Improvements in the Construction of Banjos.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Banjos.
I, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, of Ecton Road, Addlestone, in the County of
Surrey, Banjo Maker, 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 banjos whereof the head-frame is formed wholly or
principally of metal; its object being to afford increased facility for maintaining
the vellum at the requisite tension, to provide means for preventing the hand of
the performer coming into contact with the vellum, and for securing neatness and
compactness of construction.
In the construction of banjos of the type referred to, it has hitherto been the
practice to attach the edge of the vellum to a ring of wire, a number of hook-ended
bolts engaging with the upper edge of a metal hoop; their lower ends passing
through brackets or lugs on the head-frame, and being furnished with nuts. The
vellum is placed between the head-frame and the metal hoop; the requisite tension
being obtained by turning the nuts on the hook-ended bolts, and thus drawing the
said hoop down upon the wired edge of the vellum.
In a baujo constructed according to my invention, the banjo-frame, around
which the vellum is strained, suspended within the outer enclosing frame; the
mechanism for adjusting the tension of the vellum being wholly or partially
concealed; a banjo possessing great resonance resulting.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying. drawings is a part transverse section of a metal
banjo-head, illustrating one mode of carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 being a
corresponding plan.
Figs. 3 and 4 are views, similar to Fig. 1, showing modifications.
Referring to Fig. 1, the banjo-frame a, around which the vellum b is strained, is
furnished with a flange a¹ and is held in the outer or enclosing frame c by means of
bolts d. This frame is provided on the inside with a downwardly projecting
portion c¹ (constituting the straining hoop) which bears upon the wired edge b¹ of
the vellum; the outer portion thereof extending below and covering the nuts e.
A portion of the frame c projects a certain distance at cover the surface of the
vellum, in order to intercept the performer's hand and to guard the vellum from
contact therewith. A groove c is formed in the face of the frame c for receiving
the square heads d' of the bolts d, whereby their rotation is prevented when turning
the nuts e.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the banjo-frame a and the enclosing
frame care formed in one; the horizontal extension and grooved portion
constituting a separate piece, and being furnished with two downwardly projecting
portions cx, c**. Bolts d and nuts e serve to hold the two parts in position.
According to the mode of construction illustrated in Fig. 4, the banjo-frame a is
furnished with a flange a'; the vellum b being strained around this frame, as in
Fig. 1, and having a wired edge b'. The outer or enclosing frame e projects at c³
over the surface of the vellum. The said frame c is furnished on its inner side
with a number of projections c, which take a bearing on the flange a¹ of the banjo-
frame a; a constant distance between the projecting portion and the vellum b
being thereby maintained. The straining hoop co is, in this arrangement, separate
from the enclosing frame c and may carry a number of projections having tapped
holes into which the upper ends of the bolts d² are screwed; the lower ends of the

page_text: said bolts passing through the flange a¹ and having turning nuts d³, secured to the
said bolts in any convenient manner, One advantage of this construction is that
the position of the projecting portion in relation to that of the vellum remains
constant.
If desired the banjo-frame a and the enclosing frame c may have numerous
perforations
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim
1. In a metal banjo-head, the improved means for effecting the tension of the
vellum, substantially as herein described, and whereby the tightening nuts and
bolts are hidden from view.
2: A metal banjo-head constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
j
3. A metal banjo-head constructed substantially as described with reference to
Fig. 3, of, the accompanying drawings.
4. A metal banjo-head constructed substantially as described with reference to
Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
.
I
5. In a metal banjo-head, the employment of an inwardly projecting rim or
flange, such as c², substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated the 22nd day of May 1895.