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THE EDISON HOME KINETOSCOPE by Mike Trickett

The demand for home movies it seems can be traced right Of the half dozen or so home Kinetoscopes that I have
back to the earliest days of the cinema. As early as 1900, seen, all have been fitted with the baby carbon arc and the
enterprising manufacturers had found that by slitting the machine I have in my collection is no exception. The small
standard 35mm film down the middle, the cost of making lamphouse relies on natural ventilation and judging by
movies for the home screen could be reduced consider- the scorching inside most machines they would appear to
ably. This technique while reducing the costs involved get very hot in operation. The arc was powered directly
continued to use the highly flammable nitrate film of the for the American 120-volt AC mains using a rheostat for
time. cw-rent limiting or via a transfonner for 220-volt opera-
tion. The efficiency if the light system seems to be fairly
In 1912, Thomas Edison entered the home movie scene poor, relying only on a condenser lens without the aid of a
with the introduction of the Edison Home Kinetoscope. reflector.
This little band-cranked projector was designed around a
unique 22mm film; not only did it carry three rows of im- It was claimed in the owner's handbook that a picture six
ages, but most importantly the film was made from the feet wide from a tl1row of30 feet could be obtained; bright-
recently developed cellulose acetate safety film. ness level was conveniently not mentioned. An intermit-
tent sprocket located just below the gate provides the film
George Eashnan bad some years earlier developed cellu- transport. Upper and lower spring loaded arms are used to
lose acetate film as an alternative to nitrate, but it gained smooth out the motion of the film. The film is threaded
little acceptance at the time with professional users. All between the rear hinged p1·essure plate and the gate through
Home Kinetoscope films were printed on this new safety a chute under the motion head and then to the take up
film, this point was used extensively in the advertising spool. Hand cranking is by a small detachable a1m fitted
and promotion of the machine. It was Edison's boast that to the main drive shaft.
the machine was safe in the hands of even the most inex-
perienced operator.
The projector does not have a shutter, re-
lying instead on the rapid pull down pro-
duced by the intermittent. There is a cen-
trifugally operated safety shutter to pro-
tect the film should it become stationary
in the gate.
Kinetoscope films have three rows of
images each approximately 6 x 4mm
interspaced by rows of perforations. The
complete film is viewed by running it
through the projector three times.

To make this possible the gate aperture
and lens assembly can be moved into
3 different positions by the rotation of a
knob located on top of the motion head.

The Kinetoscope With Film Threaded

The Home Kinetoscope is quite small in size, measu1ing
only 41 em long by 15cm wide and 25cm high. With its
detachable film spool arms removed the projector fits neatly
into its handsome metal case, which also doubles as a pro-
jection stand.

The handbook for the home Kinetoscope shows it being
available with three different lighting systems; an acety-
lene generator and burner for locations without electric-
ity, a Nernst electric lamp suitable for small screenings
and a baby arc lamp for big screen presentations.

The price in 1912 for the Home Kinetoscope ranged from
US$65.00 to US$97.50 depending on lighting and lens Original Film Container And Film
combinations.

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