If it is the one I am talking about, check to see that the bottom part of the gate (the gate pad) is not bent slightly (could be from somebody dropping it while our of the projector or forcing it closed when not aligned properly). That causes an uneven tension on the film as it passes the intermittent.

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Depending on the model of machine there may be a couple of different ways to adjust the tension.

On the PR-1014, which you say you have, there is no stop screw.
You adjust the tension by winding/unwinding the spring that pushes the gate shut. (Somewhat of a pain in the ass... call your tech.)

On later models with turrets, like the PR-1040 or PR-1050 there is a stop screw. It's a simple matter to adjust the screw that sticks out of the trap. (Inboard side, bottom... Allen head screw.)
A lot of the time, what happens is that the locking nut that keeps the screw from moving after repeated "slamming" of the gate gets loose and allows the screw to move. Over time it gets pushed in little by little until is starts giving you trouble. It's an easy adjustment to make if you are careful. There really is no special procedure or prescribed distance. A lot of people use the 1/4" Allen wrench trick. (Trap the wrench between the studio guides and the body of the gate shoe then adjust the screw accordingly.)

Whatever you do just work slowly and deliberately. Make small adjustments and test it. When you get it right, go back and recheck then put it all back together. If you have any doubt call the tech.

There should be a stop screw for Gate closure on the PR1014 as well. It's been done a couple different ways over the years -- some are allen cap screws into the Trap with the head of the screw towards the Gate; others are reversed. Some have a locknut, some used loktite. I think the old original XL with the straight Gate and Trap closed all the way, but any curved trap Simplex (like the PR1014) has a closure limit screw of some kind.

If the machine has run film for a long time and this is the first shedding problem like this, I would have to look at the print first, especially if it just started. The shedding -- or most of it -- should stop after a half-dozen runs or so, unless there is something else going on with the film contact parts. Lower tension should help.

As it is, we at Strong are aware of this happening with the newer film stocks, and have been looking at how to decrease or even eliminate it. It's a challenge because there has to be some abrasion to have a steady image on screen.

The manual that I looked at is a conglomeration of all the pre-Millenium models. I just looked at the first diagram I saw.

It's just that there are several flavors of Simplex where the gate adjusts by one of the two methods... Not to mention the PR-1060 with the flip-up gate.

Tension on that intermittent sprocket is very critical. You don't really want the pad clamped down tight on the sprocket as that just puts unwanted pressure on the intermittent itself.

One more thing, I could turn the screw with my fingers, shouldn't it be harder to adjust this stop screw so that this won't happen more often?

I thought it might just be the print, that's why I waited until another print went into that house. I only spend about 8 hours a week at the 4 plex fixing up the place, all my shifts are at the 7 plex 4 blocks away.

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Take the correct size nut to fit on that screw and tighten it against the faceplate that the screw is going into. It'll provide pressure to keep the screw from backing out again every time you close the trap.