US3921492A - Banjo body assembly - Google Patents

Banjo body assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
US3921492A
US3921492A US524735A US52473574A US3921492A US 3921492 A US3921492 A US 3921492A US 524735 A US524735 A US 524735A US 52473574 A US52473574 A US 52473574A US 3921492 A US3921492 A US 3921492A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
shell
sloping
mid
ring
vertical
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US524735A
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English (en)
Inventor
Geoffrey H Stelling
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US524735A priority Critical patent/US3921492A/en
Priority to CA239,688A priority patent/CA1036399A/en
Priority to GB47335/75A priority patent/GB1501487A/en
Priority to DE2551661A priority patent/DE2551661C3/de
Priority to JP13863975A priority patent/JPS5419337B2/ja
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3921492A publication Critical patent/US3921492A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D1/00—General design of stringed musical instruments
    • G10D1/04—Plucked or strummed string instruments, e.g. harps or lyres
    • G10D1/05—Plucked or strummed string instruments, e.g. harps or lyres with fret boards or fingerboards
    • G10D1/10—Banjos

Definitions

  • Bodies or drums of banjos consist, usually, of three major concentric ringed portions which fit together under tension, as tightly as possible. Threaded hooks or brackets hold the components together and hold the drum head in a stretched position.
  • the three ringed portions are the tone ring, shell and flange, the latter is called lower bracket ring" if there is no resonator on the particular banjo.
  • Banjo manufacturers have tried to avoid the problem of imperfect fitting by substitution of a single piece part for the described components. However, this gives rise to a loss of desirable tone quality for another reason.
  • banjos are best made of different materials, specifically, shells of hard wood, while the contacting tone ring and flange are best made of metal.
  • common problems of otherwise imperfect fitting were best solved by excellent workmanship, tedious machinework, use of high quality materials, and well seasoned wood. Obviously, all this is very expensive and results in a high cost of manufacture and a relatively high price to the consumer.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of the body and portion of neck of a banjo improved with my invention.
  • the numeral 14 indicates my novel shell. It is formed on one of the. usual hardwoods and has the familiar configuration of a cylindrical section. Unlike the conventional, however, I have caused the outer surface of its upper portion to slope uniformly inwardly around the entire periphery thereof, this is tapered surface 140. The angle of inclination may vary. An angle of 45 is suitable. Preferably provided at both ends of such inclination are raised portions to form rims around the circumference. Between lower rim 14f and upper rim 14b I have placed tone ring 12. It too has the conventional cylindrical section shape and is made of metal, as usual.
  • this ring has a slanted circular surface 12d uniformly and inwardly from its base.
  • the angulation of 12d is the same as that of surface 14a. This permits the two beveled surfaces to interface as can best be seen in FIG. 4.
  • .Upper rim or bead 14b serves as a guide and retainer for tone ring 12 on the shell 14 when the parts are being assembled.
  • the tone ring fits between the rim 14b and point of FIG. 4.
  • the tone ring 12 has usual inside beveled surface 12a at the top without change. Its function is unrelated to my invention.
  • the skin head 10 is retained thereon by a tension hoop (not illustrated).
  • the upper portion 12b may be a continuation of surface 12d if and when the surface is continuous and not a modified conventional ring, as shown.
  • An oppositely disposed tapered portion 14d is provided on the outer underside of the shell.
  • I have provided an otherwise conventional flange 16 with a flange beveled portion 16a of the same angle as shell portion 14d.
  • all beveled portions align with and slideably abut mating surfaces on adjoining components.
  • the head is held together with the usual threaded brackets (not shown). Imperfections in manufacture and/or seasoning of the shell do not result in misfits, because the brackets need only be tightened and through the obvious wedging action of my novel beveled parts, the desired close, tight fit will always result.
  • a banjo body assembly comprising a cylindrical body shell having upper, midand lower wall portions, said shell having a downwardly sloping outer surface on the upper portion of said shell, a tone ring having at least one lower internal surface beveled to wedgingly 3 mate with said outwardly sloping surface when said ring is placed on said shell, and a ring-shaped shell flange having an inner surface at least a'portion of which wedgingly mates with a sloping outer surface of the mid-portion of said shell.
  • the inner wall of said shell comprises a first vertical surface on said upper portion and a second vertical surface on said lower portion which second surface is spaced interiorly of said shell from said first surface, said vertical surfaces being connected by the inner surface of said mid-portion which surface slopes upwardly and outwardly from the upper edge of said second vertical surface to the lower edge of said first vertical surface, said sloping surface providing an upward reflection of sound within said shell.
  • tone ring has a horizontal surface which is sloped downwardly and inwardly toward the interior of the shell and an outer vertically depending surface.
  • a banjo body assembly comprising a body shell, a tone ring and a ring-shaped shell flange, said body shell being of a general cylindrical shape with lower, midand upper portions, the lower portion of said shell having a vertical outer surface, the mid-portion of said shell having an outwardly and upwardly sloping surface extending from said vertical surface, the upper portion of said shell having an outer surface which slopes upwardly and inwardly from a juncture with the outer surface of said mid-portion to form a juncture with the inner surface of said shell; the tone ring being seated on the sloping outer surface of said upper portion and of a general inverted L-shape with an inward and downward bevel on the outer surface of the horizontal leg of said ring, the surface of the inner end of the beveled horizontal leg having a sloping configuration which matches the slope of the outer surface of said upper portion, the end of the depending leg of said tone ring having a sloping surface which also matches the slope of the outer surface of said

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Golf Clubs (AREA)
US524735A 1974-11-18 1974-11-18 Banjo body assembly Expired - Lifetime US3921492A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US524735A US3921492A (en) 1974-11-18 1974-11-18 Banjo body assembly
CA239,688A CA1036399A (en) 1974-11-18 1975-11-14 Banjo body assembly
GB47335/75A GB1501487A (en) 1974-11-18 1975-11-17 Banjo body assembly
DE2551661A DE2551661C3 (de) 1974-11-18 1975-11-18 Banjokörper
JP13863975A JPS5419337B2 (OSRAM) 1974-11-18 1975-11-18

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US524735A US3921492A (en) 1974-11-18 1974-11-18 Banjo body assembly

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3921492A true US3921492A (en) 1975-11-25

Family

ID=24090461

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US524735A Expired - Lifetime US3921492A (en) 1974-11-18 1974-11-18 Banjo body assembly

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3921492A (OSRAM)
JP (1) JPS5419337B2 (OSRAM)
CA (1) CA1036399A (OSRAM)
DE (1) DE2551661C3 (OSRAM)
GB (1) GB1501487A (OSRAM)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD254312S (en) 1977-04-27 1980-02-26 Stelling Geoffrey H Banjo resonator flange
US4226159A (en) * 1975-10-28 1980-10-07 Lowe Charles T Banjo construction
US5804753A (en) * 1996-11-12 1998-09-08 Speer; Billy L. Stringed instrument
US20050223870A1 (en) * 2004-04-07 2005-10-13 Tony Pass Banjo Rims, Llc. Rim for a banjo
US20080127804A1 (en) * 2006-12-04 2008-06-05 Lashbrook Paul H Composite High Tension Drum Shell and Banjo Rim
US20080257129A1 (en) * 2007-04-19 2008-10-23 Mitchel Devern Meadors Mitchel's tone ring mate
USD611983S1 (en) * 2007-12-17 2010-03-16 Ronald Dee Bales Banjo pot sub-assembly
US20120222537A1 (en) * 2009-10-13 2012-09-06 Deering Banjo Company, Incorporated Vertical sides banjo tone ring and methods
GB2499857A (en) * 2011-12-19 2013-09-04 James Walter Patton Modified banjo/tone ring combination

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1046770A (en) * 1911-08-02 1912-12-10 James N Gladding Banjo.
US1728754A (en) * 1927-03-08 1929-09-17 John W Gillespie Stringed musical instrument
US1783243A (en) * 1928-05-08 1930-12-02 William L Lange Frame for musical instruments

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5256031Y2 (OSRAM) * 1972-03-24 1977-12-17

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1046770A (en) * 1911-08-02 1912-12-10 James N Gladding Banjo.
US1728754A (en) * 1927-03-08 1929-09-17 John W Gillespie Stringed musical instrument
US1783243A (en) * 1928-05-08 1930-12-02 William L Lange Frame for musical instruments

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4226159A (en) * 1975-10-28 1980-10-07 Lowe Charles T Banjo construction
USD254312S (en) 1977-04-27 1980-02-26 Stelling Geoffrey H Banjo resonator flange
US5804753A (en) * 1996-11-12 1998-09-08 Speer; Billy L. Stringed instrument
US20050223870A1 (en) * 2004-04-07 2005-10-13 Tony Pass Banjo Rims, Llc. Rim for a banjo
US7465861B2 (en) * 2004-04-07 2008-12-16 Tony Pass Banjo Rim, Llc Rim for a banjo
US20080127804A1 (en) * 2006-12-04 2008-06-05 Lashbrook Paul H Composite High Tension Drum Shell and Banjo Rim
US20080257129A1 (en) * 2007-04-19 2008-10-23 Mitchel Devern Meadors Mitchel's tone ring mate
US7498496B2 (en) * 2007-04-19 2009-03-03 Mitchel Meadors Mitchel's tone ring mate
USD611983S1 (en) * 2007-12-17 2010-03-16 Ronald Dee Bales Banjo pot sub-assembly
US20120222537A1 (en) * 2009-10-13 2012-09-06 Deering Banjo Company, Incorporated Vertical sides banjo tone ring and methods
US8759648B2 (en) * 2009-10-13 2014-06-24 Deering Banjo Co., Inc. Vertical sides banjo tone ring and methods
GB2499857A (en) * 2011-12-19 2013-09-04 James Walter Patton Modified banjo/tone ring combination

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2551661C3 (de) 1979-02-01
JPS5419337B2 (OSRAM) 1979-07-14
GB1501487A (en) 1978-02-15
DE2551661B2 (de) 1978-05-24
JPS5173428A (OSRAM) 1976-06-25
CA1036399A (en) 1978-08-15
DE2551661A1 (de) 1976-05-20

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