US752664A - Leg-rest for banjos - Google Patents

Description

No. 752,664. PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904. P. H. FOLEY.

LEG REST FOR BANJOS, &0.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1902.

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No. 752,664. PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904-. P. H. FOLEY.

LEG REST FOR BANJOS, 8w.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 2, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

LEG-REST FOR BANJOS, 81.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,664, dated February 23 1904,

Applioation filed August 2, 1902. Serial No. 118,150. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER H. FOLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leg-Rests for Banjos and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

Banjos and similar musical instruments having necks or arms are now held partly by the leg or lap and partly by the friction of an arm against some part of the instrument. This is not a desirable way of holding the instrument, because it interferes with the free use of one or both arms. It is desirable that the arms should be entirely free in order that the playing may not in any way be impeded, and for this purpose. I have devised a means for supporting the banjo or other musical instrument in such a manner that the use of the arms in maintaining it in place is not necessary. This result is reached by attaching to the rim or other suitable part of the musical instrument a device in the nature of a leg with a foot which is so shaped as to extend from the instrument across the lap to the leg opposite that upon which the instrument usually rests.

The invention further comprises means for the attachment of the leg to the body or rim of the instrument and means for adjusting it with respect thereto both to and from, horizontally, also vertically, and also back and forth.

I will now describe the invention in detail in conjunction with the drawings, forming a part of this specification, where Figure 1 represents a banjo provided with the holder and illustrating the manner of its use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in detail, showing the leg or holder and its attaching device and a portion of the banjo-rim. Fig. 3 is a view in plan and section of said parts. Fig. 4c represents it when applied to a guitarhead. Fig. 5 shows it applied to a mandolinbody.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a banjo-head; a, its rim; (0', its neck.

B is the leg or holder. It preferably comprises a rod b, having at its upper end the angular extension 6'. It also has the forks 6 sections 6 of which are bent to form a concave foot and which sections preferably are united by the bar Z)".

' The leg or holder is united to the rim by a device O, having two clamps, one, 0, by which bear against the inner surface of the rim, or

preferably on a bearing-plate 0 between the inner ends of the screws and the rim. The jaws c c are separated by a space sufficiently wide to receive rims varying considerably in thickness. By loosening the clamping-screws the device C may be moved back and forth on the rim, and it is by this means that one of the adjustments of the holder or foot with respect to the musical instrument is obtained. The clamp c for engaging the arm 5 has the two jaws 0 0 between which the arm 6 extends, and these jaws are adapted to be closed sufficiently to clamp the arm by the screw 0 which passes through a hole in the jaw c and screws into the jaw 0 The arm 7) is of sufficient length to permit the leg or holder to be moved any desired distance horizontally with respect to the part of the musical instrument to which it is secured, and the release of this clamp permits this adjustment to be made and also permits the inclination of the foot to be varied by turning the arm I) in the clamp, and of course the tightening of the clamping-screw will lock the leg and foot in any adjusted position. By varying the position of the device O on the rim the inclination of the instrument may be changed or the leg adjusted to any desired level of its supporting surface. By moving the leg in and out with respect to the rim another necessary adjustment to the span of the supporting-legs of the user is secured, and by turning the leg in the holder the foot is moved in or out upon the leg of the user, and it is also thereby caused to conform to it.

To apply the device to a guitar, the shape of the clamp for attaching it thereto is modified. (See Fig. 4:, where the clamp is represented as formed in two parts (Z cl, each of which has an ear which receives the clampingscrew 6Z2.) This clamp, it will be seen, instead of grasping the rim is adapted to grasp the upper and under surfaces of the body. The clamp for holding the leg is substantially the same.

In Fig. 5 the leg is represented as attached to a mandolin-neck by a clamp similar in construction to that represented in Fig. 4L.

1t is necessary that the holding-leg be attached to the body of the instrument below the center of gravity of the instrument when in playing position in order that the neck may not overbalance the head, and this attaching position is usually upon some part of the body of the instrument. It is also necessary that the holding-leg should be so formed and shaped as to permit the instrument to be placed in the position in which it is usually placed on the legs or in the lap were it not employed, and that for the purpose of securing this location of the instrument it is necessary that the holding-leg should also have the adjustment with relation to the body of the instrument which I have specified. It is also necessary that the holding-leg be so shaped and attached as to prevent the instrument from tipping forward and to hold it, so that it will substantially stand alone upon the lap or legs or with such little additional support as comes from resting lightly against the body of the player. By thus holding the instrument it no longer becomes necessary to use any part of the arms in sustaining it in place, and this permits them to be much more freely moved in the playing of the instrument than before has been possible.

Having'thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg rest or support, the same comprising a leg secured to the rim or body of the banjo and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom to rest upon the leg of the user when the banjo is in operable position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg rest or support, the same comprising a leg secured to the rim or body of the banjo, the said leg extending outwardly and downwardly from said banjo when in operable position and provided with a foot adapted to restupon the leg of the user, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg-rest for supporting the banjo or instrument when in operable position, the same comprising a member extending outwardly and downwardly from the rim to rest upon the leg of the user when the banjo is in operable position, and means for detachabl y and adjustably securing said leg-rest to the rim or body of the banjo, substantially as described.

4. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg rest or support, the same comprising a leg secured to the rim or body of the banjo and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom to rest upon the leg of the user when the banjo is in operable position, and means for adjusting the said leg-rest to and from the rim or body of the banjo.

5. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg rest or support, the same comprising a leg secured to the rim or body of the banjo and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom to rest upon the leg of the user when the banjo is in operable position, and means for adjusting the inclination of said leg-rest with respect to the rim or body of the banjo.

6. A banjo or similar instrument having a leg-rest for supporting the banjo or instrument when in operable position, the same comprising a leg and attached foot, the leg extending outwardly and downwardly from said banjo when in said operable position, and the foot adapted to rest upon the leg of the user when the banjo is in said operable position, and means for adjusting the said foot to and from the body or rim of said instrument and for changing its inclination relatively thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

PETER H. FOLEY.

Witnesses:

J. E. R. HAYES, F. F. RAYMOND, 2d.

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