Improvements in Musical Instruments.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
COME LETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by Neil MERRILL and ARTHUR WILLIAM JONES,
both of Pittsburg, Alleghany, County Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Musical Instruments.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK of 115 Cannon Street in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer, and Chartered Patent Agent, 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 reference
being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the letters and figures of
reference marked thereon :-
My invention relates to the construction of musical instruments, and it consists
first, in constructing the head of an instrument with a horizontal diaphragm
composed of thin sounding metal and having a downwardly extending, homogeneous
rim portion, which latter is provided with an annular projection which forms a
permanent part of the rim. Second, it consists of a banjo head made of thin
sounding metal, and having a downward extending side or rim portion, which latter
is provided with a flesh hoop which forms a permanent part of the same, and third,
it consists of a banjo having a head made of thin sounding metal, and having a
downwardly extending side portion or rim provided with a flesh hoop which forms
a permanent part of the same, the rim proper of the banjo being provided with an
outwardly extending perforated flange, in combination with an outer auxiliary rim
or cover provided with a perforated flange and a strainer hoop; and bolts and
nuts for uniting the parts, all as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view of the front and Figure 2 a view of the back of my
improved banjo
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the outer auxiliary rim of the banjo;
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the banjo showing an outer rim
applied to the same and means for securing the parts together and tightening the
head;
Figure 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the head provided with a permanent
flesh hoop; and
Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the head constructed with a
permanent strainer hoop.
Heretofore, in banjos, a calf skin or parchment head has been used which was
very flexible, and was put upon the rim wet and drawn down by means of a flesh
hoop or wire over which the edges were turned and brought up under a strainer
hoop, which latter was pulled down to tighten the head, and held the skin around
the flesh hoop, by means of hooks and nuts operated by a wrench. After the head
had been stretched over the rim in this manner it was allowed to dry and thereby
tighten, and then the protruding edges were trimmed off around the hoop.
In my invention I use a thin metal head and attach it by soldering or otherwise
directly to the flesh hoop as shown in Figure 5. The head is not flexible to any
extent and does not need stretching over the rim in the manner of a calf skin head.
I simplify the manner of putting on the head by constructing the head of a thin
horizontal metal sounding portion, and providing it with a downwardly extending
[Price 8d.]

page_text: side portion or rim on which is constructed a flesh hoop, so that it is ready to be
applied to the rim of any banjo. I make different sizes of heads with the flesh
hoop permanently attached to the same to fit different sized rims and furnish them
as a new article of manufacture to dealers and others all complete to put upon a
banjo. I do not wish to confine myself to any particular mode of attaching the 5
flesh hoop to the head, as the head may be soldered or riveted to, or spun around
the flesh hoop or formed integral therewith. This portion of my invention is also
applicable to drum heads.
In Figure 6 I have shown the head attached directly to a strainer hoop 6 by
soldering or otherwise. This construction can be used either in connection with 1
my particular form of banjo, or it may be attached to any banjo of ordinary
construction. It will be observed that with its use the flesh hoop is unnecessary,
as the hooks can be passed over the upper edge of the strainer hoop and then
tightened in the ordinary manner.
It is customary with banjos now in use to tighten the head by strainer hooks and
nuts which pull down on the strainer hoop, the hoops passing through brackets
provided on the outside of the rim proper, a wrench being used to tighten the nuts
against the brackets. Banjos of this construction are hard to keep clean, the
strainer hoop, when tightly drawn upon, is liable to cut the calf-skin head, and the
nuts, hooks and brackets are unsightly and liable to tear the clothing. By the use
of my outer auxiliary rim, the hooks and brackets are completely hidden. In the
drawings A is a combined outside rim and strainer hoop which is formed with an
inwardly and upwardly extending portion which forms a shoulder at a, and a
strainer hoop 6, which is integral with the rim A. The lower edge c of the
strainer hoop, when the rim is in position on the banjo, presses downward upon the
flesh hoop D, to which latter the head is permanently attached as hereinbefore
described. B is a banjo rim proper, which is provided with a circular flange E,
extending around it, excepting where the neck passes through. e, e, e, are bolts
extending downward, vertically through the outside rim, and down through eyes f
in the flange E. i, i, i, are nuts screwing upon the bolts e to bring down the
strainer hoop and tighten the head. The nuts are operated by an ordinary banjo
wrench. The neck G is attached to the inside rim B.
The use of the two rims as described adds to the carrying tone of the banjo,
and either rim may be made thicker than the other, to produce two sets of
The outside rim herein
vibrations to increase or carry the intensity of the tone.
described may be used on any banjo, and I regard it as a very important feature
of my invention. All of the brackets as well as the handle are attached to the
inside rim, leaving the outside rim free to vibrate the same as a bell and thereby
the carrying tone is greatly increased and improved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. As an improved article of manufacture, a head for a musical instrument
comprising a horizontal diaphragm constructed of thin sounding metal and having
a downwardly extending homogeneous rim portion which latter is provided with an
annular projection which forms a permanent part of the rim, substantially as
described.
2. As an improved article of manufacture, a banjo-head made of thin sounding
metal having a downwardly extending rim or side portion which latter is provided
with a flesh hoop which forms a permanent part of the same, substantially as
described.
3. A banjo comprising in its construction a head formed of thin sounding metal
and having a downwardly extending rim or side portion provided with a flesh hoop
which forms a permanent part of the same, a rim proper provided with a
horizontally extended perforated flange, an outer rim formed with an inwardly and

page_text: upwardly extending flange forming a strainer hoop, said rim also being provided
with bolt holes, and bolts and nuts for uniting the several parts, substantially as
described.
W. H. BECK,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Applicant.