The present invention is directed to a dynamic drum beater. Conventional bass drum beaters are inserted into bass drum pedals and used to strike the bass drum. Bass drum beaters have felt, wood or plastic beaters and chrome metal shafts. The dynamic drum beater is based on a conventional beater; however, differs drastically because it utilizes a spring and damper arrangement to aid the performer in striking the drum resulting in a lift in rebound or upstroke. Capitalizing on the energy of a spring to aid the performer and rebound off of the drum. The end of the beater (where it impacts the drum) uses a conventional felt, wood or plastic tip.
The prior art discloses a drum stick with a spring coupling between the handle portion and the impacting portion. The spring can be locked so as to make the handle and impacting portion of the stick fixed. The prior art further discloses a ball fitted to a compression spring actuated be electric current for use with a Xylophone. Also disclosed in the prior art, is a thimble device which fits over the fingers of the player of a Glockenspiel, or similar instrument, where a small metal spring projects from the end of the thimble to which a wooden button is attached. The prior art also makes known the use of a spring loaded base drum assembly where the spring works to return the drum stick and head away from the drum face when the foot pedal is released.
The present invention differs from the prior art in one preferred embodiment of the present invention which employs a spring between the hinged portion of the beater shaft and the impact portion of the beater shaft with a damping cover means fitted over the spring to stiffen the assembly and provide the desired flexibility when used. In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, a universal joint is employed between the hinged portion of the beater shaft and the impact portion of the beater shaft with a spring cover means fitted over the universal joint to stiffen the assembly and provide the desired flexibility when used. In yet a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a ball and socket joint is employed with a spring cover means fitted over the ball and socket joint to stiffen the assembly and provide the desired flexibility when used.
A dynamic drum beater comprising a shaft with a head portion and a base portion, the head portion of the shaft adapted to receive a drum striking attachment, the base portion of the shaft adapted to receive a pivotal attachment of an actuator mechanism, a flexible joint disposed between the head portion and base portion of the shaft to provide vibration of the drum striking attachment on the drum.
The present invention will now be described in terms of the presently preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the drawings. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many obvious modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
The present invention is directed to address the short comings in an arrangement where a spring or other flexible joint is inserted between the fixed-end and the striking end of a drum stick. These arrangements provide the bounce back when the striking end of the drum stick comes in contact with the drum, but do not effectively control it. Specifically, the striking end of the drum stick—in the single spring configuration—bounces back in a non-linear and generally uncontrolled manner. This is especially true in the ball joint and universal joint embodiments when the outer elastic housing is not used.
The present invention is directed to solve the uncontrolled and non-liner bounce back disclosed in the prior art by the use of an elastic sheath surrounding the joint in the drum stick. In the preferred embodiments, the elastic sheath surrounding the joint acts as a stiffener and damper (i.e., in the spring configuration); a stiffener, a spring and a damper (i.e., in the universal joint configuration) and a stiffener, a spring and a damper (i.e., in the ball joint configuration).
An isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown at
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a spring 3 is disposed at the head of shaft 1.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a universal joint 5 is disposed at the head of shaft 1.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a ball and socket joint 6 is disposed between the head and base of shaft 1.
In use, the operator of the foot pedal device would depress the pedal and thereby swing the drum beater device 4 of the present invention (
Without departing from the spirit and intent of the present invention, any of the above preferred embodiments could be adapted for use with hand held drum sticks. Further, the placement of the spring (3), universal joint (5) and/or ball and socket joint (6) along the shaft 1 relative to the location of the drum beater device will provide more or less bounce of the drum beater device 4 against the bass drum.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the embodiments just described merely illustrate the principals of the present invention. Many obvious modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
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