‘ - (No Model.) _ W. B. LOMAS.

. BANJO. No. 313,352. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

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_ BY ATTORNEYS. UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

WVILLIAM B. LOMAS, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

BANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,352, dated March 3, 1885. Applicafiin ?led June 17, 1884. (N0 model.)

To 60% whom it may concern: In the upper surface of the ring E a circu 40 Be it known that I, \VTLLIAM B. Lotus, of lar groove, F, is made a short distance from Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State the edge of the central opening, and in the 'of New York, have invented certain new and said groove a circular wire, G, is placed, one useful Improvements in Banjos, of which the half of the thickness of the wire projecting following is a full, clear, and exact descrip from the upper surface of the ?at ring E. tion. Instead of providing the wire G. a head can The object of my invention is to provide be formed 011 the upper surface of the ring E certain new and useful improvements in ban~ at or near the circular edge of the opening. IO jos, whereby the sounding or vibrating sur The head, which is drawn taut, is pressed on face of the head of a large banjo is reduced, the circular wire G, and thus the annular part thus giving it a milder and sweeter tone. of the head 0 between the wire G and the cir The invention consists in the combination, cular frame B will be prevented from vibrat with a banjo, of a ?at ring held in the top of ing, and only the middle part of the head will its circular frame, which ring is provided vibrate. Thus a small vibrating surface is with a circular raised part on its upper sur obtained on a large head, and in a banjo hav face. ing a long neck. The tone of a large banjo The invention also consists in the combt . is thereby rendered softer and sweeter. nation, with the ring, ofa circular wire placed Having thus described my invention, I claim 20 in a circular groove in the top of the ring. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent Reference is to be had to the accompanying 1. The combination, with a banjo, of a ?at 60 drawings, forming a part of this speci?cation, ring secured within the top of its circular in which similar letters-of reference indicate frame, a circular wire on the said ?at ring, corresponding parts in both the ?gures. the said circular wire being placed under the Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional eleva head of the banjo, and about one-sixth of the tion of my improved banjo. Fig. 2 is a plan diameter of the said head from the clamped view of the ring and circular wire, parts be edge of the head, substantially as herein shown ing broken out. and described. The neck A, which is of the usual construc 2. A banjo having a flat ring secured in the tion, is secured in the usual manner on the top of its circular frame, which ring has a cir ring B, and the head 0 is secured on the ring cular groove in its top, and in which groove a or circular frame B by means of the ring D, circular wire is placed to project from the ‘ which is drawn down to keep the head taut by upper surface of the ring, substantially as means of the usual clamps. herein shown and described. 35 In the top of the ring B or circular frame a \VILLIAM B. LO} AS. ?at wooden ring, E, is secured, which has a ?at top surface, and has its under surface bev Witnesses: eled from the rim toward the edge of the cen OSCAR F. GUNZ, tral opening. O. SEDGwIoK.