Improvements in or relating to Banjoes or other like Musical Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1.91-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
COMITETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Banjoes or other like Musical
Instruments.
I, WALTER TAYLOR, of 142, Kirkdale Road, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to improvements in certain parts or portions of banjoes and
other like musical instruments, and has mainly for its objects:
To allow of the strings or wires being held more securely at their ends in the
pegs, and that these latter may be capable of more easy manipulation; to cause
the parchment or skin of the banjo or other musical instrument, in which there is
a drum or tambourine, to be more perfectly secured and yet be capable of being
easily replaced, relaxed or tightened, whilst, at the same time, the tail-piece of the
instrument may have a more suitable resting place than has hitherto been the case;
and to provide means so that the music or sound given from the instrument may as
desired be deadened or modified.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and letters
of reference marked thereon in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts
in each of the figures,
Figure 1 is a side view of a banjo embodying various improvements; for the
purposes of illustration a portion of the banjo is shown in section.
Figure 2 is a plan (partly in outline) of the drum or tambourine of the banjo.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are a section, plan and perspective view respectively of the
improved peg.
Figure 6 is a section of a part of the drum or tambourine showing the method
of, with the devices for, stretching the parchment or skin.
Figure 7 is a further section of a part of the drum or tambourine showing the
application and construction of the sound damper or deadener.
Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the banjo has, as usual, a head A,
neck B, drum B', and tail piece C.
The pins or pegs A' (Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5) to which the strings or wires are
attached are somewhat enlarged at their heads a so that there may be formed, at
such enlarged portions suitable grooves or indents a'. Two of these grooves or
indents are shown in the drawing, such being a convenient but not an arbitrary
number. The other ends of the pins pass through the sleeve a and both the pins A
and the sleeves a² are provided with collars or flanges a³ and a respectively. A
small nut is provided at the extreme end of the pins, this nut being adapted
when rotated to tighten or loosen the flanges a³ and a against the head of the
instrument. The end of the strings or wires of the instrument, instead of having
to be threaded through small holes in the ends of the pegs, are simply passed into
both of the grooves . They cross each other at the points of intersection of the
grooves, and are then wound tightly round the pins A. To adjust the ten-ion of
the strings and wires, the sleeve a² is rotated by nieans of the wings a, and as the
interior of the sleeve and the corresponding part of the pin A is squared, the pin
is rotated by the sleeve whereby the strings and wires can be tightened or relaxed
according to the direction in which the wings a are rotated.
The drum or tambourine portion B (Figures 1, 2 and 6) of the instrument
consists as usual of the annular frame and has an adjustable hoop or ring
preferably bevelled as shown. Between this annular fraine and the adju-table
ring, the parchment is held, whilst the ring also form a resting place for the
tail piece C, as will be hereinafter de-cribed. All round the sides of the annular

page_text: frame, small tightening or clamping devices are mounted. These latter comprise
a bracket having a clawed stud, a hooked pin ', mounted in said bracket, and
anut or adjusting the said pin .
The brackets are mounted in the annular
frame by inserting the clawed studs into holes made for their reception.
The hooks at the ends of the pins are passed through holes in the ring &,
and their ends bear against the outside edges of the parchment (which, to afford
grip, may be suitably curled or thickened round its edge). By rotating the nuts 6º,
the ring will be pilled downwards by the hooked ends of the pins 6ª and so tighten
th pare sent to the re quired degree of tension.
'
The comping ring further makes a good resting place for the tail piece C;
this latte is preferably as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and consists
of two parts and e, the former serving to hold the latter in position, and the latter,
instead of being pierced, has simply a series of slits, into which the knotted ends
of the strings or wires are secured.
I apply, at a suitable part of the instrument, preferably to the under surface of
the drum at or near the bridge piece, a sound damper or deadener. This, as will
be seen from Figures 1 and 7 may consist of a bracket D with two bearings, one
for the arm d and the other for the handle or lever . One end of the arin dis
furnished with the damper &, and one end of the handle or lever with the finger
piece d³. The damper d is of any suitable construction; I prefer it to be firmly
held by a small set screw d and its surface to be made of cork d, though other
suitable material will do. The relative position of the damper may be controlled
by means of the small set screw at the end of the arm d, as it will be only necessary
to loosen this screw, to enable the damper to be raised or lowered within certain
limits. The object of having the arm d and the handle or lever d in two independent
parts, instead of, as might be, making one long arm serve for both, is to lock the
damper against the parchment of the drum.
In using the sound damper or deadener, the lever is depressed, and its opposite
end presses against and raises arm d until the extreme end of 'slips into the notch d
in the arm d, thereby locking said arm and rendering it incapable of vibration or
of being accidentally shifted.
When the arm d and the handle or lever dare in this locked position, the damper
rests against the parchment of the drum, thus causing the sound to be deadened, or
more or less modified according to the position in which the damper has been
adjusted by the set screw d'. If desired, the locking lever may be omitted and
the pivoted arm & lengthened so as to project through the frame of the instrument
and be capable of being directly operated by the player, to depress or raise the
damper from the drum.
Whilst I have described and illustrated my improvements in connection with
banjoes, I have done so as it was in connection with such an instrument that
made or worked out these improvements, and I have used such instrument as being
convenient and suitable for the purposes of description and illustration, but I do
not thereby wish it to be understood that my invention is restricted to banjoes;
it is quite evident that one or more of the improvements is or are capable of being
applied, when desirable or suitable, and either with or without variation, to other
musical instruments; for instance, the improved arrangement of pegs is equally
applicable to a violin, the drum or tambourine portion to an ordinary tambourine,
and the damper or deadener to a guitar, whilst a mandoline could have
applico all the improvements.
1
Hinge now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. The improvement in pegs for banjoes or other stringed musical instruments
con sting in forming at the head a suitable groove or indent, or suitable
grooves or indents, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set
forth.

page_text: 2. The improved peg for banjoes and other stringed instruments constructed as a
whole substantially as described.
3. The improved stretching device for the drums of banjoes, whereby there is
obtained a level drum surface having a neat unbroken edge without projections
above the surface of the drum substantially as described.
4. The improved tail piece for banjoes constructed as a whole substantially as
herein described.
5. In a banjo or other like musical instrument, the combination with the drum
or tambourine of a sound damper or deadener adapted to be instantly applied to
the under surface of the drum at or near the bridge piece and to be removed
therefrom at will by the player.
6. In a banjo or other like musical instrument, the combination with the drum
or tambourine of a sound damper or deadener, consisting of a pivotted arm don
which the damper is adjustably mounted, and a hand lever d' adapted to press the
damper against the underside of the drum, and lock it in position by engaging a
notch on the said arm d whereby the damper cannot be removed from contact with
the drum until the locking lever is released from engagement with the arm
substantially as set forth.
בד
411001
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.