Simplified banjo and drum body

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a Simplified Banjo and Drum Body where the body section of the instruments will consist of an upper compression ring with grooves on the lower surface, a shell having mating compression grooves on the upper edge surface and the banjo head material. An optional tone ring can be added on the inner surface of the shell. The unique feature of this application is that when the compression ring is tightened down on the shell of the instrument the head material is automatically tightened over the instrument.

Claims

1. A simplified banjo and drum body comprising: (a) a stretchable banjo or drum head material; (b) an upper compression ring having an upper surface and a lower surface, including grooves located on said upper compression ring lower surface; (c) a shell having an upper edge surface and a lower edge surface including mating compression grooves located on said upper edge surface of said shell; and (d) a plurality of fasteners imbedded into said shell used to tighten said upper compression ring to said shell; wherein when said banjo or drum material is positioned between upper compression ring and said shell, and said plurality of fasteners imbedded into said shell used to tighten said upper compression ring to said shell are tightened down, said upper compression ring is tightened down on said shell, and said banjo or drum head material is stretched between said grooves on said upper compression ring and said mating compression grooves on said shell, and thereby tightened.

2. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 1, wherein said upper compression ring includes string pins attached thereto.

3. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fasteners include button head screws.

4. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fasteners include button head screws whereby said button head screws are threaded into a metal insert having mating threads.

5. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fasteners include flat head screws.

6. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of fasteners include flat head screws whereby said flat bead screws are threaded into a metal insert having mating threads.

7. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of fasteners include flat head screws whereby said flat head screws are threaded into a bolt having mating threads.

8. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fasteners include conventional wood screws.

9. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 7, wherein said conventional wood screws are threaded directly into the shell material.

10. The simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 1, wherein said shell having an upper edge surface and a lower edge surface including mating compression grooves on said upper edge surface of said shell, is constructed of metal, synthetic composite material, plastic and wood.

11. A method for making a simplified banjo and drum body comprising the steps of: (a) providing a stretchable banjo or drum head material; (b) providing an upper compression ring having an upper surface and a lower surface, including grooves located on said upper compression ring lower surface; (c) providing a shell having an upper edge surface and a lower edge surface including mating compression grooves located on said upper edge surface of said shell; and (d) providing a plurality of fasteners imbedded into said shell used to tighten said upper compression ring to said shell; wherein when said banjo or drum material is positioned between upper compression ring and said shell, and said plurality of fasteners imbedded into said shell used to tighten said upper compression ring to said shell are tightened down, said upper compression ring is tightened down on said shell, and said banjo or drum head material is stretched between said grooves on said upper compression ring and said mating compression grooves on said shell, and thereby tightened.

12. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 11, wherein said upper compression ring includes string pins attached thereto.

13. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of fasteners include button head screws.

14. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of fasteners include button head screws whereby said button head screws are threaded into a metal insert having mating threads.

15. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of fasteners include fiat head screws.

16. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of fasteners include flat head screws whereby said flat head screws are threaded into a metal insert having mating threads.

17. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of fasteners include flat head screws whereby said flat head screws are threaded into a bolt having mating threads.

18. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of fasteners include conventional wood screws.

19. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 18, wherein said conventional wood screws are threaded directly into the shell material.

20. The method for making a simplified banjo and drum body according to claim 11, wherein said shell having an upper edge surface and a lower edge surface including mating compression grooves on said upper edge surface of said shell, is constructed of metal, synthetic composite material, plastic and wood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the Simplified Banjo and Drum Body and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the Simplified Banjo.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the Simplified Drum.

(4) FIG. 3 depicts a rear end view through the neck of the banjo.

(5) FIG. 4 depicts a top plan view of the banjo's body.

(6) FIG. 5 depicts a front end view of the banjo's body.

(7) FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view of the banjo's body.

(8) FIG. 7 depicts a top view of the banjo head material with the plurality of holes.

(9) FIG. 8 depicts an exploded section through the side of the banjo body with the head material between the upper compression ring having grooves and the shell having mating compression grooves with a button head screw and threaded insert.

(10) FIG. 9 depicts an assembled view of the site of the banjo body with the head material between the upper compression ring having grooves and the shell having mating compression grooves with a flat head screw with nuts imbedded in the shell.

(11) FIG. 10 depicts an assembled view of the side of the banjo body with the head material between the upper compression ring having grooves and the shell having mating compression grooves held together by the means of a wood screw into a wooden shell of the body.

(12) FIG. 11 depicts an enlarged view of the side of the banjo body indicating the stress put on the head material when the upper compression ring and the shell are tightened together.

(13) FIG. 12 depicts an enlarged view of the side of the banjo body indicating the addition of an optional tone ring.

(14) For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the Simplified Banjo and Drum Body reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying, drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the design and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(15) Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the Simplified Banjo 10 and Drum Body 12 are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 a perspective view of the simplified banjo 10 with the conventional neck section 14 frets 16, a peg head 18 and string tensioning mechanisms. 20. The banjo stings 22 extend from the peg head 18 over the frets 16 and then over the bridge 24 to be attached to the string pins 26 that are attached to the upper compression ring 28. The banjo head material 30 is compressed between the upper compression ring 28 and the shell 32 comprising what is called the banjo body 34. A plurality of button head screws 36 are illustrated compressing. the banjo head material 30 between the upper compression ring 28 and the shell 32 of the banjo.

(16) FIG. 2 depicts the simplified drum body 12 constructed with similar materials being an upper compression ring 40 with a plurality of button head screws 36 compressing the drum head material 42 to the shell 44.

(17) FIG. 3 depicts a rear end view of the banjo 10 through the neck section 14 of the banjo body 34 with the shell 32, upper compression ring 28, the bridge 24 and the button head screws 36. The banjo 10 may be constructed using the button head screws 36 (see FIG.'s 8 and 11), flat head screws (see FIGS. 9 and 12), or conventional wood screws (see FIG. 10). All of the screw fasteners may be driven in by one or more tools having either slot head, Philips head, torx head, hex head, or any other suitable drives.

(18) FIG. 4 depicts a top plan view of the banjo body 34 illustrating the upper compression ring 28 with the plurality of button head screws 36, the bridge 24 on the banjo head material 30 with string pins 26 attached to the front end of the upper compression ring 28.

(19) FIG. 5 depicts a front end view of the banjo body 34 with the plurality of button head screws 36 attached to the upper compression ring 28, the bridge 24 and string pins 26.

(20) FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view of the banjo body 34 with the plurality of imbedded hex nuts 38, the banjo head material 30 and string pins 26.

(21) FIG. 7 depicts a top view of the banjo head material 30 with the plurality of holes 50.

(22) FIG. 8 depicts an exploded section through the side of the banjo body 34 with the banjo head material 30 between the upper compression ring 28 having grooves 52 and the shell 44 having mating compression grooves 54 with a button head screw 36 and threaded insert 56.

(23) FIG. 9 depicts an assembled view of the side of the banjo body 34 with the head material 30 between the upper compression ring 28 having grooves 52, the shell 44 with mating grooves 54, a flat head screw 58 and imbedded hex nut 38 in the shell 32.

(24) FIG. 10 depicts an assembled view of the side of the banjo body 34 with the banjo head material 30 between the upper compression ring 28 having grooves 52 and the shell 44 having mating grooves 54 being held together by the means of a flat head wood screw 60 into a wooden or composition shell 62.

(25) FIG. 11 depicts an enlarged view of the side of the banjo body 34 indicating the stretching force 64 put on the banjo head material 30 when the upper compression ring 28 and the shell 44 are tightened together.

(26) FIG. 12 depicts an enlarged view of the side of the banjo body 34 indicating the addition of an optional tone ring 66 held in place by the means of the shoulder 68 incorporated in the shell 70. To function properly for improving the sound quality the radius end 72 of the tone ring 66 raises the banjo head material 30 while the tone ring 66 maintains a clearance 74 from the shell inner wall 46.

(27) The Simplified Banjo 10 and Drum Body 12 shown in the drawings and described in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of construction of the present application. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof, other than those illustrated and described may be employed for providing a Simplified Banjo 10 and Drum Body 12 in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure, and such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this design as broadly defined in the appended claims.

(28) Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.