Patent Application
20050284284
This invention relates generally to musical instrument systems, and more particularly, to a musical instrument arrangement including a plurality of drums.
Typical drum sets include bass, tom and snare drums together with a cymbal arranged for play by a drummer. The bass drum generally is supported on a floor surface and played with a foot pedal while the other instruments are supported at elevated levels that facilitate comfortable play by the drummer. Conventional hardware used to support the instruments is rather bulky and laborious to set up.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved, simple to assemble drum set-up system.
The invention is a musical instrument system including a drum having a head defining at least one hole; a mounting device including an anchor portion received by the one hole, a collar portion engaging the head, and a receiver portion; a securing mechanism for securing the mounting device to the head; and a connector mechanism for attaching a musical instrument to the mounting device. The use of a drum as a support set-up provides a compact, easily assembled musical instrument system.
According to a certain feature of the invention, the receiver portion projects externally from the head and defines a bore receiving the connector mechanism, the head further defines a cavity disposed adjacent to the hole, and the collar defines a nipple projecting into the cavity so as to prevent rotation of the mounting device in the hole. These features simplify assembly of the system.
According to another feature of the invention, the receiver portion further defines an aperture into the hole, and the connector mechanism includes a rod received by the bore and a set screw extending through the aperture into engagement with the rod. These features facilitate assembly of the system's components in desirable positions.
According to further features of the invention, the collar engages an outer surface of the head, the receiver portion projects externally thereof, and the cavity and nipple are disposed so as to establish an upwardly facing position for the aperture. These features simplify assembly by disposing mounting hardware in easily accessible locations.
According to still other features of the invention, the connector mechanism further includes a handle projecting from the set screw, and the anchor portion is threaded and the securing mechanism includes a nut rotatable on the anchor portion into contact with an inner surface of the head. These features further simplify assembly and alignment of the system's components.
In one embodiment of the invention, the drum head defines a plurality of holes; and the system includes a plurality of mounting devices, one received by each of the holes, a securing mechanism for securing each of the mounting devices, and a connector mechanism for attaching a musical instrument to each mounting device. In this embodiment the drum multiple instruments can be mounted easily on a single support drum.
According to one feature of the above embodiment, the musical instruments include a plurality of drums each having a head defining a hole and a mounting device with a receiver portion attached to a different one of the connector mechanisms. The feature facilitates assembly and use of a typical drum set.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
A musical instrument set-up system 11 illustrated in
As shown in
Securing each mounting device 17 is a nut 41 which engages an anchor portion 31 and presses a washer 42 against an inner surface 43 of the bass drum head 19. Each of the connector mechanisms 21 also includes a set screw 45 extending through a threaded aperture 46 in the receiver portion 32 of each mounting device 17. A handle 47 is attached to each set screw 45.
Prior to use of the system 11, the mounting devices 17 are attached to the drums 12-14 by inserting the anchor portions 31 through the openings 34 in the drum heads 18, 19 in a rotational alignment which inserts the nipples 36 into the cavities 37. The devices 17 then are secured by tightening the nuts 41. During this tightening operation, engagement of the nipples 36 and cavities 31 maintains a desired alignment of the devices 17 with the apertures 46 and handles 47 disposed in readily accessible upwardly facing positions above the receiver portions 32. The connector rods 20, 22 then are adjusted in the receiver portions 32 to establish desired spacing between the bass drum 12 and the drums 13, 14 and cymbal 15. Finally, the handles 47 are turned to tighten the set screws 45 and thereby retain the desired positions.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teaching. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
