Reinforcing ring structure for a shadow mask

A generally rectangular reinforced shadow mask for a color television picture tube comprising a thin metal sheet having a front section with a curved apertured transmission area, an imperforate margin area around the apertured transmission area, a further imperforate skirt portion bent back orthogonal to the margin area, the terminal portion of the skirt portion bent inwardly forming an attachment flange, and a generally planar rectangular back ring attached in surface supporting relationship to the flange, the improvement wherein the generally planar rectangular back ring is formed of a plurality of elongated pieces which are rigidly connected at their end portions to form the rectangular back ring, the overlap connection between pieces is made by providing an elbow like end portion on one end of each piece extending first from the plane of the piece and then generally parallel to the plane of the piece, with the dimension between the parallel planes being approximately equal to the piece thickness, the other end of each piece is planar and is disposed against the generally parallel portion of the elbow like end portion, with the number of pieces and the locus of connections symmetrical relative to the four corners of the rectangular back ring formed thereby, and wherein the overlapped pieces are spot welded together at the overlap where the planar end of one piece is disposed against the generally parallel portion of the elbow like end portion.