US327779A - Banjo - Google Patents

Description

(No ModeL) A. C. FAIRBANKS.

BANJO.

NVENTOR WITNESSES PETERS. Phow-liflvogaphor, Wnshlnglon, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT O. FAIRBANKS, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,779, dated October 6, 1885.

Application filed April 21, 1882.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT O. FAIRBANKS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Banjos, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient device whereby the musical tone or resonance of a banjo may be very much increased in volume or compass of sound, and in details of construction tending to render the same more desirable; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of a metallic cymbal or inverted domeshaped sounder or bell or sounding device of other suitable material arranged with its concave surface or mouth in close proximity to or in contact with the parchment head of the banjo, and in details of construction hereinafter more fully described, and set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of a banjo constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of a modification of the same. Fig. 3 represents a view of a further modification of the same. Fig. 4 represents a section view of de tails of construction.

A represents the Wood hoop-rim, provided at intervals with brackets and other devices for straining the parchment head, as usual, which head B is stretched over and rests at its circumference upon the bead or turnedover edge of the mouth of the sheet-metal bell or cymbal G, which rest at its periphery or circumferentialwire or ring E upon the top or upper edge of the said hoop-rim A, and is provided with a series of sound-holes, T, near its mouth or periphery, and is set in vibration by vibration of the parchment head B, and is free from all other parts of the instrument, so as to be capable of unrestrained vibrations, which in effect give out a clear and bell-like ringing tone when played upon.

Now, in order to increase the bell-tone by a more free vibration of the mouth or periphery of the bell or cymbal O, I connect the same at its bottom or central part to the brace or Serial No. 59,082. (No model.)

cross rod D, extending from the handle F to the opposite side of the hoop-rim A, leaving its mouth in near proximity to the said parchment head B, its periphery being turned over downward, leaving a narrow circumferential or annular space intervening between it and the inner face of the saidhoop-rim A, as shown in Fig. 2.

I also contemplate a construction somewhat different from that shown in Fig. 1, and which is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the bell or cymbal O is constructed deeper and has its periphery or edge turned down or over, so as to fit upon the circumferential wire H, which is provided with a narrow sheet-metal flange, L, which is embedded or fitted in a recess formed around the outer upper edge portion of the said wood hoop-rim A, so as to stand flush or even therewith, by which means the parchment head 13, when wet and being stretched over the outside of the upper portion of the finished or varnished hoop-rim A, is prevented from sticking thereto, as shown in Fig. 4, and such metal band gives a greater contrast and better appearance than a whole metal rim or covering, and is also much lighter and more desirable, as the musical tones are softer and sweeter from a hooprim composed of part wood and part metal, where the wood is left free at a portion of the said hoop-rim to vibrate, and as the parchment B (shown in position over the said metal flange L in Fig. 4) leaves the lower portion of the said hoop-rim, or that portion most remote from said metal, free to vibrate, the sharp or harsh tones of the metal are subdued and rendered agreeable or musical, thereby increasing the mellifluence of the'instruments tones.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a banjo or other parchment-head instrument, the metal bell-shaped device 0, having its mouth at or near the parchment head thereof, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a banjo or other parchment-head instrument, the metallic bell-shaped device 0, having its mouth arranged near the parchment head, but not in contact therewith, so

as to be left free to vibrate independently holes, T, near the mouth thereof, substanthereof, substantially as described, as and for tially as described, as and for the purposes set the purposes set forth. forth.

3. In a banjo or analogous instrument, the ALBERT G. FAIRBANKS. 5 sheet-metal bell-shaped device 0, having its Witnesses:

mouth portion arranged near the parchment SYLVENUs WALKER, head and provided with a series of sound- JAMES T. DORSEY.

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