Presented by the Jacobs Manufacturing Company, designer and builder of engine brakes for large trucks and semis, this film shows some of the research conducted by engineers to reduce noise.
The sponsor of this film brought the revolutionary Jacobs Engine Brake on the market since 1961. The company is now known as Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc. It’s not exactly clear why Jacobs produced the film, but engine brakes can be notoriously loud, so the company may have viewed this film as an important public relations tool.
The film opens in a noisy classroom before the viewer is reminded that there are times when everyone requires “Quiet Please!” The film, presented by the Jacobs Manufacturing Company Engine Brake Division, goes on to tell us that sound is a necessary part of life. Noise, however, is not. Scenes of garbage trucks, snow blowers, tractors, vacuums, and airline jets flash on the screen as we’re reminded that we are all prisoners of noise — “unless we conquer the scourge of noise” (mark 01:44). At mark 02:09 the film offers a scientific explanation of “sound” with various illustrations, and at mark 03:27 explains how sound is analyzed from three aspects — source, transmission, and receiver — followed by an explanation how the ear is able to hear sound. We learn of sound decibels and frequency. As a teenaged band plays at mark 06:50, the narrator laments how “studies show the hearing of many teenaged musicians quickly degenerates to the level of old folks.” The cumulative effect of noise exposure on health and the cardiovascular system is examined beginning at mark 08:40, including elevated blood pressure, sleeplessness, and fatigue. At mark 09:20 the conversation switches to what might be done about noise pollution, “which makes each day a torment,” including state legislation regulating vehicles such as trucks and airlines. We see illustrations of how jet airline turbo fan engines produce high decibels starting at mark 11:44, and changes to the Boeing 747 engines have attempted to reduce such levels. The film also looks at diesel trucks and changes made using Jacob engine brakes (mark 13:15). Because noise must be designed out of existence, engineers are shown developing new techniques (mark 15:12) “to design for quiet.” Noise research at the University of Hartford is seen at 17:40, with various products being re-designed to eliminate noise.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
