US554967A

US554967A - Frank cecil wilkes

Info

Publication number: US554967A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1913-02-18

Description

(No Model.)

F. 0. WILKES.

BANJO. No. 554,967. Patented Feb. 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK CECIL WVILKES, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

BANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,967, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed April 1'7, 1894. Serial No. 507,936. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK CECIL WILKEs, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 86 Tib Street, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented Improvements in Banjos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improve ments in banjos whereby the sounds produced thereby are rendered more distinct, effective, and pleasing than has heretofore been usual with this class of instrument as ordinarily constructed.

To or within the rear side of the circular frame of the banjo, which is preferably of wood covered with metal, is fitted a suitable sounding-board that serves to throw the sounds produced when playing the instrument forward through the hole in the vellum. If desired, two or more holes with strengthened edges may be provided in the vellum drum.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, partly in longitudinal central section, showing a banjo constructed according to this invention.

1 is the drumhead of the banjo formed of vellum or the like secured in the ordinary well-known way around the circular head or frame, which may be formed of a hoop 2 of wood surrounded by a hoop 2 of metal.

3 is a circular hole formed in the drumhead, its edge being strengthened by a ring at of light material, such as celluloid, glued or otherwise secured to the drumhead, preferably before the hole 3 is cut therein. As will be obvious, there maybe more than one such hole in the drumhead, if desired.

5 is a disk secured to the rear end of the circular frame 2 2, so as to close the same and act as a sounding-board to increase the musical effect of the instrument when the same is being played. This disk or sounding board may advantageously be of dished sheet metal, as shown, and may conveniently be fixed in position between the wooden hoop 2 and an inwardly-projecting bead 2* on the metal hoop 2.

6 is the ordinary wooden extension of the neck 7, which extends across the interior of the head in the usual way.

As will be obvious, my invention can be applied to zither-banj os as well as to ordinary banjos.

What I claim is The herein-described improved banjo consisting of the circular frame composed of concentric hoops of wood and metal2 and 2 the vellum or like drumhead 1 with circular hole 3, secured to the front end of said frame, the strengthening-ring 4. secured to said drumhead around the hole 3 therein, the non-perforated metal disk 5 secured to the rear end of the circular frame between the concentric hoop portions thereof so as to close the same and act as a sounding-board, substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.

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

FRANK CECIL WILKES.

WVitnesses WM. CALVERT, ARTHUR LoMAX.