Improvements in Machine Heads for Banjoes and other Stringed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machine Heads for Banjoes and other Stringed
Musical Instruments.
I, CHARLES SUCKER, 247, Pentonville Road, King's Cross, Importer of Musical
Instruments, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I place the pivots or pegs to which the strings are attached in such a way that
they stand in one row diagonally across the machine cover, thus preventing a
lateral friction of the strings at the nut, and I prolong on both sides the spindles
or arbours of the endless screws which engage & turn the pivot cog, wheels and
furnish these spindles or arbours with a button at both extremities. I thus obtain
a number of buttons equal to the number of strings of the instrument, on either
side of the machine, thus facilitating the tuning of the instrument, and improving
its appearance.
Improvements in Machine Heads for Banjoes and other Stringed
Musical Instruments.
I, CHARLES SUCKER, of 247, Pentonville Road, King's Cross, in the County of
London, Importer of Musical Instruments, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention 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 machine heads for banjoes and other
stringed musical instruments, the object being to facilitate the tuning and improve
the appearance of such instruments.
According to the invention I arrange the pivots or pegs to which the strings are
attached in the usual manner in such a way that they lie in a line diagonally
across the machine head cover and I extend the spindles or arbors of the endless
screws, which engage with the cog wheels upon the said pivots, through the
machine head at both sides thereof, the projecting ends of the spindles being
provided with buttons. By this construction I obtain a number of buttons on
either side of the machine head equal to the number of strings on the instrument
and by reason of the diagonal arrangement of the pivots the strings can be wound
upon the pivots without the usual lateral friction on the nuts.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawing, in which :-

page_text: Figure 1 is a front view of a banjo machine head constructed according to the
invention:
Figure 2 is a sectional side view thereof; and
Figure 3 is a view of the back of the machine head cover.
C
a is the machine head and b is the cover thereof; c, cart the pivots or pegs
to which the strings are attached, the said pivots or pegs being arranged, as can
be clearly seen in Figures 1 and 3, diagonally across the machine head cover b
so that each of the strings d, d can be wound upon the said pegs without the
lateral friction usually present.
e, e are the cog wheels with which the pivots c, c are provided inside the cover b
and f, f are the endless screws or worms with which the said cog wheels engage,
the said worms being, mounted upon the spindles or arbors g, g. As above men-
tioned these spindles g, extend through both sides of the cover b, each projecting
end being provided with a button h.
With this arrangement the instrument can be tuned with great facility as the
twisting force can be applied to the spindles from both sides of the machine head
and as above mentioned, the strings can be wound upon the pegs without the
lateral friction present in the ordinary tuning arrangements.
The string is advantageously passed up through a hole in the machine
head, as clearly shewn in Figure 1, this arrangement being necessitated by its
tuning peg being placed with the other pegs instead of in the usual position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The described improvements in machine heads for banjoes and other stringed
musical instruments, consisting in the arrangement of the pivots or pegs in a
row diagonally across the machine head, in extending the tuning spindles through
each side of the machine head and in providing the projecting portions of the said
spindles with buttons upon each side of the machine head, substantially as, and
for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
2. The improved machine head for stringed musical instruments constructed
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Dated 09.1 L
T
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.