Information
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Patent Grant
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6239342
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Patent Number
6,239,342
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Date Filed
Friday, January 28, 200024 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, May 29, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
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Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 084 4221
- 084 4222
- 084 4223
- 084 421
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International Classifications
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Abstract
In a drum foot pedal comprising a base having two upwardly extending arms provided two sleeves at the upper ends thereof, a pedal having an end pivotally mounted on the pedal, a hexagonal axle, two bearings fitted in the sleeves, a stick having an end fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle, a block member provided with a chain which extends downwardly to engage with another end of the pedal, and a stretching mechanism mounted between an end of the hexagonal axle and a flange of one of the arms, the improvement wherein the stretching mechanism comprises a connector fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle by a pin, a spring having an upper end connected with the connector, a screw rod having an upper end connected with a lower end of the spring, a nut threadedly engaged with an intermediate portion of the screw rod, and a locking nut threadedly engaged with a lower portion of the screw rod, the flange being formed at the bottom with two cross inclined surfaces and a slot in which is fitted a positioning plate having a semi-circular hole, the screw rod having an intermediate portion formed with a semi-circular cross section configured to engage with the semi-circular hole and the locking nut having two cross inclined surfaces configured to engage with the two cross inclined surfaces of the flange.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to an improvement in the stretching structure of a drum foot pedal and in particular to one which can be accurately controlled to apply force to beat a drum.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
A and
3
B, the conventional drum foot pedal includes a base
1
, a pedal member
2
, a chain
51
connecting the pedal member
2
to a hexagonal axle
3
, a pair of bearings
4
, a pair of sleeves
12
, a stick
5
and a stretching mechanism
6
. The stretching mechanism
6
includes a connector
62
which is fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle
3
by a pin
61
, a spring
63
connected at the upper end with the connector
62
, a screw rod
64
connected with the lower end of the spring
63
, and a locking nut
66
engaged with the lower portion of the screw rod
64
. However, when the pedal
2
is depressed to beat a drum, the screw rod
64
will be pulled by the spring
63
and will be slightly turned clockwise or counterclockwise thereby loosening the nut
66
and therefore forming a clearance between the nut
66
and the flange
113
. Accordingly, it is impossible to control the force applied to the stick
5
. In addition, there will be a delay in moving the stick
5
. Furthermore, the spring
63
will be slightly distorted during the operation of the drum foot pedal hence making the drum foot pedal unable to be operated smoothly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to an improvement in the stretching structure of a drum foot pedal.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drum foot pedal includes a base having two upwardly extending arms provided two sleeves at the upper ends thereof, a pedal having an end pivotally mounted on the pedal, a hexagonal axle, two bearings fitted in the sleeves, a stick having an end fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle, a block member provided with a chain which extends downwardly to engage with another end of the pedal, and a stretching mechanism mounted between an end of the hexagonal axle and a flange of one of the arms, the improvement wherein the stretching mechanism comprises a connector fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle by a pin, a spring having an upper end connected with the connector, a screw rod having an upper end connected with a lower end of the spring, a nut threadedly engaged with an intermediate portion of the screw rod, and a locking nut threadedly engaged with a lower portion of the screw rod, the flange being formed at the bottom with two cross inclined surfaces and a slot in which is fitted a positioning plate having a semi-circular hole, the screw rod having an intermediate portion formed with a semi-circular cross section configured to engage with the semi-circular hole and having two cross inclined surfaces configured to engage with the two cross inclined surfaces of the flange.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the structure of a drum foot pedal which can be accurately controlled to the force applied to the drum.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the structure of a drum foot pedal wherein the spring will not be distorted in operation thereby ensuring the smooth operation of the drum foot pedal.
The foregoing objects and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a conventional drum foot pedal;
FIG. 2
illustrates the working principle of the conventional drum foot pedal;
FIGS. 3A and 3B
illustrate how the nut is loosened and the spring is distorted in operation;
FIGS. 4 and 4A
is a perspective view of a drum foot pedal according to the present invention; and
FIG. 5
illustrates the working principle of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Specific language will be used to describe same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
With reference to the drawings and in particular to
FIGS. 4 and 5
thereof, the drum foot pedal according to the present invention generally comprises a base
1
, a pedal
2
mounted on the base
1
, a hexagonal axle
3
, a pair of bearings
4
, a stick
5
, and a stretching mechanism
6
. The stick
5
is fixedly connected at the lower end with the hexagonal axle
3
. A block member (shown but not numbered) is fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle
3
and provided with a chain
51
which extends downwardly therefrom.
The base
1
is provided with two upwardly extending arms
11
each having a sleeve
12
at upper end thereof. The bearing
4
is fitted into the sleeve
12
. The outer side of each arm
11
has a positioning flange
13
formed with a slot
131
in which is fitted a positioning plate
14
with a semi-circular hole
141
. The bottom of the positioning flange
13
has two cross-inclined surfaces
132
.
The pedal
2
is pivotally connected with the base
1
at the lower end and with the chain
51
at the lower end so that the pedal
2
is disposed at an inclined position.
As the stick
5
is fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle
3
, the stick
5
will be rotated in unison with the hexagonal axle
3
.
The stretching mechanism
6
includes a connector
62
which is fixedly mounted on the hexagonal axle
3
by a pin
61
, a spring
63
having an upper end connected with the connector
62
, a screw rod
64
having an upper end connected with the lower end of the spring
62
, a nut
641
threadedly engaged with the intermediate portion of the screw rod
64
, and a locking nut
65
threadedly engaged with the lower portion of the screw rod
64
.
The screw rod
64
is formed with a semi-circular cross section at the intermediate portion thereof adapted to go through the semi-circular hole
141
of the positioning plate
14
.
The locking nut
65
has a threaded hole
651
for engaging the screw rod
64
and is formed with two cross inclined surfaces at the upper end engageable with the two cross inclined surfaces
132
of the positioning flange
13
.
In assembly, the hexagonal axle
3
extends through the bearings
4
fitted in the sleeves
12
fixedly mounted at the upper ends of the upwardly extending arms
11
of the base
1
. Then, the connector
62
is fixedly installed on an end of the hexagonal axle
3
by the pin
61
. The other end of the hexagonal axle
3
is engaged with a nut
33
for preventing the hexagonal axle
3
from disengaging from the sleeves
12
. The positioning plate
14
is fitted into the slot
131
of the positioning flange
13
. The spring
63
is connected at the upper end with the connector
62
and at the lower end with the screw rod
64
. The nut
641
is engaged with the intermediate portion of the screw rod
64
. The screw rod
41
extends downwardly through the positioning flange
13
and the semi-circular hole
141
of the positioning plate
14
to engage with the locking nut
65
, with the two cross inclined surfaces
652
of the locking nut
65
engaged with the two cross inclined surfaces
132
of the positioning flange
13
. Accordingly, the screw rod
64
will not be rotated when the spring
63
is stretched and so no clearance will be formed between the nuts
64
and
65
and the positioning flange
13
thereby enabling a user to control the force for beating the drum accurately. In addition, when the spring
63
is stretched, there will be only vertical forces applied on the spring
63
and so no torque will be produced thereby ensuring the smooth operation of the drum foot pedal.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Claims
- 1. In a drum foot pedal comprising a base having two upwardly extending arms provided two sleeves at the upper ends thereof, a pedal having an end pivotally mounted on said pedal, a hexagonal axle, two bearings fitted in said sleeves, a stick having an end fixedly mounted on said hexagonal axle, a block member provided with a chain which extends downwardly to engage with another end of said pedal, and a stretching mechanism mounted between an end of said hexagonal axle and a flange of one of said arms, the improvement wherein said stretching mechanism comprises a connector fixedly mounted on said hexagonal axle by a pin, a spring having an upper end connected with said connector, a screw rod having an upper end connected with a lower end of said spring, a nut threadedly engaged with an intermediate portion of said screw rod, and a locking nut threadedly engaged with a lower portion of said screw rod, said flange being formed at the bottom with two cross inclined surfaces and a slot in which is fitted a positioning plate having a semi-circular hole, said screw rod having an intermediate portion formed with a semi-circular cross section configured to engage with said semi-circular hole and said locking nut having two cross inclined surfaces configured to engage with said two cross inclined surfaces of said flange.
US Referenced Citations (3)