Improvements in Banjos and like Musical Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Lelt, 15th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 19'h Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Banjos and like Musical Instruments.
We, HENRY RILEY and WILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY trading as Joseph Riley and Sons,
of Corporation Street, in the City of Birmingham, Musical Instrument Makers
and FRANK BAKER of Vyse Street, Birmingham aforesaid, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has relation to detail improvements in banjos, parts of which are
particularly applicable to banjos of the zither type, whilst other parts are applicable to
banjos and other like musical instruments generally, and has for its object principally,
to dispense with the use of hanging brackets for connecting the head or bezel to the
outer hoop or case hence neatness in appearance.
According to one part of our improvements, the connection of the straining bezel
of the head, which is concentrically fitted with the outer hoop or case, is effected by
rabated and overhanging brackets running around the inner circumference of the case
and the outer circumference of the head or bezel and connected together by the screw
pins which vertically adjust the pulling down rim employed for stretching the vellum
head over the upper edge of the bezel."
According to another part of our improvements, the back is fitted to the outer hoop
by the rolling or opening the lower edge of the said hoop over the said back, whilst
a further part pertains to the making up of the neck.
In carrying out the first part of our improvements, the outer case consists of a
hoop, made of any material, such as aluminium, German silver, wood, vulcanite or
celluloid, with the middle or lower part of the inner circumference, provided with a
series of separated and inwardly directed eyed brackets, with the eyed parts stepped
or rabated so as to come coincident with and overhang or come under corresponding
stepped and eyed brackets carried on the outer circumference of the inner part or
bezel, which consists of a metal hoop located concentrically within the outer case and
over the rounded top edge of which the vellum of the head is stretched by a pulling-
down ring coming around the fore part of the bezel and having a series of eyed
brackets corresponding to those on the bezel and outer case and with its inner part
pressing upon a metal or wire ring around which the edge of the vellum is passed.
Intermediate screw pins pass through the plain eyes of the brackets on the pulling
down ring, and take through coincident screwed eyes of the brackets of both outer
case and bezel, whilst the alternating screw pass also through plain eyes of the
brackets on the pulling down ring and outer case, with the screwed ends taking into
screwed eyes of the brackets on the bezel, thus admitting of the head being detached
from the case without loosening or relaxing the tension of the vellum by removing
only the intermediate screws from the brackets leaving the alternating screws intact.
The back edge of the outer hoop or case is annularly rabated or shouldered and
against the shoulder thus formed the back of the case, which is of metal, wood, or
other material, comes and over which the edge of the hoop or case, which is made of
metal or vulcanite, is rolled or spun thus affixing the back in position without screws
or glueing.
•
Instead of the eyed brackets, which may be rabated or otherwise, being made
integral with bezel, case and pulling down ring respectively, they may be made as
attachments secured in their respective positions by small screws or otherwise.

page_text: The gaps between the brackets and between the case and bezel are preferably of an
oval figure, so as to admit of the same being easily cleared and dressed by machine
tools.
The outer case or hoop may be made partly of metal and partly of wood, and may
be ornamented by fretting the outer metal run showing the ornamental inside wood
rim or panels through the fretwork.
The neck of the instrument may be made hollow and all in one piece of aluminium,
German silver, vulennite, wood, celluloid or the like, with the finger-board attached
to the front by small screws, dovetailing or other means Or the fingerboard may be
formed in one piece with the neck. When made of metal, the neck and fingerboard
may be cast in the form of a tube, and if necessary, the said neck may be stamped up
from a strip of sheet metal or it may be taper drawn through roller dies having a
contracting eye of a D section. When the neck is made of a troughed metal
stamping or casing, the edges may be rabated to receive a metal or ebony finger
board.
The instrument may, if required be left open at back.
Instead of connecting the bezel to the case or hoop by the head tightening screws
we may employ independent screws passed from the inside of the bezel transversely
through the walls of the same and taking into brackets or lugs projecting around the
inside of the case.
in a further construction of neck, I make the same from a length of drawn trough-
section metal, with a slightly sunken plate having flanged edges let into the open top
so as to form a closure, within which slight sinking and over the turned edges, an
ebony finger-board comes and is there affixed by cementation or otherwise. The head
or upper end of the neck may be formed from a hollow trough shaped casting having
at its inner end a hollow and shouldered stem which fits socketwise within the open
outer end of the D-sectioned neck. The sides of the head of the neck have screwed
eyed lugs wherethrough the ends of screws take for securing the ebony or other wood
or metal cover plate in position.
The heel of the neck is formed from out of the same trough sectioned tube as that
constituting the neck and is made by displacing the metal into a section somewhat
resembling a pear-shape, of which the narrow side comes undermost. The end edges
of the heel are turned outwards and fashioned into a right angled flange by
passing screws through which the neck is attached to the outer case or body of the
instrument.
If necessary, instead of the heel and neck being made integral, the said heel and
plate part may he made in the form of a hollow casting with one end socketting into
the neck alike as already described in connection with the upper head.
As a still further form, the heel attachment plate or flange may be made separate
and attached to the heel by screwing, brazing or otherwise.
As a modification, the neck, head and heel or either of them may be made up of
a T- or like sectioned metal foundation strip, circumferentially faced or fitted with
ebony or other suitable wood or material, the metal forming as it were a back bone
for preventing the neck from changing figure.
The application of parts of our invention to the necks of violins, guitars, mandolines,
lutes, and other like stringed musical instruments differs in no essential respect from
its application to a banjo neck as herein described.
Our invention consists further in providing a har between the tail piece and the
bridge under which the strings pass so as to press the bridge down onto the vellum.
Thus, we take a bow-shaped piece of spring metal with the ends brazed or otherwise
attached to the inside circumference of the pulling down ring and with the crown of
the bow coming inwards and approximate to the velium. The string ends, rearward
of the bridge pass downwards and under the bar and are then attached to the bracket
or tail piece carried on the outer hoop. The bow shaped bar may be carried by the
outer hoop instead of by the pulling down ring.
(ur invention consists further in forming the straining bezel of the head integral
or in one piece with the outer hoop or case and with these said inner and outer rings

page_text: united together by a pierced web forming brackets or connections to which the
overhanging brackets carried at the lower edge of the pulling-down ring coming
concentrically within the outer case and adjacent to the outer periphery of the bezel,
are connected by means as before described.
Thus the outer hoop or case and the inner hoop or bezel and their common
connections are made all in one piece, either by a casting process or by shaping the
same from sheet metal spun or otherwise fashioned into shape. When made from
cast metal, the rough casting is dressed by turning in a lathe or by a shaping machine,
but when made from sheet metal, we take a blank and cut from it a ring which, by
shaping tools, is fashioned into an annular trough figure, with the web or bottom of
the trough pierced and shaped in manner suitable for the reception and attachınent of
the pulling down ring which stretches the vellum over the bezel.
To impart strength to the combined bezel and outer hoop, the edges of the same
may be beaded or their bodies may be corrugated and in making the bottom integral
with the hoops, we may take a blank of sheet metal and first fashion the same into a
shallow cup figure and turn over the outer edges and form therefrom both the web
connection and the bezel. Or if necessary the said back and bezel may be made
in two parts with the one connected to the other by turning over and closing the
edges.
As a still further form the bezel and bracket parts may be made integral by casting
and the outer hoop or case may be made from thin sheet metal by screwing or otherwise
and connected to the former part by small screws or otherwise. In such a case the
neck of the instrument is secured to the solid or cast head part, so that the strain shall
not be borne by the thin fashioned metal of the outer hoop.
If necessary, the inner hoop or bezel and the bick may be made of wood and the
outer hoop from spun metal.
Dated this 28th day of March 1896.
HENRY RILEY,
WILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY,
FRANK BAKER,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Banjos and like Musical Instruments.
We, HENRY RILEY and WILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY trading as Joseph Riley and Sons,
of Corporation Street, in the City of Birmingham, Musical Instrument Makers and
FRANK BAKER of Vyse Street, Birmingham aforesaid, Manufacturer, 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:
This invention has relation to detail improvements in banjos, parts of which are
particularly applicable to banjos of the zither type, whilst other parts are applicable
to ordinary banjos and other like musical instruments generally, and has for its
object principally, to dispense with the use of hanging brackets for connecting
the straining bezel of the head to the outer hoop or case, hence neatness in
appearance.
According to one part of our improvements, the connection of the straining bezel
of the head, which is concentrically fitted within the outer hoop or case, is effected
by rabated and overhanging brackets running around the inner circumference of the
case and the outer circumference of the bezel and connected together by the screw

page_text: pins which vertically adjust the pulling down rim employed for stretching the vellum
head over the upper edge of the bezel."
According to another part of our improvements, the back is fitted to the outer hoop
by the rolling or spinning of the lower edge of the said hoop over the said back
whilst a further part pertains to the making up of the neck.
In carrying out the first part of our improvements, the outer case consists of a
hoop, made of any material, such as aluminium, German silver, wood, vulcanite or
celluloid, with the middle or lower part of the inner circumference, provided with a
series of separated and inwardly directed eyed brackets, with the eyed parts stepped
or rabated so as to come coincident with and overhang or come under corresponding
stepped and eyed brackets carried on the outer circumference of the inner part or
bezel, which consists of a metal hoop located concentrically within the outer case and
over the rounded top edge of which the vellum of the head is stretched by a pulling
down ring coming around the fore part of the bezel and having a series of eyed
brackets corresponding to those on the bezel and outer case and with its inner part
pressing upon a metal or wire ring around which the edge of the vellum is passed.
Intermediate screw pins pass through the plain eyes of the brackets on the pulling
down ring, and take through coincident screwed eyes of the brackets of both outer
case and bezel, whilst the alternating screw pass also through plain eyes of the
brackets on the pulling down ring and outer case, with the screwed ends taking
into screwed eyes of the brackets on the bezel, thus admitting of the head being
detached from the case without loosening or relaxing the tension of the vellum by
removing only the intermediate screws from the brackets leaving the alternating
screws intact.
The back edge of the outer hoop or case is annularly rabated or shouldered and
against the shoulder thus formed the back of the case, which is of metal, wood, or
other material, comes and over which the edge of the hoop or case, which is made of
metal or vulcanite, is rolled or spun thus affixing the back in position without screws
or glueing.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a transverse vertical section
of the body part of a banjo made and fitted according to this first form of our
improvements.
Figure 2 represents a topside plan of Figure 1 showing the positions of the
alternate and intermediate screw pins and the joints of the sectional parts forming
the said body.
Figure 3 shows the head part, with its bezel and cognate parts removed from
its outer hoop or case, whilst Figure 4 shows, in plan, parts of the circumferences
of both bezel and outer case, illustrating the overhanging eyed brackets or flanges,
for connecting the bezel and outer case to one another and the pulling-down ring
to both.
Figure 5 represents a topside plan of a part of Figure 1, with a portion of the
upper brackets broken away and the screws in section.
Located concentrically within the outer case a, which consists essentially of a hoop-
shaped annulus or ring, is a bezel b, having at its lower or foot end a series of equally
separated flanges 62, with screwed holes, directed vertically through them and
coming coincident, when in position, with intermittent screwed and plain holes a³, a*,
of inwardly-projecting brackets a', carried by the outer case a.
That is to say, the
whole of the eyes 63, of the bezel are screwed whilst only the alternate eyes a³, of the
flanges a², of the case are screwed, whilst the intermediate eyes at, of the said flanges
of the case are (or may be) plain.
e is the vellum head, stretched over the edge b', of the bezel b, by a pulling down
ring d, coming upon the wired border or edging e', located upon the outer circum-
ference of the bezel and under the ring d, through plain holes d³, of the brackets d¹, of
which, screw pins e and f, pass.
The bottom of the outer case is closed by a back g, of any material, which is secured
in position by the extreme boundary edges as, being burnished, spun or otherwise

page_text: closed over the boundary edges g', of the bottom which is thus secured in position
without screwing or glueing.
Instead of the eyed brackets, which may be rabated or otherwise, being made
integral with bezel, case and pulling down ring respectively, they may be made as
attachments secured in their respective positions by small screws or otherwise.
The gaps or spaces between the brackets and between the case and bezel are
preferably of an oval figure, so as to admit of the same being easily cleared and
dressed by machine tools.
The outer case or hoop may be made partly of metal and partly of wood, and may
be ornamented by fretting the outer metal rim showing the ornamental inside wood
rim or panels through the fretwork.
Figure 6 represents a modified form of Figure 1. In this arrangement, the
flanges at the foot of the bezel are extended across the space between it and the outer
case, and are there secured by small screws or otherwise.
Figure 7 represents a like view as Figure 6, but with the parts dis-assembled.
Figure 8 is a plan of a part of the circumference of the bezel.
a is the outer case, and 6 is the bezel, with the flange 62, extended to the inner
circumference a', of the casing a, and is there secured by small screws h, taking
through holes in the sides of the said case and into tapped holes in the bezel
flanges. 3 are the screwed holes which receive the pins of the drawing up ring.
d is the back of the case, whilst the vellum head and tightening up ring are not
shown.
Figure 9 represents a still further modified form of our invention, in which the
attachment brackets or flanges are made integral with the outer case instead of with
the bezel.
Figure 10 is a plan of a part of the circumference of the outer case.
a is the outer case, 6 the bezel and a' the flanged brackets.
According to a further modification of this part of our invention, the straining
bezel of the head is formed integral or in one piece with the outer hoop or case and
with these said inner and outer rings united together by a pierced web forming
brackets or connections to which the overhanging brackets carried at the lower
edge of the pulling-down ring coming concentrically within the outer case and
adjacent to the outer periphery of the bezel, are connected by means as before
described.
Thus the outer hoop or case and the innor hoop or bezel and their common
connections are made all in one piece, either by a casting process or by shaping
the same from sheet metal spun or otherwise fashioned into shape. When made
from cast metal, the rough casting is dressed by turning in a lathe or by a
shaping machine, but when made from sheet metal, we take a blank and cut from
it a ring which, by shaping tools, is fashioned into an annular trough figure,
with the web or bottom of the trough pierced and shaped in manner suitable for
the reception and attachment of the pulling down ring which stretches the vellum
over the bezel.
To impart strength to the combined bezel and outer hoop, the edges of the
same may be beaded or their bodies may be corrugated and in making the bottom
integral with the hoop, we may take a blank of sheet metal and first fashion the
sane into a shallow cup figure and turn over the outer edges and form therefrom
both the web connection and the bezel. Or if necessary the said back and bezel
may be made in two parts with the one connected to the other by turning over and
closing the edges.
Figure 11 represents a topside plan of a banjo, with the bezel, casing or outer
hoop, and the web brackets made integral as before described.
Figure 12 is a transverse vertical section of the same upon the dotted line x,
Figure 11, whilst Figure 13 is a like section of Figure 11 upon the dotted line 2'.
Figure 14 is a vertical section of Figure 11 upon the dotted line, looking
towards the outer case, whilst Figure 15 is a topside plan of the combined bezel and

page_text: outer casing, partly in section upon the dotted line, Figure 12, and with the
vellum head and its drawing-up ring and screws removed.
Figure 16 represents an edge view of the bezel part, with the web brackets in
section.
In Figures 11 to 16, a is the outer case, 6 the bezel and are the webbed flanges,
formed integral with and connecting both bezel ring and outer case, and having
screwed holes 6³, into which the screwed ends of the pins e, passing through the plain
holes d', in the brackets d', of the pulling-down ring d, take. c is the vellum head
and g the back or bottom of the body part.
As a still further form the bezel and bracket parts may be made integral by
casting and the outer hoop or case may be made from thin sheet metal by
spinning or shaping and is connected to the said bezel by small screws or other-
wise. In such a case the neck of the instrument is secured to the solid or cast
head part so that the strain shall not be borne by the thin fashioned metal of the
outer hoop.
If necessary, the inner hoop or bezel and the back may be made of wood and
the outer hoop from spun metal.
The neck of the instrument may be made hollow and all in one piece of aluminium,
German silver, vulcanite, wood, celluloid or the like, with the fingerboard attached
to the front by small screws, dovetailing or other means. Or the fingerboard may be
formed in one piece with the neck.
Figure 17 represents a plan of a banjo, with the neck of the same made according
to our invention by casting the whole of it, including its head and heel, in
one piece.
Figure 18 is a longitudinal vertical section of the instrument showing the hollow
character of the neck.
Figure 19 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the said neck and its head
separately and upon an enlarged scale.
Figure 20 is a topside plan of Figure 19.
Figure 21 is a cross section of the neck upon the dotted line x Figure 19.
Figure 22 is an elevation of the heel end of the neck.
i is the hollow neck, with its lngs formed along the two opposite inner sides of
the same; is the head, the heel forming a flange to which the casing enclosing
the vellum head is connected by small screws . The open top 1, of the said
neck and head i, 1, is covered up by a plate i, attached by small screws 7,
taking into the lugs, whilst the said plate is faced by an ebony or other finger-
board, cemented or otherwise fixed in position and concealing the plate-attachment
screws from view.
The head may be covered by a separate plate, to which the string-tightening
mechanism 10, is attached.
Instead of the head of the neck being formed integral therewith, it may be
formed separately and from a hollow trough-shaped casting or stamping having
at its inner end a hollow and shouldered stem which fits socketwise within the
open outer end of the D-sectioned neck. The sides of the head of the neck may
have screwed eyed lugs wherethrough the ends of screws take for securing
the ebony or other wood or metal cover plate in position, and if necessary, instead
of the heel and neck being made integral, the said heel and its attachment flange
or plate may be made in the form of a hollow casting with one end socketting
into the neck alike as already described in connection with the upper head.
Or as a still further form, the heel attachment plate or flange may be made separate
and attached to the heel by screwing, brazing or otherwise.
Figures 23 and 24 represent topside plan of such separately formed head and heel.
When made of metal, the neck and fingerboard may be cast in the form of a
tube, and if necessary the said neck may be stamped up from a strip of sheet
metal or it may be taper drawn through roller dies having a contracting eye of
a D section. When the neck is made of a troughed metal stamping or casing, the
edges may be rabated to receive a metal or ebony finger board.

page_text: The heel of the neck may be formed from out of the same trough sectioned tube
as that constituting the neck and be made by displacing the metal into a section
somewhat resembling a pear-shape of which the narrow side comes undermost.
The end edges of the heel are turned outwards and fashioned into a right angled
flange through which screws are passed for attaching the neck to the outer case
or body of the instrument.
In a further construction of neck, I make the same from a length of drawn
trough-sectioned metal, with a slightly sunken plate having flanged edges let into
the open top so as to form a closure, within which slight sinking, and over the
turned edges, an ebony finger board comes and is there affixed by cementation or
otherwise.
Our invention consists further in providing a bar between the tail piece and the
bridge under which the strings pass so as to press the bridge down onto the vellum.
Thus, we take a piece of metal with the ends attached to the pulling down
ring and with the middle part coming approximate to the vellum. The string
ends, rearward of the bridge, pass downwards and under the bar and are then
attached to the bracket or tail piece carried on the outer hoop. This bar may be
carried by the outer hoop instead of by the pulling down ring.
Figure 25 represents a topside plan of such an attachment, and Figure 26 is a
section of the saine.
Figure 27 represents a top side plan and a side elevation of the connection end
of the string pressure bar.
jis the string pressure bar whose ends are attached to the pulling-down
ring d. by rising and falling adjustment screws, an is clamped in position
after adjustment by additional centre screw j³. k are the strings m the bridge
and n the tail piece.
The application of parts of our invention to the necks of violins, guitars,
mandolines, lutes and other like stringed musical instruments differs in no essential
respect from its application to a banjo neck as herein described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First In zither banjos, forming the outer hoop or case of metal or other
material, with overhanging and inwardly directed eyed flanges or brackets over-
lapping outwardly-directed and like eyed flanges or brackets on the outer periphery
of the bezel, to which the said hoop or case is fitted by screws passing through the
said coincident holes and also through coincident holes formed in brackets carried
by the tightening-up ring of the head, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 1 to 5.
Secondly In zither banjos, providing the outer hoop or case, or the outside
periphery of the bezel, with outstanding brackets wherethrough the screws of the
head tightening ring pass, and whereby the said hoop or case and bezel are connected
together, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly-In zither banjos, making the outer hoop or case and the bezel and their
connecting brackets integral or in one piece by casting or by moulding, substantially
as described and set forth.
Fourthly-In zither banjos, making the outer case or hoop and the bezel and
their bracket connections, either integral, or separately, by spiuning or by stamping,
substantially as described and set forth.
Filthly-In zither banjos as referred to in the first claim, connecting the
tightening-up ring to the bezel section, by one set of screws, and connecting the
tightening up ring and bezel to the outer hoop or case by another set of screws,
through the medium of overlapping brackets having screwed and plain holes
arranged as described, whereby, on the second named set of screws being removed,
the bezel and tightening up ring can be bodily removed without disturbing the
vellum head, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 10.

page_text: Sixthly In the necks of banjos and like musical instruments, making the same
hollow and by the process of moulding or casting, and providing the same with
tapped lugs for the attachment of the finger board thereto, substantially as described
and set forth in Figures 17 to 20.
Seventhly-In the necks of banjos and like musical instruments, making the same
hollow and from sheet metal by a stamping, drawing-through or rolling process and
with the edges formed with rabates for the reception of the finger board, which may
be secured by turning over the metal at the edges of the neck upon it, substantially
as described and set forth.
Eighthly In banjos and like musical instruments, making the same from cast
or sheet metal or moulded material, and fitting separately formed heads and heels,
or the attachment parts of heels thereto, substantially as described and set forth
in Figures 23 and 24.
Ninthly-In banjos and like musical instruments, providing the same with a
pressure bar, disposed behind the bridge and having its ends adjustably connected
to the vellum tightening-up ring, or fixedly or adjustably connected to the body
or outer hoop, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 25, 26 and 27.
Dated this 14th day of October 1906
HENRY RILEY,
WILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY,
FRANK BAKER,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.