Kliegl #1340 Leko Service Call Notes and history.

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The 1964 Kliegl #1340 is probably the first Leko designed about new halogen or quartz lamp technology which later changed the industry probably by way of Philipshere using the halogen upgrade lamps for radial incandescent fixtures in an axial way, to Altman 360Q (as the most popular in not knowing the first) that was using the newer and more compact EHD/EHG technology for the now that it’s halogen, we don’t need as big of a bulb technology fixture and lamp design. This plus it can be axial mounted in no longer needing base up or big cut outs from the reflector to follow.

“Tubular Quartz Lamps” were out by 1962 - in least a 2.1/4" 200w version in something useful for a linear filament for optics lamps other than longer flood types available. This 200w lamp would not be powerful enough for stage lighting use. There was 500w and even 1,500w versions that were longer in overall linear filament length, but they could never be useful for a stage lighting instrument other than for a wash light. The “Halogen concept” or Cycle of it isn’t mentioned yet for technology term, though Iodine lamps I believe were treated in a separate area that I didn’t find but recall - two different concepts presented.

1964 Kliegl introduced the #1340 series of small Leko and #3606, 6" Fresnel series as advertised in being the first with the new Quartz technology at this point. The 400w 3.1/8" linear RSC based lamp as upgrade in technology could now in halogen technology do much like a S-4 Leko, was no doubt radical for the industry at the time. Interesting that the Fresnel and mini-Leko than was the first to advance technology and the ship of the line radial Leko followed, and in the 90's it was the reverse of that. After this fixture and lamp type, the industry did the other upgrade to incandescent stage and studio lamps, much less had time to refine the concept in better fixtures based off lamp technology. Took a long time.

Derek recently sent me some approximately 1966 & 1967 catalogues from Packaged Lighting Services Inc. which feature such halogen lamp technology upgrade kits and lamps in use for the market later. (TBA them PDF’d to the website.) Seems like by 1966, the even up to 800w quartz lamp as per a wash light was totally available as per a swivel light architectural application. By 1966, also the halogen even 750w upgrade to a radial Leko was on the market (not a ANSI EHG yet) as with lots of other upgrades from this company in featuring the new Quartz conversions for various fixtures. Even seemingly reslling Kliegl type fixtures that are halogen upgraded. (Note also, the shape of the pinspot fixture in shape - though not a pinspot fixture in as available yet, and instead as a black light fixture is also shown.)

The model #1340 from Kliegl is an important fixture for the industry, it was the first halogen axial Leko I think. Beyond that in concept and given the RSC based linear filament lamp, it’s not a bad fixture to have and use overall. Certainly a Altman 3.5Q5 if medium bi-pin based and 575w/115v version will have a better output with a discontinued HPR lamp, but even a GLC lamp would also do just fine these days. Also, the Altman and other versions of the mini-leko have gobo slots that makes it useful. Even had at one point a 3.5Q that had an iris - though I think such a concept a modification that worked well in the fixture.

Now that Altman has gone 500w EVR crappy lamp for their fixtures, I think any #1340 Kliegl fixture even with a large amount of it’s reflector cut away to fit the lamp, it is just as good as long as bench focused properly - given a 200 hour FDA lamp at 400w, isn’t as efficient as a 300hr x500w EVR lamp for lamp life or efficiency. The #1340 is less efficient but I think equal in bad lamp technology currently in use. Can get a good beam out of either, but I wouldn’t sell off my #1340's if not able to change the lampholder to a Altman fixture or go ETC mini-Ellipse. (Granted on the Mini-Ellipse, if you get a lamp that balloons up past it’s speified dia. you have to totally take apart the fixture so as to remove it. Not a fan of them given this.)

Not the greatest of fixtures, but you really can get a descent beam out of this design.

Upgrade notes:
First that there is an older more welded clip gel frame version that’s probably more old in use of three ½" clips welded to the snout, than later a more like Altman 3.5Q version that has a full gel frame assembly welded to it. There seems to be two versions of the fixture I note in now having both versions which are otherwise similar.

The newer version also switched to phillips screws for some of it’s lens train snout attachment. Otherwise for all intensive purposes the same fixture.

Last time I serviced them, I added washers behind the focus screws, this time I did springs between base and focus screw in being tricky but good improvement. Re-wiring easy enough, a fresh ground wire plus hot/neutral and lock washer added. Lamp re-surfaced and or replaced, base re-surfaced and also treated. Re-grounded as normal. Not difficult.

Shutters re-surfaced and dry lubed, more a question about re-assembly of them.

The standoff in use to manage the shutters is in all three cases I have run across, been over-tightened over the years. This means the standoff got mushroomed at it’s tips and needs to be ground flat again if not replaced. The shutters don’t function properly when rubbing up against a mushroomed standoff. Used standoffs take extra work and half sized shim washers to properly get done even if you sand smooth the spacer.

Normal re-finishing of the shutters - silicone fiber grinder wheel and dry lube to them, as with anything that touches them. Sanding down the exterior and interior of the fixture with abrasive pads, blowing than wiping them down with denatured alcohol and a towel. High temp. semi-gloss spray paint.

Next is about the cord grip. It sucks and is in need of replacement for at least a modern two screw Romex version that has a nut so it don’t swivel. Best with 3M type #69 fiberglass tape around the fiberglass sleeved wire where the strain relief exits the cord grip, but overall, not good the original cord grip which allows the cord to swivel on its own.

Other improvements, the cloverleaf type yoke lock washers are a tensioning device intended for us for tensioning the fixture without need of knob or tool to lock it down. Normally these fixtures were following architectural industry in not applying a knob to yoke mount fixtures, instead they were allowed to be hand focused and not expected to move. Given the proper tension, you could easily focus them and it was not expected anything would get bumped or bounced after that... or sag. Think that’s the concept at least in seeing them on all three of this type of fixture, and many others including architectural versions.

Works ok as a concept - until the gorilla in the group dogs them down as per a cone or belleville washer in not holding as well, or other gorillas in the group do so in flattening it out. Worse than the over tensioned C-Clamp, these form of clover leaf washers once over tensioned beyond their design go bad. Warning: do not attempt to re-bend one of these washers - got to the fourth side before it broke an left huge war wound scratches. If going original, replace a warn one, otherwise a fiber washer between yoke and fixture and what ever washer/knob assembly you use would be more end user friendly in not being detrimental to the intent of the yoke system.

Further note... while I normally re-tap any screws or holes with an old fixture, and did so with the first two older versions, on this I think 70's version, it wasn’t a good idea. The tolerances of the screw taps were different and the first shutter screw I attempted tapped bad. On this fixture so far it should be safe to re-tap if the older clip version, but if the newer real gel frame version, clean up and oil the screw threads on the weld screws but don’t re-tap them.

Further question I didn’t see a reason for: The 70's version with full gel frame assembly came with both a lens spacer and a cut away version of it which was for the rear of the lens train and before the lens retaining ring. Fit ok, but didn’t see a reason for it... instead re-tasked it for one of the others that was missing it’s proper spacer.

Beyond that, never seen one of these fixtures with any sort of knob for lens train adjustment and always had to add them. Was there a lens train knob for such a thing?
 
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From 1978 Catalog sheets.
... The model #1340 from Kliegl is an important fixture for the industry, it was the first halogen axial Leko I think. ...
Sorry, I think I have to disagree with you on both points. Yes, it may have been the first ERS to use the Quartz-Iodide lamp, but it was still a lousy fixture. For apples to apples, compare a Kliegl 1355 with a 1357 with the same lens.

I don't see how one can call an ERS using a double-ended lamp an axial fixture. The lamp does not enter the fixture on axis. Furthermore, the reflector has not one but two (albeit smaller than for the T12 or T14 lamp) holes in it.
 
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Sorry, I think I have to disagree with you on both points. Yes, it may have been the first ERS to use the Quartz-Iodide lamp, but it was still a lousy fixture. For apples to apples, compare a Kliegl 1355 with a 1357 with the same lens.

I don't see how one can call an ERS using a double-ended lamp an axial fixture. The lamp does not enter the fixture on axis. Furthermore, the reflector has not one but two (albeit smaller than for the T12 or T14 lamp) holes in it.

Fair enough... never seen a #1357 before, and on the actual axis of mount point. I might also agree with the lamp concept and or reflector removal needs before I focused them, but once done I disagree in them working surprisingly well even if the above. They really do even if they shouldn't, work well in my opinion.

Lousy fixture, I don't think so, I think it ok and certainly no worse than anything else from it's era once bench focused properly and I think any worse than a current Altman 3.5Q fixture. I have done such bench focus's with three now and in the past with others, thus think they are very ok, but respect your dissagreement on that as fair enough other ascessment in value.
 

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