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Description  |
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This invention relates to musical percussion instruments, and more
particularly to a percussion instrument having a unique and beneficial
configuration and construction.
In general, musical percussion instruments, such as orchestral snare drums
and the like, utilize at least one tensioned vibratory membrane in
combination with a drum shell. In use, the vibratory membrane, commonly
referred to as the "drum head" or "batter head," is struck by a drum
player, which causes the drum head and the drum shell to vibrate together
to produce the desired musical sound. One critical aspect of the musical
sound which is produced is the degree of tension under which the drum head
is placed. In embodiments involving snare drums and the like, for example,
it is frequently desirable to have a highly tensioned batter head.
According to many conventional configurations, this tensioning is achieved
by stretching the drum head directly across an open end of the drum shell.
Such a configuration is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
4,660,455--Jones et al. Related constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. No.
3,865,003--Della-Porta; U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,779--Della-Porta; and U.S.
Pat. No. 4,967,634--Whynott.
In many drum configurations, particularly snare drum configurations, two
vibratory membranes are utilized: one membrane is intended for direct
contact by the player of the instrument (usually referred to as the
"batter head") while the second membrane is stretched across or adjacent
to the other opening (usually the bottom opening) of the drum shell.
Several constructions have been developed to enable tensioning of the top
or batter head independently of the tension on the bottom head. Such
constructions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,002
--Cleland; U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,146--Bonsor; and U.S. Pat. No.
5,410,938--Kurosaki et al.
Applicants have recognized that drum constructions of the type heretofore
known have resulted in the placement of undesirable compressive axial
loads on the drum shell. Applicants have also recognized that the tonal
quality of the percussion instrument can be maximized by eliminating the
shell as a structural component of the drum. Such an arrangement permits
the percussion instrument designer to select the materials and dimensions
used for the shell based solely on musical performance considerations.
According to prior art techniques, the use of the shell as a structural
component of the percussion instrument has frequently required that the
shell be connected, mounted and/or otherwise attached to other components
of the instrument. This is undesirable because any attachment of the drum
shell to structural components can interfere with the desired vibration
and musical properties of the shell.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
percussion instrument in which tensioning of the vibratial membrane does
not result in the exertion of damaging axial stress on the drum shell.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drum
configuration in which the drum shell can be readily and rapidly changed
by the user of the drum.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a percussion
instrument in which the drum shell is structurally decoupled from the
remaining elements of the instrument.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicants have discovered that these and other objects can be achieved by
the provision of a percussion instrument comprising: a first mounting
ring; a second mounting ring; a shell contained between said first and
second mounting rings; and means for connecting said first and second
mounting rings and for preventing the transmission of axial loads to the
shell. One such means for decoupling the shell from axial loads comprises
means for connecting said first and second mounting rings and for defining
a minimum axial distance between the mounting rings which is greater than
axial length of the shell. In this way, the present invention provides a
percussion instrument in which the shell is captured, and preferably
movably captured, between the first and second mounting rings such that
axial loads transmitted between and/or to said first and second mounting
rings are not transmitted to the shell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention
will become better understood with reference to the following description
taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a elevation view of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 and
taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is cross sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is cross sectional view taken along lines 5--5 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is directed to musical percussion instruments, and in
particular to musical drums such as snare drums and the like. Although it
is contemplated that numerous types and configurations of percussion
instruments can benefit from utilization of the present invention, it is
believed that the descriptions herein can be used to especially great
advantage in the design and construction of snare drums. This is so
because the batter heads used in snare drums and the like are usually
subject to extremely high tensioning, which has heretofore frequently
resulted in damage to the drum shell. Thus, for the purposes of
convenience and illustration, the present invention will generally be
described and illustrated in connection with an embodiment comprising a
snare drum.
With particular reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred percussion
instrument in accordance with the present invention comprises a first
mounting ring 10, a second mounting ring 20, and a drum shell 30. Although
cylindrical rings and shells are commonly and conventionally used and are
shown in the figures hereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art that non-cylindrical shapes may be used according to certain
embodiments. Thus, the terms "ring" and "shell" are not intended to
necessarily be limited to circular or cylindrical rings and shells but to
encompass alternative shapes.
In general, it is contemplated that shell 30 will comprise a cylindrical
member of substantially uniform axial and radial dimension. Those skilled
in the art will appreciate, however, that embodiments which employ a shell
of a non-uniform axial dimension may also be utilized in accordance with
the present invention. For example, it is contemplated that in certain
embodiments one or more edges of the shell may define a partial
frusto-conical shape in which the axial length in one portion of the shell
is less than the axial length of another portion of the shell. Such a
configuration may be utilized, for example, to obtain a percussion
instrument with a slanted or inclined batter head.
The mounting rings 10 and 20 perform at least two important functions in
the musical percussion instruments of the present invention. First, the
mounting rings 10 and 20 together preferably contain and capture the drum
shell 30. Second, the mounting rings of the present invention also
preferably provide an opening over which the membranes of the percussion
instrument are stretched.
Important and critical to the operation of the preferred embodiments of the
present invention is the provision of means for connecting the first and
second mounting rings such that any axial loads applied between or to the
mounting rings is structurally decoupled from the drum shell 30. In other
words, the preferred connecting means of the present invention provide
means for substantially preventing the transmission of axial loads from
one or more of the mounting rings to the shell.
In the embodiment shown in the figures hereof, the connecting means of the
present invention comprises a plurality of load posts 50 fixedly disposed
between and attached to mounting rings 10 and 20. The load posts 50 are
preferably spaced around the circumference of the drum shell so as to
substantially evenly distribute the axial loads on the posts 50. The
preferred load posts 50 establish and define a minimum axial distance
between the shell engaging portions of the first mounting ring 10 and the
shell engaging portions of the second mounting ring 20. Since the minimum
distance established by load posts 50 is greater than the axial extent of
shell 30, the percussion instrument of the present invention exhibits the
highly desirable and beneficial feature of having a shell which carries no
axial load under even the most severe tensioning conditions. That is, any
and all axial loads transmitted to or between the first and second
mounting rings are carried by load posts 50.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a plurality of
minimum distances may be established in accordance with the present
invention. More particularly, a plurality of minimum distances may be
established, for example, when a partially frusto-conically shaped shell
is utilized to obtain a slanted or inclined orientation for the batter
head. In such configurations, the plural load posts together will
establish an angle of incline associated with the batter head.
Furthermore, each load post 50 will establish and define a separate
minimum axial distance corresponding to the separate and distinct axial
extent of the shell in the area corresponding to each load post 50.
With particular reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the means utilized in the
illustrated embodiment for structurally decoupling the shell from the
percussion instrument is illustrated in detail. More particularly, the
first mounting ring, indicated generally at 10, comprises an axial
sidewall portion 10A and a depending, radially extending flange portion
10B. The bottom ring, indicated generally at 20, comprises a similar
arrangement of side wall 20A and radial flange 20B. An internal annular
groove or stepped portion is preferably formed at the internal transition
between the axial sidewalls 10A/20A and the radial flanges 10B/20B of the
top ring 10 and the bottom ring 20. The annular slot or groove in ring 10
is configured and adapted to engage the top edge portion 30A and a portion
of the sidewall 30B of the shell (see FIG. 1). A similar arrangement is
preferably employed in connection with mounting ring 20. Thus, the
internal annular slot or groove defines the shell engaging portion of the
first and second mounting rings.
According to important and critical aspects of the present invention,
mounting means 50 define a minimum axial distance between the
shell-engaging surfaces of the first and second mounting rings which is
greater than the axial extent of shell 30. That is, the longitudinal or
axial distance between the ends of load posts 50 establishes the minimum
distance between the flange portions 10B and 20B of the mounting rings,
which in turn establishes the minimum distance between the shell-engaging
portions of the first and second mounting rings.
Although it is contemplated that numerous and varied configurations may be
used for load posts 50, the preferred load posts of the present invention
are configured as slotted rectangular beams having two threaded channels
51 in each end thereof. Furthermore, it is contemplated that numerous
types of materials of construction may be used to form load posts 50. In
general, it is required only that the load members 50 have sufficient
strength and rigidity to maintain the minimum distance between the first
and second mounting rings while carrying the maximum axial loads expected
for the drum. In general, however, it is preferred that the load members
50 be formed from an aluminum extrusion.
Various methods and mechanisms are available to those skilled in the art
for mounting the first mounting ring 10 to the second mounting ring 20
utilizing load members 50, and all such mounting techniques are within the
broad scope of the present invention. In the particular configuration
illustrated in the figures, this connection is achieved by providing the
radially extending flanged portions 10B/20B of the mounting rings 10/20
with pass-through apertures adapted to accept conventional bolts, machine
screws and the like 60. The bolts 60 pass through the apertures in the
annular flanges 10B/20B in the mounting rings 10/20 and engage threaded
channels 51 in load posts 50 (see FIG. 1). In this fashion, a rigid
structural frame which is independent of and decoupled from the shell 30
is obtained.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the percussion
instrument of the present invention not only provides the beneficial
advantage of a zero-load drum shell, it also affords the highly desirable
ability to reconfigure the percussion instrument with alternative drum
shells. Since the drum shell is not a structural part of the percussion
instrument, such a change of drum shell may be readily achieved by
demounting, for example, the top mounting ring 20, sliding out the
existing drum shell, installing a new shell, and remounting ring 20. This
type of operation may be desirable, for example, when a different color
shell is desired. Other changes in shell configuration, such as shell
material and shell wall thickness, may be readily and rapidly achieved in
this fashion. Thus, the present invention provides yet a further advantage
which is not feasible according to prior art products.
Because of the unique configuration associated with the percussion
instrument of the present invention, the drum shell 30 is preferably
movably contained within and captured by the first mounting ring 10 and
the second mounting ring 20. In general, it is preferred that the axial
length of the drum shell is only slightly smaller than the minimum
distance between the first mounting ring and the second mounting ring. For
example, it is contemplated that the gap or tolerance between these two
distances is generally from about 1/32 to about 1/16 of an inch. In such
configurations, therefore, the movability of the shell in the axial
direction is nil. On the other hand, it is preferred that a liner or strip
of material 70 (see FIG. 4) be provided in the radial gap or tolerance
between the outer surface of the drum shell 30 and its associated mounting
ring engaging portion. Because the strip or liner 70 is preferably formed
from a relatively compressive, low-friction material, such as felt, the
drum shell of the present invention is preferably rotatably moveable
relative to the remaining structure of the percussion instrument. As used
herein, the term moveable refers to the ability to move or rotate the drum
shell without altering or modifying the structural integrity of the
percussion instrument. According to the preferred embodiments of the
present invention, such rotation of the drum shell can be readily achieved
by the action of the drummer's hand on the drum shell.
The unique configuration described herein permits the use of any known
means for mounting a batter head to the first mounting ring without
exerting any axial load on the drum shell 30, and accordingly all such
means are contemplated by and within the scope of the present invention.
In general, however, a floating head arrangement of the type shown in the
figures hereof is generally preferred. More particularly, the percussion
instrument of the present invention preferably includes a batter head 80
which is sized and adapted to be tensioned across the top of sidewall 10A
of mounting ring 10. For this purpose, it is preferred that the top edge
of sidewall 10A comprise a bearing edge 10C adapted to smoothly and
non-destructively engage membrane 80. The batter head 80 preferably
includes a flesh hoop 81 secured to the annular edge of the membrane.
The means for mounting the batter head 80 preferably comprises a counter
hoop 90 adapted to fit over the sidewall 10B of mounting ring 10 and to
engage the flesh hoop 81. The batter head 80 is tensioned across the
mounting ring 10 by a plurality of spaced tensioning bolts 100 which
extend through apertures 101 in the flanged portion 90A of counter hoop 90
and into threaded receptacles 102 in the flanged portion of the first
mounting ring 10. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous
because the batter head assembly, which includes the mounting ring 10, the
batter head 80 and the counter hoop 90, can be demounted without
untensioning of the batter head, thereby facilitating removal and/or
replacement of the drum shell 30. Such embodiments may include, for
example, utilizing bolts 60 with hexheads or by incorporating apertures in
counterhoop 90 for access to the heads of bolts 60.
Numerous types and configurations of tensioning bolts 100 may be used. It
is generally preferred, however, that the bolts 100 are provided with a
head that is key adjustable by a standard drum key.
Although it is contemplated that a bottom vibratial membrane may not be
needed or required, the preferred embodiment incorporates a tensioned
membrane 80 mounted in accordance with the same type of assembly describe
hereinbefore in connection with the upper batter head.
Another optional feature of the percussion instrument according to the
present invention is the provision of snappy cords 120 which extend
transversely of and contact the lower drum head 80. Snare strainers 130
and 140 are preferably mounted to transversely disposed members 50 in
order to hold the snappy cords 120 in tension.
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