A Banjo Attachment for Pianofortes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Banjo Attachment for Pianofortes.
I, JOHN TYLER, of Rockhampton, in the Colony of Queensland, Engineer, 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 an arrangement that can be attached to existing pianos,
or constructed in new pianos whereby a banjo effect is obtained, or a combination
of banjo and piano effects in various proportions as I shall describe with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a piano frame and sounding board with some of the
strings removed, showing two frames (hereinafter referred to as banjos) placed
behind the strings of the treble and bass.
Fig. 2, is a vertical section.
Fig. 3, is an end view of the banjo frame, hinge, bridge, and bell crank for
bringing it into contact with the strings.
Fig. 4, is an end view of a modified form of the banjo appliance.
Figs. 7, 6 and 5 are part views shewing the banjo bridges in contact with one,
two or three wires of each note.
Fig. 8, is a front view of the hinge used for suspending the banjos which allows
a certain amount of lateral movement.
Fig. 9, is a part front elevation of the piano front showing the position of the
stops and pedals.
Fig. 10 is an elevation of one form of banjo frame.
Fig. 11, is a side view of the draw stops which are made to catch lightly when
drawn half way out.
Each of the banjos A shewn in Fig. 1, one placed behind the treble strings, and
one behind the bass, consists of a suitable wooden frame as shewn in Fig. 10,
having their bars kept apart by springs, so as to allow for expansion and contraction
of vellum or equivalent material which is stretched over the two bars of the frame
and is securely fastened to them.
Instead of vellum thick paper or cardboard may be used, bellied out as shewn
in Fig. 4.
On the face of the vellum or its equivalent are secured at intervals, suited to the
spacing of the strings, hardwood bridges a. and between the bridges a slots bare
cut to prevent vibrations of one string from effecting adjoining strings.
Each banjo is suspended from the sounding board or other suitable part of the
piano by hinges Fig. 8, allowing it to move laterally as well as to swing forward.
The bridges a are normally kept out of contact with the strings by means of
springs or otherwise but are brought into operation when required by means of
pedals C which are connected by rods and cranks to the bell cranks e arranged at
the lower ends of the banjo frames so as to bring them forwards and press the
bridges a against the strings.
In Fig. 5, the bridges a are shown in contact with all the three strings of each
note.
In Fig. 6, they are shown in contact with only two wires, and in Fig. 7, they are
in contact with only one string of each note.
For effecting these alterations stop pulls D (placed like the stops of a harmonium)
are connected by suitable rods and cranks, to the banjo frames, so that on pulling
out a stop the banjo is moved laterally on the hinge pins either half way or the
whole way

page_text: The banjos should be arranged to move at right angles to the strings, whether
the strings be vertical or inclined, as they are in some pianos.
The banjos may be placed either in front of, or behind the strings as most
convenient, and may be made in a number of parts, the parts of the treble
connected together, and the parts of the bass connected together.
A piano fitted with banjos according to my invention, may be used as an ordinary
instrument. When it is desired to produce a banjo effect in the treble the treble
pedal C, is pressed down thus bringing the bridges into contact with one of the
treble strings for each note or with two or three of them, as determined by pulling
the stop D half way or fully out.
In like manner the bass baujos may be operated by the pedal C and stop D
provided for the bass banjo.
It is to be understood that modifications may be necessary to suit different
instruments, for instance in some pianos having only two strings for each bass note,
a banjo may have a shorter travel.
The bridges a that come in contact with the covered bass wires are preferably
covered with paper, felt or other like material.
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 :-
1. In combination with a piano, a banjo attachment consisting of vellum or its
equivalent attached to a frame and having on it bridges that can be brought in
contact with the strings by moving the frame, substantially as herein described and
illustrated..
2. In combination with the banjo attachment above referred to, pedals and draw
stops and their connections to the banjo frames, substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of Fab 1801
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.