US1755821A - Banjo - Google Patents

Description

F. J. HELLER April 22, 1930.

BANJO Filed Nov. 1928 Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITED STATES FRANK J. HELLER, or woonnnvnn, NEW YORK BANJO Application filed November a, 1928. Serial No. 316,895.

This invention relates to banjos, and in particular to a tone ring therefor, over which the membranous head of the banjo is stretched.

An object of the present invention is to provide a banjo having the usual means for stretching a head over the edge of a head rim and, in addition, adjustably disposed means to support the membranous head at different distances from the edge of the head rim.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flanged ring set in one end of the head rim, for adj ustably mounting a tone ring over which the membranous head may be stretched.

A further object of the invention is to provide a banjo with a neck rigidly secured to the outside of the head rim and to provide adjusting means for the membranous head stretched over the rim, so that the position of the membranous head may be adjusted relative to the fingering surface of the neck.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a securing means for the neck at one side only of the head rim.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the follow- 0 Eng specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of a banjo provided with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the head portion of the banj o, taken from the lower side thereof.

In the above-mentioned drawing I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relled upon for that purpose.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, I provide a head rim 10, to which the fretted fingering neck 11 may be secured. As shown in Fig. 3, this neck 11 is rigidly attached directly to the outside cylindrical surface of the rim 10 by one or more screws 12, extending through one wall of the rim. About one edge of the rim 10 is placed a flanged ring of metal 13, and mounted within an inwardly extending flanged portion thereof are a plurality of set screws 14 or other threaded members. The upper surfaces of these screws 14 engage a tone ring 15, over which the membranous head 16 may be stretched by means presently to be described.

To position the tone ring 15 upon the screws 14;, the ring 15 may be countersunk, to provide recesses for the ends of the screws. Fig. 2 shows the threaded members 14 and the ring 15 in operative position. The ring 15 is preferably, and is shown in Fig. 2 as circular in cross section.

It will be seen from this Fig. 2 that, by adjusting the screws 14 Within the flanged ring 13, the position of the .tone ring 15 may be adjusted to agreater or less distance from the end surface of the head rim 10, and that therefore the surface of the membranous head 16 may be adjusted relatively to the fingering surface of the neck 11.

The membranous head 16 is stretched over therim 10 by means'of a stretching ring 17 passing over the upper portion of a flanged ring 18, suitably positioned relatively to the rim 10. This flanged ring 18 rests upon the upper surface of the flanged ring 13. The usual adjusting brackets 19-provided on banj 0s may be used for stretching the membranous head 16 over the flanged member 18. It will be seen that, by stretching the membrane, it will be drawn down against the tone rim 5 and'will also pass over the flanged ring member 18. The membranous head 16- may also be further stretched by vertically adjusting the tone ring 15 by the threaded members 14. By tightening the nuts on the lower ends of the bracket 19 the ring 13 and the ring 18 will both be drawn down and held firmly against the head rim 10.

I The banjo is preferably provided with a resonator 20in the form of a hollow head. positioned over the opposite end of the head rim 20. This resonator 20 is provided with small posts 21, secured at spaced positions about the inner cylindrical Wall of the resonator 20. By means of nuts 22 engaging the threaded ends of these posts 21 the resonator 20 may be held in position relatively to the flanged annular member 18, and thus held permanently in position relatively to the head rim 10. Large openings 28 in the flanged portions of the annular ring member 18 permit sound to pass directly forward from the resonating chamber enclosed by the resonator 20.

I claim 1. A banjo, comprising, in combination a head rim, a flanged ring extending about one edge of said rim, a membraneous head extending over said rim, means to stretch said membraneous head over said rim, a tone ring be tween said flanged ring and said head, and adjusting means mounted in said flanged ring for varyingthe position of'said head and tone ring relative to said rim.

, 2. A banjo, comprising, in combination, a head rim, a flanged ring extending about one edge of said rim, a menibraneous head extend ing over said rim, means to stretch said membraneous head over said rim, a tone ring between said flanged ring and said head, and threaded members spaced about said flanged ring and engaging said tone ring, for varying the position of said head and tone ring relative to said rim.

3. A banjo, comprising, in combination, a head rim, a neck secured thereon, means to secure said neck to said rim located at one side only of said rim, :1 membraneous head extending over said-rim, a flanged ring onsaid rim, an annular member surrounding said rim, means to stretch said head over said annular member, and means to retainsaid flanged ring and annular member in position against said rim.

4. A banjo, comprising, in combination, a head rim, a neck rigidly securedthereon, a membraneoushead extending over said rim, a tone ring .adjus tably mounted on said rim for supporting'said head, a resonator disposed oppositelyto saidhead, an annular member'on said ri-m,.means to stretch said head over said tone ring and annular member, and means to secure said resonator to said annular member.

' A banjo, comprising, in combination, a head rim, a neck rigidly secured thereon, a

nien-ibraneous head extending over said rim, I

a flanged ring secured to one edge of said rim, a tone ring adjustable toward .and from said flanged ring and Withinsaid head, a resonator disposed oppositely to :said membraneous head, means to secure said resonator to said rim, means to stretch said head over said rim, said stretching means also holding said flanged ring against said rim.

FRANK J. HELLER.

Images