Year: 1897

page_text: * Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec.,
1897
I, HORACE OZIAS KELLOGG, residing at 161 West 98th St., New York, in the
County of New York, and State of New York, United States of America, Banjoist,
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 and similar musical instruments, and the object
thereof is to improve the tone of instruments of this class, and also the volume
thereof, which object I accomplish by means of the construction hereinafter
described and claimed.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, I have shown my invention
applied to a banjo, and the separate parts of my improvement are designated by
the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in said drawing;-
Fig. 1, is a plan view of a banjo constructed according to my invention;
Fig. 2, a sectional bottom plan view of a part thereof;
Fig. 3, a partial vertical section; and,
Fig. 4, a perspective view of a detail of the construction which I employ.
In the practice of my invention I provide a circular head or band 5, which is
composed of wood, and to which the neck 6, of the instrument is secured, and
secured to said band or head 5, opposite the neck 6, is a bridge plate 7, with which
the strings 8, are connected.
The head or band 5, is preferably provided at its upper side with an annular
inwardly directed flange or rim 9, and at the bottom thereof with a corresponding
inwardly directed flauge or rim 10, and formed therein, above the bottom flange or
rim 10, is an annular bead or projection 11.
The annular rib or projection 11, may be formed integrally with or secured to
the band or head 5, and in my invention the drum head or sounding board 12, is
composed of pig skin, sheep skin, or other material usually employed for this pur-
pose, and the perimeter thereof is secured to a frame composed of two annular
plates 13, by means of a wire ring or hoop placed in a groove formed in the adjacent
surfaces of said plates, as shown in Fig. 3, and adjacent to and above which is
placed a loose annular plate 14, over which the drum head or sounding board of
the instrument is also passed, and passing through the metal plates 13, are a
plurality of screws or bolts 15, and by properly manipulating the screws or bolts 15,
the plate 14, will be forced upwardly, and the drum head or sounding board
rendered taut, as will be readily understood.
I also provide bracket arms 16, which are composed of metal, and are preferably
of the form shown in Fig. 4, and each of these bracket arms is provided with a

page_text: flat head 17, which passes between the upper plate 13, and the loose plate 14, and
the ends of the bolts or screws 15, press thereon, and these bracket arms consist
of two separate branches 18, which are formed integrally with the heads 17, and
which project downwardly at right angles to said head and then outwardly, and
then downwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and each is provided at its lower end
with a yoke or hoop 19, which engages with the annular bead or projection 11.
Any desired number of the bracket arms 16, may be employed, and by means
thereof, the drum head, or sounding board, and the frame with which it is con-
nected, consisting of the annular plates 13, and 14, are held within the wooden
band or head 5, and do not come in contact therewith at any point, these parts
being arranged concentrically as clearly shown in Figs. 1, and 3.
My invention is not limited to the material herein referred to, and the band
or head 5, may be composed of any suitable material, as may also the other parts
of the instrument, and it will be apparent that changes in, and modifications of
the construction herein described, may be made without departing from the spirit
of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.
By supporting the drum head or sounding board and the frame with which it
is connected in the manner described, I improve the tone of the instrument, and
increase largely the volume thereof, and it will also be apparent that an instru-
ment constructed as herein described, is domparatively inexpensive, the construc-
tion being less complicated, and therefore less expensive than in instruments of
this class as usually made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A banjo or similar musical instrument, comprising a head or band to which
the neck of the instrument is secured, and a frame consisting of circular plates to
which the drum head br sounding board of the instrument is secured, said frame
being supported within the head or band by bracket arms, which are connected
therewith, and which are adapted to engage or to be connected with said head or
band, and means for adjusting the tension of said drum head or sounding board,
consisting of screws which are passed through said supporting plates and adapted
to bear on the heads of the said bracket arms, substantially as shown and described.
2. A banjo or similar musical instrument, comprising a head or band to which
the neck of the instrument is secured, and a frame consisting of circular plates to
which the drum head or sounding board of the instrument is secured, said frame
being supported within the head or band by bracket arms, which are connected
therewith, and which are adapted to engage or to be connected with said head or
band, said frames with which the drum head or sounding board is connected being
also provided with an annular plate which is mounted thereover, and said frame
being also provided with set screws which are passed therethrough, and which are
adapted to bear on the heads of said bracket arms, substantially as shown sub-
stantially as shown and described.
3. A banjo or similar instrument comprising a head or band as 5, a frame by
which the drum head or sounding board is connected, consisting of annular plates
as 13, and a movable plate as 14, mounted over said frame, said annular plates which
constitute said frame being also provided with screws or bolts as 15, which are
passed therethrough, and bracket arms as 16, by which said frame is supported,
substantially as shown and described.
4. A banjo or similar instrument comprising a head or band as 5, a frame with
which the drum head or sounding board is connected, consisting of annular plates
as 13, and a movable plate as 14, mounted over said frame, said annular plates
which constitute said frame being also provided with screws or bolts as 15, which
are passed therethrough, and bracket arms as 16, by which said frame is supported,
said bracket arms being adapted to engage at their lower ends with an annular 5

page_text: bead or projection as 11, formed on or secured to the inner wall walls of the head or
band, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of September 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE
40 Chancery Lane London W.C. Agents.