The Pennsylvania State University, Stage Lighting Archives
www.theatre.psu.edu

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

I-16C01 FURSE DELICOLOR PORTABLE CONTROL UNIT A mechanical presetting system for color mixing, making it possible to crossfade between any selected standard Cinemoid colors (plus a few intermediate hues) in any desired saturation. For control of four circuits (RBGW) of spots or striplights. Blackout and individual color circuit override are possible. Uses radial-lever type resistance dimmers. Designed by Rollo Gillespie Williams, manufactured by W. J. Furse Co., Ltd. of Nottingham, Great Britain. On loan from Terry Wells.

I-16C02 THYRATRON TUBE REMOTE CONTROL PRESET SYSTEM Designed and built by George Izenour, 1950, for Carnegie Institute of Technology. One of four prototype systems, the others installed at the Yale Drama School, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and at a theatre in Delaware. Ten scene preset plus manual controllers for 49 dimmer ways. Console also includes fader, autofade, manual master, relay control for motorized house dimmer, intercom handset, and monitor speaker. Both console and preset panel have wooden rolling doors. One of the first systems to physically disassociate the "preset" banks from the "manual" controllers and faders, on which it was assumed all actual cues would be taken. Control current is AC. A few of the original thyratron tube dimmers are also in the archives, No. D7. Donated by Carnegie Mellon University (1972).

I-16C03 PORTABLE 1-CIRCUIT 4-SCENE PRESET MODULE Designed at Century-Strand by Bob Devinney for California Institute for the Arts. Lighting consultant Jules Fisher, original specs by Fred Wolff. Mock-up for a "dipless" preset selector system. Design later changed. Donated by Century-Strand (1972).

I-16C04 KLIEGL PLUG-IN TYPE CONTROLLER Linear slider, 3-position switch, pilot light in plug-in sealed plastic case. Donated by Kliegl Bros.

I-16C05 MEMO-Q LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM (DEMONSTRATOR UNIT) (Century/Sicodim) The first U.S.-designed and -built random-access memory lighting control system. Fahrite core memory, digital memory call-up, analog set-up with individual controllers/channel (also function as manual), selectable manual master, one fader time-line, analog display/channel (with "preview" capacity), cue stop-clock (digital), automatic sequencer. Memory set up according to full manual board readings ("preset" memory), reading on any or several individual controllers ("individual" memory), or present control current output, regardless of controller status ("output" memory). Demonstrator has 41 stores for 12 channels. Dimmers, in separate rack, are Sicodim model 302, 60Hz 120V 3000w (Archives No. D13). Display rack is wired to dimmers, uses 75w 130V R-30 FL lamps. Donated by Century-Strand (1973).

I-16C06 IZENOUR STAPLE-CARD PRESET SYSTEM Based on a Bostich industrial stapler, which inserts a conductive staple in a paper card. This system avoided the relay-switching complexities of analog-->digital-->analog conversion that were involved in the earlier "Punch" system (see C14), but was developed only a short time before random-access memory took over the market for "state of the art" dimmer control systems. Three systems were installed (this unit was the prototype), at Carneigie Mellon University, the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, and Oral Roberts University. Donated by George Izenour (1974).

I-16C07 IZENOUR-DESIGNED CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES Display cabinet. a) Hand fabricated plug-in manual controller from the first Izenour remote system, at Yale, 1941. Potentiometer is a radio volume control. Indicator wheel calibrated 0-10, increments of 1. b) 1948 version of the same controller with the indicator wheel remounted for approximately 300 Degrees of rotation, allowing incrementation in quarter-points over the 0-10 scale. c) 1949 version of the same controller, still fabricated by hand, but using an acrylic casing for ease of manufacture. d) 1953 C-I production version of the controller, using an injected molding for the basic chassis. e) 1951 hand fabricated "economy" version of plug-in manual controller. Flat slanted front, separate indicator wheel with 300 degrees of rotation for precision in calibration. f) 1947 "economy" version. Dispenses with the separate indicator wheel but uses a larger wheel for operation so that 20 or 40 increments can still be used with an operational movement of only 90 degrees. g) 1955 2-scene preset controller assembly for an "economical" system at Bowdoin College. Large clear plastic controller wheels are operated over a 90 degree range, incremented 0-10 in quarter points. This basic design was later marketed as the C-I Theatron system. h) 1953 C-I 5-scene preset stick, with thumbwheel operation of controllers, 300 degrees rotation. i) Console master panel from first punch card system. (Controls Remington-Rand card punch and card reader.) j) 1947 design automatic fader ("autofade") drive amplifier. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C08 IZENOUR-DESIGNED CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES a) Hand-fabricated manual controller chassis similar to 1949 design on display cabinet (No. C7.c). Stripped. b) 1953 C-I manual controller assemblies. Three assemblies based on molded plastic chassis (Century part C-1502) with variations in rocker switch mounting, all partially stripped. A completed example is on display cabinet, (No. C7.d). c) 1951 manual controller assemblies. Two plug-in assemblies based on hand-fabricated aluminum mounting strip, both partially stripped. A completed example in on display rack, (No. C7.e). d) Izenour analog-->digital controller. Uses a potentiometer with multiple wipers to extract digital information from an analog-scaled controller of earlier design. Final version of this idea was used in the C-I "Punch" system (the Remington-Rand card system); (see No. C14). This example is stripped of all electronic components except the wipers. e) C-I Theatron type 2-scene preset controller assemblies. Three plug-in assemblies, all partially stripped. 1955 design with two control levers geared to potentiometers, molded plastic chassis (Century assembly 2830-20). f) Aluminum plates for a Theatron type 2-scene preset controller assembly. g) 1942 10-scene preset stick. Hand-fabricated stick from the first Yale system. Operated by thumbwheels geared to potentiometers adapted from radio volume controls. h) 10-scene preset sticks. Three hand-fabricated aluminum sticks dating 1950-55. Stripped. i) C-I 5-scene preset sticks. Five plastic sticks, Century part B-1518. Produced after 1955. Stripped. j) Printed circuit card for C-I 5-scene preset stick. Century part B1518 PC-1. 1955. A more complete example is on display cabinet, (No. C7.h). Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C09 1951 IZENOUR PRESET SELECTOR SWITCH Hand fabricated lock-out switch used in conjunction with a Kellogg telephone system trunk switching device for preset switching. A given preset cannot be switched to both fader busses at any time, only one preset can be switched to a given buss at any time. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C10 McBURTY CROSS BAR SWITCH PLUG Telephone system trunk switching devices used in C-I system preset switching 1954-60. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C11 "CONNECT-O-MATIC" CROSS BAR SWITCH A telephone system trunk switching device used by G. Izenour in early digital experiments, but never installed in a working system. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C12 UP-DOWN TRANSLATOR MODULE (DIGITAL-->ANALOG) Temporary digital memory. Model by G. Izenour for first production infinite card preset system, based on Remington-Rand cards, for the Lincoln Center Repertory Theatre (Vivian Beaumont), ca. 1960. Century Lighting project No. S60122. A 5-bit system. One module was incorporated into the circuitry of each dimmer way in the card reader cabinet. See No. C14 for an example of the analog-->digital conversion equipment used in the system. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C13 DIGITAL MATRIX PUNCHES George Izenour. Two shop-built alignment plates for manual punching of Remington-Rand type cards used in early lab experiments for the "Punch" system. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C14 C-CARD PRESET SYSTEM CONSOLE Model by G. Izenour for Century Lighting. Console was originally the model for the Century Automatic Infinite Preset System (using Remington-Rand card punches and readers), was later reworked to demonstrate another system. Control for four card readers, manual control for 24 channels (4-position switch + controller/channel), manual master, fader, autofade. Six of manual controllers are of Izenour design analog-->digital type (a feature of the Remington-Rand card "Punch" system). These controllers use five wipers to convert analog "levels" to 5-bit digital control output. This allows the determination of levels over 32 increments from "out" to "full" and is used with an indicator wheel marked 0-15 in half-points, where a reading of 15-1/2 is equivalent to "full bright." Twelve temporary digital memory cards use goat relays to handle six bits of information. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C15 1964 C-CARD PRESET SYSTEM. PLATTEN First version of platten developed by G. Izenour for Century Lighting. Thirty control channels. Linear pots on platten mate with contacts on reader. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C16 EXPERIMENTAL MODEL FOR DIVIDED PLATTEN PRESET SYSTEM G. Izenour. Sliding contacts on platten mate with linear resistors set in plexiglass on platten reader. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C17 1968 C-CARD PRESET SYSTEM. 3 PLATTENS AND 3 READERS Developed by G. Izenour for Century Lighting. 30 control channels per platten. Sliding contacts on plattens mate with linear resistors set in plexiglass on platten reader. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C18 C-CARD PRESET SYSTEM. PLATTEN READER RESISTOR MATRIX. MODEL BY G. Izenour, 1972. Linear resistors are redesigned, cast in epoxy. Donated by George Izenour (1976).

I-16C19 C-CARD ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS 30 cct platten unit with 10 point calibration scale for dimming 30 channels. Assembled in a heavy cast aluminum enclosure, complete with linear potentiometers, internal wiring and with crank handle for mechanical engagement of the platten. Developed by George C. Izenour ca. 1964. Donated by Strand Century, Inc. (David Briggs) (1980).

I-16C20 C-CARD ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS 30 cct control system components, mounted to an aluminum panel, with a hinged frame for the engagement of the platten. Internal wiring and linear potentiometers complete. Developed by George C. Izenour ca. 1964. Donated by Strand Century, Inc. (David Briggs) (1980).

For more information about the archive's Web site, contact Corey Felgenhour by voice mail at (814) 863-2892 or at felgenho@psu.edu.

For further information about the archives, contact:
William Kenyon
Director, Stage Lighting Archives
The Pennsylvania State University
510 Academic Activities Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 865-2261