Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-22
TELEV|S|ON PATENT
HOLDS BIG PROMISE
KaroIus Valve Expected to
Result in Early Use in
Some TheaterS.
BY MARTIN CoDEL.

While Broadway and Tin Pan alley
are buzzing about the possibility Of an
early Introduction of television into q
few select theaters of the country. pro-
lection Of the American patent rights to
the Karolus light valve, described as the
heart of the remarkable television sys-
tenn demonstrated a few weeks ago at
Schenectady, has been insured by the
issuance a few days ago of letters patent
to DR.. August Karolus Of Leipzig, Ger
many.
To the Karolus valve DR. T.. r. W.
Alexanderson has attributed the latest
advance In television, which makes pos
sible the projection of clear, life-size
figures on a screen feet square. Or.
AlexanderSon brought the valve back
from Germany, where he visited last
year with the inventor.
Displaces Neon Tube.
Displacing the neon tube as the light
source, the Karolus valve is employed
in the center of an intricate lens sys-
tenn at the receiving end to control the
light impulses and make it possible to
project them at the rate of 10000 per
second to form images of lifelike char
acter. The projection is not unlike
that of the ordinary motion picture
camera except that it is done from be-
hind the screen.
Letters patent No. 1882 were issued
a few days ago to DR.. Karolus, with
the announcement that rights have
been assigned to the Radio Corporation
of America The major claim in the
patent, which is described as a 're-
ceiver arrangement for electric tele-
WiCinn y a lie OF AI ~, ~
United States Patent once record as
follows:
"A light receiver for electric tele-
vision apparatus, including a light re-
lay OF the Kerr type, comprising light
screen, source of luminous rays,
means for projecting said luminous
rays as a position-controlled point
source of light upon said screen,
whereby said observer. when looking
through said light relay toward said
screen, may view a series of position
controlled light spots and usually con-
struct moving image upon said
screen"
Observers Are Impressed.
Those who witnessed the Alexander
son demonstration In a Schenectady
theater professed themselves to be more
deeply impressed by it than bv anv
L
markable clarity of the images repro
duced on the silver screen, which was
wheeled into position on the stage of
the theater, led many Of the observers
to believe that television, at least for
the theater, is at hand The electrical
impulses were transmitted from studios
and transmitters several miles away
one short wave carrying the televtsion
impulses and another broadcastinT the
speech of the televised figures in abso-
lutte synchronism.
Though radio frequencies were en-
ployed for the transmission. it can he
done even more effectively via wires
The belief is growing that this system
OF televiSion will soon be introduced In
some OF the R-K-O theaters as a fea-
ture act. Radio Corporation of Amer
lea, now holder of the Karolus patent
and closely allied with the General
Electric Co, for which DR.. Alexander
son does his research, has a large in
terest In the R-K-O chain of theaters.
Whether it comes this year or next
1t now appears to be q practical GER
tainty that television will find its irst
popular use in theaters.