US1501725A - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1924.

' A; J. REGER MUSICA L INSTRUMENT Fi O h 24. "1921 2 SheLs-Sheel 1 'lll July 15, 1924.

A. J. REGER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT iled oct- 24. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -FI a,.3.

HIHIIH a nnuII-; l-uua JIIIIIWli My Adam Cf Be a iillllil Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES ADAM J. 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed 0ctober'24, 1921. Serial No. 509,952.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ADAM J. Rnenma citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved musical instrument of the type including a flexible tension head of skin, parchment or the like such for example as the well known head of a banjo; my invention including improved means whereby the tension of the head can be readily Varied.

' Another object is to make the parts of my invent-ion of durable and comparatively simple construction. 1 7

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a musical instrument made in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view with the head, strings, and facing ring removed,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view with thefinger board and head supporting ring removed,

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 6 represents a shell or case which has a bottom 7 closed with the exceptionof a central aperture 8; said shell being open at its top and having a hollow extension 9 which provides a space communicating with the interior space 10 of the shell; said space 10 providing a large circular opening 11 in the top of the shell to receive the head hereinafter described. The hollow extension 9 has apertures 12 located at opposite sides of the finger board 13.

A head supporting ring 14 is preferably made out of aluminum and has a plurality of spokes 15 which lead inwardly to a cen-.

tral hub portion 16. This ring 14 is positioned within the case directly above a head tensioning ring 17. This head tensioning ring 17 is made in two axially aligned sections 18 and 19; the sections being secured together by screws 20. The flexible head 21 extends over the ring 14 and includes a folded part 22 embracing a core wire 23. The folded part 22 is confined between the section 18 and the ring 14 as clearly shown in Figure 4 with the core 23 at a position below an internal flange 24 of the ring section 18; the lower surface of said flange forming a shoulder 25 for abutment with the folded part of the head including the core 23. The ring section 19 has spokes 26 leading inwardly to a hub portion 27 and said hub portion has an axial hole 28 which is screw threaded to allow a screw 29 to be inserted therein. This screw at its inner end engages within a hole in the hub 16 of the rin 14.

Substantially U-shape brackets 30 are positioned within the shell 6 and have flanged ends 31 which are secured to the under sur faces of the spokes 15 of the head supporting ring 14; there preferably being located felt washers or gaskets 32 between the flanges 31 and the spokes 15. 1 The inner side surface of the shell 6 has grooves or channels 33 formed therein for receiving the leg portions 34 of the brackets 30 at a position between the head tensioning ring 17 and the inner portions of said grooves 33. The transversely extending portions 35 of the brackets 30 engage the inner surface of the bottom '7 and the brackets thus serve as a foundation for the head supporting ring 14 so as to keep the upper edge of said latter ring in a predetermined position relatively to the top of the shell. The upper ends of the bracket legs 34 are bent at an angle and secured by screws to the top of the case. A facing ring 36 is placed over the top of the case adjacent the peripheral edge of the head 21 and can be secured in place by screws as shown in Figure 1. Strings 37 are secured in the usual manner and extend over a bridge 38 mounted upon the head 21; said strings being connected tor the tuning or tensioning keys 39 in the head piece 40 of the neck.

If desired, positioning screws 41 can be secured within blocks 42 within the case; said positioning screws extending through holes 43 in the head tensioning ring 17 as shown in Figure 3. The screw 29 at its outer end has an angular portion which can be engaged by a key or wrench to facilitate the turning of the screw'and it will be noted til that by turning the screw the tensioning ring 17 can be moved away from the head supporting ring 14 and the shoulder of the flange 24: will be moved downward so as tomove the folded part of the head including the core 23 and thereby stretch the head 21 and thus by operating the screw 29 t-h'e'desired degree of tension of the head can be secured.

Also byproviding the hollow extension '9, the interior of which communicates with the space'lO, the vibrations set up within the instrument during the playing thereof produce'a resonance which is novel.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changesandalterations as fairly.

tion, and means for moving the members relatively to each other to increase or decrease thetension of the head.

I 2. A musical instrument including ameniber having an upwardly extending ring shaped-portion, mean-s providing a support for said member, a head supported by the ring port-ionand having a portion extending around the outer side-of said ring portion, a member having a flange portion providing a shoulder for engagement with the headportion extending around the ringpoi tion, and means for moving the members relatively to each otherto increase or decrease the tension of the head. 7

3. A'musical instrument including a shell;

ahead supporting ring within the shell; a

' head tensioning ring having a shouldered portion between said first ring and the inner surface of the shell; a head extending across said first ring and having a part extending between sald rings with an enlarged portion below the shoulder of said second rlng; means for supporting said first ring;

and means for moving said second mentioned ring to cause said shoulder to stretch said head, said supporting means including brackets secured to said first ring and to the case, said case having'grooves therein in which parts of saidbra'ckets are retained; substantially as described.

4. A musical instrument including a shell; 7

and operatively engaging the other ring whereby a movement of said screw will effecta relative movement between said rings; substantially as described.

'5. A musical instrument includinga shell;

a head supporting ring within the shell; a

head 'tensioning ring having a shouldered portion between said first ring and the in ner surface of the shell; ahead extending across said first ring and having a part extending between said rings with an enlarged portion below the shoulder of said second ring, said second mentioned ring havinga screw threaded hole; and a screw fitting within said hole and adapted to engage the other of said rings whereby a movement of said screw will eifect a relative movement of said rings, said second mentioned ring being made up of sections, one of the sectionsincluding the shouldered portion and the other of the sections including thescrew threaded hole; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADAM J. REGER.

Witnesses: Y

' CHAS. E. PoTTs,

ELIZABETH GARBE.

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