IMPROVE- MENT CONNECTED WITH BANJOES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I SAMUEL WILLIAM KEMP of 37 Kingsland Road Middlesex Musical Instrument
Manufacturer do heroby declare the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVE-
MENT CONNECTED WITH BANJOES to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to so construct or arrange a trumpet or bell
concentrator of sound at and within the back belly portion of a banjo so as to.
modulate, soften, and mellow the musical tones as the strings are acted upon.
For the purpose of my invention I form the rim with a bell or trumpet backing
as part of same and preferably from one piece of metal, said rim being perforated
for the studs to be passed through and screwed tight by nuts within the rim to
enable the band clips to be adjusted and the skin or a thin metallic membrano to be
set as desired.
The bell or trumpet portion has slots formed in its neck for the fork of handle
to pass through.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I SAMUEL WILLIAM KEMP of 37 Kingsland Road, Middlesex, Musical Instrument
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT CONNECTED WITH BANJOES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to so construct or arrange a trumpet or gong
concentrator of sound at and within the back belly portion of a banjo, so as to
modulate, soften and inellow the musical tones as the strings are acted upon.
☑
For the purpose of my invention I form the rim with a gong or trumpet backing
as part of same and proferably from one piece of metal, said rim boing perforated 1
for the studs to be passed through and screwed tight by nuts within the rim to
enable the band clips to be adjusted and the skin to be set as desired.
The gong or trumpet portion has slots formed in its neck for the fork of handle
to pass through.
My invention will be clearly understood by the annexed drawings in which at 1
Figure 1 I show in perspective elevation the band or rim A formed with the
belly B and the trumpet shaped central portion C from one piece of metal, the
back edge D of the band being turned over inwards as more particularly reprosented
in the sectional elevation Figure 2 the neck of the gong or trumpet mouth having
slots E E for the fork F of the handle G to pass through as at the back elevation
Figure 3.
The band A is perforated at H H for the reception of the studs II which are
secured firmly by the screw nuts JJ on the inner face of the band or rim, the
studs I I projecting from the outer face of the band A. and provided with apertures
for the clips KK which secure the skin L. tightly when the screw nuts M M are
turned in the proper direction. The hooks of the clips embrace the edge of the
ring N which keeps the skin L evenly stretched.
Pis the stock and QQ are the tuning pins, pegs, or keys of the usual kind by
which the necessary tension is put upon the strings R whose opposite ends are
attached to the tail piece S this "being held to the cap T on the end of the fork F
in the usual manuer.
By this invention the string vibration is much improved and the notes are more
concentrated and melodious and soft than in banjos usually constructed, the sound
being rich without harshness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said :
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The metal concentrator as described and substantially as shown at
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings constructed and arranged in the manner
and for the purposes set forth,

page_text: Secondly. The construction and employment of the trumpet gong in the back
belly portion of a banjo as set forth.