Untitled record

Application filed February 13) 1890. Serial No. 340,354. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Charles J. Kelly, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new 5 and Improved Banjo, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in banjos, and its object is to provide a simple and positive means of attaching the head, ro strings, and tail-piece to a banjo, and to attach them in such a manner as to produce a better tone than when said parts are attached in the usual way.

To this end my invention consists in cer15 tain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying 20 drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a broken plan view of a banjo constructed in accordance with my invention, 25 and Fig. 2 a partial section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The metal rim A, the neck B, and the head C are of the usual construction and need no detailed description. A hollow metal hoop 30 D extends around the rim A, said hoop having inwardly-curved edges D', with an inner opening between said edges, as shown. Within the hoop D is a wooden strip E, which is curved to fit nicely within the hoop, and is 35 provided with acurved or oval upper edge E', upon which fits the curved upper edge D' of the hoop D. Depending from the lower edge of the hoop D, and spaced regularly around the rim A, are the socket-pieces F, which are |o internally screw-threaded, and in which fit the screws a, which project upwardly through the enlarged lower portion A' of the rim A.

To fasten the head C in position upon the rim A, the edges thereof are drawn over the 45 upper edge of the rim A, and passed through the opening in the hoop D and around the wooden strip E, between the strip and the hoop D. The screws a are then tightened, thus drawing down the pieces F, forcing the 50 upper edge D' of the hook firmly upon the edge of the head C and drawing the head tightly over the metal rim A, so that it will rest against said rim, thus improving its tone. It will thus be seen that the head C may be tightened at any time by tightening the 55 screws a.

The tail-piece IT is formed in a triangular shape, as usual, with the base of the triangle toward the center of the head. It is provided with knobs &, formed thereon to assist in at- 60 taching the strings d, as described below, and with a shank H', which is bent in such a manner that it extends down the outside of the rim A and clasps the lower enlarged edge thereof, the tail-piece and shank being held 65 in position by the tension of the strings d and by the rib e of the shank ΙΓ, which fits into a corresponding groove or recess e' in the bottom of the rim A. The shank II' is provided with a rubber or felt covering J at the 70 point where it bears upon the hoop D, which serves to deaden or prevent the vibration of the strings being transmitted from the tailpiece.

The strings d are attached to the neck B in 75 the usual manner, and they are placed upon the tail-piece II and knobs b in such a manner that the body of a string d will bind the end d' thereof firmly against the tail-piece IT, thus avoiding knots by which the strings are 80 usually secured, and bringing the strings very close to the head C. The strings are wound upon the tail-piece upon each side of the knobs, and the knobs prevent them from slipping. 85

It will be found in practice that by attaching the parts in the manner described the tone of the banjo will be greatly improved.