A New or Improved Device and Means of Attaching and Stretching Vellum or Parchment on Banjoes and such like Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device and Means of Attaching and Stretching
Vellum or Parchment on Banjoes and such like Instruments.
ARTHUR JOHN WILMSHURST 43 Layard Road Southwark Park Road,
Bermondsey, Banjo Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
-
,
This invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a device by means
of which the vellum on a banjo or other similar instrument may be readily stretched
and the same is carried out in. the following manner.
I provide two rings or bands of suitable material and cross section, between which
the vellum edge is placed, these rings, being secured together by a suitable number
of screws or their equivalent. The surface of one of these rings between which the
vellum is held may be grooved in any convenient way and corresponding projections
formed on the other ring to engage in, same; or may use one or more.concentric
grooves on one ring in which a wire ring is placed the other ring in this instance
being plain. Attached to or formed with one of the rings are a suitable number of
lugs having tapped holes in same in which screw bolts engage; the ends of these
bolts are supported in a casing which is attached to the outside or inside as desired
of the body or hoop of the banjo, the lugs being formed on the rings so as to allow
of this. By turning the screw bolts aforesaid the rings carrying the vellam are
pulled down and thus the vellum is stretched across the hoop or body of the banjo.
I also find it convenient to give the vellum a preliminary stretching by moistening
it and laying it upon a plate of suitable material having a circular groove of the
required dimensions a wire ring may then be laid upon the parchment over the
groove and forced into the same by means, of a suitable pressing block, or I may
dispense with the ring of wire and use a block having a projection corresponding
to the groove aforesaid.
If desired the grooves and projections on the plates used in the preliminary
stretching may be a counterpart or duplicate of the grooves and projections on the
rings for securing the vellum in position on the banjo.
This ok 1.... 1 T… 1901
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device and Means of Attaching and Stretching
Vellum or Parchment on Banjoes and such like Instruments.
I, ARTHUR JOHN WILMSHURST 43 Layard Road Southwark Park Road
Bermondsey, Banjo Manufacturer 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 consists in the construction and arrangement of a device by
means of which the vellum on a banjo or other similar instrument may be readily
stretched and the same is carried out in the following manner.
I provide two rings or bands of suitable material and cross section between which
the vellum edge is placed, these rings being secured together by a suitable number
of screws or their equivalent. The surface of one of these rings between which
the vellum is secured may be grooved in any convenient way and corresponding

page_text: projections formed upon the surface of the other ring to engage in same or I may
form one or more concentric grooves on the surfaces of the rings in one or more of
which a wire ring is placed, the said wire ring forming a projection; or the ring
may be flush with the surface in the groove in which case the other clamping or
vellum ring is not grooved. Attached to or formed with one of the rings are a
suitable number of lugs having tapped holes in same in which screw bolts engage.
The ends of these bolts are supported in a casing which is attached to the outside
or inside as desired of the body or hoop of the banjo. The lugs being formed on
the rings so as to allow of this. By turning the screw bolts aforesaid the rings
carrying the vellum are pulled down and thus the vellum is stretched across the
hoop or body of the banjo. I also find it convenient to give the vellum a pre-
liminary stretching by moistening it and laying it upon a plate of suitable material
having a circular groove of the required dimensions a wire ring may then be laid
upon the parchment over the groove and forced into the same by means of a suitable
pressing block or
may dispense with the ring of wire and use a block having a
projection corresponding to the groove aforesaid.
If desired the grooves and projections on the plates used in the preliminary
stretching may be counterpart or duplicate of the grooves and projections on the
rings for securing the vellum in position on the banjo.
Referring to the annexed drawings,
Figure 1 is a cross section in side elevation through the drum or body of a banjo
arranged and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing my arrangement in which the attaching and
stretching mechanism is arranged inside the hoop or body.
Figure 3 shows in side elevation a cross section of my rings in which the vellum
is secured, to an enlarged scale.
Figure 4 shows in plan to a reduced scale the rings in which the vellum or
parchment is secured.
Referring to Figure 1. a is the banjo hoop proper or body to which is attached
by the screws the casing c which surrounds the banjo a. A screw bolt or pin d
passes through the bottom and top of this casing. The vellum ring e carries lugs f
which have holes g in same tapped with a thread to correspond with the pin d. The
upper or clamping ring is secured to the ringe by means of screws i. The screws d
correspond in number to the lugs f The ring has a groove j into which a
corresponding projection o on the ring e fits. The grooves on these rings may be of
any suitable shape, in some cases I find it convenient to make the grooves in a radial
instead of concentric direction.
Referring to Figure 2. In this case the mechanism is placed inside the banjo
hoop instead of outside; the vellum being strained over the circular casing / instead
of the banjo hoop. The plate m being also secured to the hoop and forming a
bearing for the pin d. This arrangement I find very suitable in the case of a
zither banjo.
Referring to Figure 3. It will be seen that the vellum n is secured between the
two rings hand e by means of the screws i being forced into the groovej on the
ring by means of the corresponding projection o on the lower ring e.
Referring to Figure 4. This is a plan of the rings showing the tapped or
threaded holes g in the lugs f
When it is required to stretch or tighten the vellum n by my invention the screw
bolts d are revolved and the vellum rings and e are then drawn down through the
medium of the lugs and rings e & h which pull down the vellum over the banjo
hoop a.
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) The arrangement for stretching and attaching vellum and such like material

page_text: to banjos and such like instrument consisting of clamping rings between which the
vellum is secured and stretched over the banjo through screw bolts engaging in
lugs on one of the rings, the said bolts having bearings and working in a casing:
surrounding the banjo hoop in the inside or outside.
Dated this 8th day of March 1892.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.