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Here's a translation to some of the Century 'alphabet soup' you might encounter:

EARLY PROJECTORS:
K('Kaplan'): The very first Century machine, very similar mechanically to a Standard Simplex.
C:Older model from early 40s, single shutter, straight gate, non-removeable trap assembly.
CC: Double Shutter version of the C
H: Curved-gate version of the C, also using an intermittent movement very much like the Century of today. usually 1950's vintage.
HH: Double Shutter version of the H
JJ: 35/70 Century machine, double shutters, water cooled.
VV: VistaVision (horizontal 35mm) machine.

With the exception of the JJ (which might still be manufactured today), the above are the vintage Century machines.

Later Century machines used a different system to identify the hardware:

S=Single shutter (or 'Standard')
M=Direct-drive
D=Double shutter (or 'Drive-In')
W=Water cooled gate
T=Lens turret

Examples of the varying models:
A: The basic standard Century machine we all know and love.
SA: Same machine, single shutter, no turret, air cooled.
SAW: Same as above except water cooled
MSA: Standard type 'SA' machine except utilizing 'direct drive' where the motor drives the picture head mainshaft rather than driving the soundhead.
DA: Double-shutter version of the SA
DAW: Water-cooled double-shutter.
SB: 'SA' machine with the optional CineFocus® film-flattener system utilizing a vacuum to suck the film against the gate.
TA: Turret-equipped standard Century machine.

I am sure Pat can add the other letters and their meanings.

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According to the Century History in the Manuals Forum of Film-Tech, Century "C" production was from 1940 to 1962.

I am of the understanding that all the gears on the "C" are interchangeable with the current production "SA".

Contact Wolk and LaVezzi about parts. They are still being made and "C"s are still very much in service.

I have personally seen Century Cinemarama machines that have been converted back to a "C".

Aaron said that the flat trap "C" did not have a removable gate? Once again I have personally seen flat trap "C"s with removable gates.

Kelmar makes a retrofit kit to convert a single lense mount "C" to a turret with a different gate/trap assembly also provided with the kit. Mark G. has experience with this retrofit and has posted a picture of one he converted under another thread in Film-Tech. I understand that the conversion is not cheap! From what I gather Mark really likes it. I have asked others who say that it is not the highest quality item, but that it successfully does the job. I have no experience with it, but was interested in more info.

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Maybe we have a communication mix up? I refer to the gate as the moveable portion of the gate/trap assembly and the trap as the stationary portion.

Mark

To add to the naming convention...

B = Blower (Cinefocus) so you have your SB and DB varieties.

The SA is really mis-named it was referred to as the "new-A" when it came out so really it should have simply been called the "A" and the double shutter version the "AA" I'm sure the "A" designator was not used (nor "AA") since those models had already been taken by other projector manufacturers.

Moving on down...

On the early "SA"s...they didn't have the gibbed trap assy as they do now...they retained the "H" gate and trap but the rest of the machine looks and feels like an SA...the odd thing...the light shield looks like the SA light shield but has the asbestos heat shield as part of the light shield.

For an example of the early SA...see the Williamsburg theatre photos in the gallery...there is a good shot that shows the H style gates in genuine SA projectors (serial #150 and 151...which is read 50 and 51).

I have just "upgraded" them to current SA style gates and traps and recut the light shield to accept the curret trap bracket (gibbed).

Steve

Back to Century: has the trap design changed at all on the JJs? The only JJ that I'm familiar with is s/n 119 and has a trap that looks like a 35/70 version of the H model.

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