could have been a ‘home movie’
projector.
A hand-turned projector it
is also motorised there being a facility for that in the
mechanism. It has a three-blade front shutter and a very
simple mechanism. Because it has a motorised facility
built in it pre-supposes that with also having 1000ft.
spool boxes it was designed to be able to project the
longer films of the day, thus the date we have given.
When received only the head
and spool boxes were donated. A made up lamphouse has
been constructed of a size to blend with the projector’s
lines and it has been mounted on a Debrie 16mm stand.
The age of this projector
is as obscure as is its pedigree. Gifted to the Curzon
Collection by a Clevedon resident he said that it was
in the loft of his house in London and was found when
he moved to the South West. Extensive research has failed
to bring forward and information about this projector
or the manufacturer. It is either a very expensive 'toy'
or 'home movie' machine produced for personal use or it
is a genuine projector which could have been used in the
early part of the 20th. Century for commercial film shows,
bioscopes etc. As at least 170 of them were produced there
must have been a market for them. Whatever its pedigree
it is a very interesting projector.
It has both top and lower spool
boxes which suggests it was made to specifications demanded
by legislation in the days of Bioscopes because of fire
risk.
The projector can be hand turned.
As to whether this was it's purpose is not clear as there
is also a pulley for motor drive. In this case the handle
may have been for lacing and running down only. It is
not possible to mechanically drive the projector however
as the drive from the gearbox to the lower spool box is
missing and there does not appear to be any governing
device for constant film speed. However one can still
hand-turn a film.
The light source seen is not
part of the projector. It is an old Episcope which is
being modified to provide a lamp with which it is planned
to get the projector working again as a hand-turned facility
The original light source could be almost anything.
If anyone recognises this projector
and has knowledge of the manufacturer please contact Maurice
Thornton, Collection Administrator, details below.
Donated to the Collection by
Richard Boombier of Clevedon.
The picture head and film
gate are of the most simple of design but well engineered.
The hand turning is quiet and smooth and can obviously
be used in that form. Interesting is the three-bladed
front shutter - typical of a projector of the early cinema
age. A light trap and framer can be seen immediately below
the gate and the film path is clearly visible.
