Year: 1897

page_text: . I, ERNST HEROLD, of 3 Westgate Arcade, Bradford, in the County of York; Musical
Instrument Manufacturer-do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-..
My invention has reference to increasing & improving the tone of Banjos-which
I obtain by means of a sound-board or "belly" of special construction which is
placed beneath the parchment or "drum-head" & it is secured to a shoulder
formed inside the ring of the instrument and above a "back" formed on the ring-
the outside of the back being convex & similar to that of the violin.-I prefer to
construct the "back" of maple wood, & the "belly" of sweet pine, & beneath
the latter I affix a "bass-bar" at about right angles to the grain of the "belly."
The "end-piece" or continuation of the neck or finger-board lies above the "belly"
-the extremity of the end-piece pressing against the "belly" whilst the upper part
remains free from it.-The "belly" is perforated with holes of a suitable shape &
size to allow of the exit of tone, & altho' I do not limit myself to a certain number I
prefer to employ two holes placed on opposite sides of the "bass-bar" & "end-
piece "in this case the "bass-bar" crossing the "end-piece
at about right-
angles.
"
The ring carrying the drum-head is affixed by means of brackets to the outer ring
or ribs of the instrument, & care must be taken to prevent it in any way touching the
"belly "The "back" & "belly" should be separated from each other to the
extent of about one inch.
I, ERNST HEROLD, of Brunndöbra, in the Kingdom of Saxony, part of the German
Empire, formerly of No. 3 Westgate Arcade Bradford, Yorks, England Manufacturer
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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in banjos and has for its object the
improvement of the tone of the same. It consists in the insertion of a special
resonating diaphragm between the back and the fore part of the banjo.

page_text: On the accompanying drawings the application of this invention to a zither-banjo
is represented.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the banjo partly in section,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, and
Figure 3 a cross section of the same..
Within the cylindrical casing a an aluminium ring or band bis inserted, which is
maintained in position concentric to the casing a by means of rectangularly bent
metal pieces c. This band b serves for the purpose of carrying a skin diaphragm d,
which is extended by means of the ring e and the screw pieces f secured to the band b.
The resonating diaphragm r, the adaptation of which to banjos is the characteristic
feature of this invention, is situated between the bulging back g and the above
mentioned aluminium ring or band b and is provided with a sounding bark and two
or more holes s to augment the sound. The resonating diaphragm can be arranged
higher or lower within the body of the banjo and rests upon a wooden hoop h
arranged on the interior of the casing a at the desired depth.
By the insertion of the resonating diaphragm the advantage over earlier
constructions is obtained that instead of the short and shrill sound usual in such
earlier forms a pleasant, fuller and longer sound is produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
A musical instrument such as for example a zither-banjo, or piccolo-banjo, in which
a resonating diaphragm is arranged between the bulging back and the ring b
provided with skin diaphragm d, by means of which resonating diaphragm ran
augmentation of sound is produced.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Patent Agents for the Applicant
Of London, Liverpool. Manchester and Birminghain.
: J
1 EZ-Z HEROrn' of Bu
i.
W to homoi piqu
hodarn
de galworld mayo Inta ni
ottu on T
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