US2469643A - Banjo head tightener - Google Patents

Description

y 1949- E. J. HANDLOSER I 2,469,643

BANJO HEAD TIGHTENER Filed Dec. 2,1946

INVENTOR.

Edward J.HELN ljhnsar war 16 ATTORNEYS,

Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BANJO HEAD TIGHTENER Edward J. Handloser, Chesapeake, Ohio Application December 2, 1946, Serial No. 713,588

2 Claims. 1

This present invention relates to improvements in the means for straining the vellum or parchment of a banjo to drum head tension.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an elastic hook for straining the vellum to make the adjustment of the hook easier. The hook has a bend or bends which somewhat straighten out when a pull is exerted on the hook.

With this end other objects in view which will become apparent as the invention is fully understood, the same resides in the novelty of construction, combination and arrangement of elements specifically hereinafter described and claimed in the subjoined claims.

The description refers to the accompanying drawings forming part of the application and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a banjo drum head equipped with vellum straining hooks embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of a modified form of my hook and the portion of the banjo carrying same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of the preferred form of my hook and the banjo portion carrying it;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3 through a banjo portion and a View of a hook carried thereby.

In the drawing in which like characters of references designate like or similar parts throughout the several views, numeral 5 denotes the generally cylindrical side wall of a banjo drum head which wall terminates at its upper end in a bevel 1 extending inwardly and providing an angular edge. The vellum or parchment 9 is drawn over this edge and extends along the outer side of the wall downwardly and terminates in a rolled portion ll surrounding and reinforced by a circular rod or hoop l3 which extends around the wall 5.

In order to strain the vellum to drum head tension a clamping ring I5 is provided which bears with its lower edge against the terminal edge of the vellum disposed along an intermediate portion thereof and above the hoop. The upper edge I! of the clamping ring is inwardly beveled and engaged by the terminal portion IQ of a plurality of hooks generally denoted by 2| and including a shank having one (Fig. 2) or several relatively sharp bends 23 (Fig. 3) and of resilient material.

Th lower end 25 of the shank is threaded and engages with a hexagonal nut 21 and is disposed in a hole formed in the usually horizontal leg of an angular bracket 29 the other leg of which is secured to the outer face of the banjo wall 5.

The upper end of the nut bears against the lower side of the horizontal bracket leg and when the nut is turned in one direction, pulls the hook shank and clamping ring and hoop down with the result that the vellum is tensioned with drum head tension. Simultaneously the resilient legs of the bent part of the shank are placed under stress. The straight rigid shank of the prior art tensioning hooks are very diflicult to adjust. Tightening usually loosens the adjoining one.

While the foregoing description describes and the drawing shows the specific details of the embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that such embodiment is to be regarded only as an example, not as a limitation of my invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described including a vellum, a wall having an outwardly beveled edge engaging an intermediate portion of said vellum, and a ring surrounding the wall and resting against the terminal edge of said vellum and extending above said beveled wall edge and vellum; hook means engaging across the free edge of said ring and each including a substantially rigid part of a length equal to the width of the ring portion extending above the beveled wall edge and also including a resilient part reversely bent in a single plane substantially tangentially to the wall, and bracket means secured to said wall for holding said hook means.

2. In a device of the character described including a vellum, a wall having an outwardly beveled edge engaging an intermediate portion of said vellum, and a ring surrounding the wall and engaging the terminal edge of said vellum and extending above said beveled wall edge and vellum; hook means for engaging across the free edge of said ring and each including a substantially rigid part of a length equal to the width of the ring portion extending above the beveled wall edge and also including a. resilient part reversely bent in a single plane substantially tangentially to the wall, and an angular bracket secured to said wall and including a leg flexingly holding the free end of said resilient hook part.

EDWARD J. HANDLOSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 316,508 Washburn Apr. 28, 1885 434,535 Veitch Aug. 19, 1890 448,674 Robinson Mar. 24, 1891 966,477 Sapp Aug. 9, 1910 1,724,629 Williamson Aug. 13, 1929

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