Twirling drummer glove

Abstract

A drumstick twirling apparatus that includes a glove and an anteriorly mounted swivel assembly for attaching a drumstick at the palm area of the glove and allowing the drumstick to be twirled freely without finger manipulation.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to drum accessories, and it is specifically directed to a glove having an anterior palm-based apparatus that pivotally secures to a drumstick so as to enable a drummer to twirl the drumstick about a palm area pivot point, during a drum playing performance, without performing any of the finger manipulations of normal twirling.

During a prolonged period of drum playing, a drummer's hands are subject to fatigue from gripping drumsticks and repeatedly striking them against the drum kit instruments. If a drummer's hand relaxes from fatigue, even momentarily, during the midst of the drum striking motion, it may lose its grip on a drumstick and allow it to errantly fly out of the hand. Not only could that produce an embarrassing moment for a drummer, it could seriously disrupt the overall musical performance until the drummer is able retrieve the drumstick and resume playing. So, maintaining a secure handgrip on a drumstick throughout a drum performance is fundamental to drum play.

But, beyond that basic notion of drum play, since live music performances are entertainment, drummers often incorporate theatrics to improve the entertainment value of their play. For example, they may do that—and this is true in the contexts of both stage and marching band performances—by twirling one or both drumsticks. Of course, the twirling maneuver presents the concomitant risk of inadvertently dropping a drumstick, regardless of whether the drummer's hands are fatigued. It can also be a difficult maneuver for persons having arthritis or other finger ailments.

Consequently, the prior art reflects a general recognition of the need for devices that can assist a drummer in maintaining continuous hold of a drumstick in instances where he might, otherwise, be inclined to drop it, and it reflects the more specific recognition of the need for such devices to be able to facilitate the twirling maneuver. However, that the present inventor is aware, the prior art has produced only devices that are to be placed onto a drummer's finger and, thereby, anchor a drumstick and create a twirling pivot point specifically at a finger position, as opposed to anywhere &se along the palm side (the anterior side) of the hand.

Unfortunately, this can impose undue stress on the finger to which such a device is directly mounted and, by extension, to which a pivoting drumstick is anchored. Therefore, the present inventor has identified the need for a drumstick retention aid that repositions the drumstick mounting and pivot point more centrally within the palm region of the anterior part of the hand and, thereby, distributes any stress associated with drumstick twirling more broadly throughout the hand, rather than concentrating it at a finger or any other singular position. The present invention for a twirling drummer glove substantially fulfills that need.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drumstick twirling assembly which has a rotary bearing rotatably attaching a securing strap to a hand glove so that a drumstick which is wrapped by the securing strap can be twirled relative to the glove.

It is another object of the present invention to situate the pivot point for a twirling drumstick along the anterior part of the hand and within the palm area—that is, longitudinally below the fingers, but above the heel, and is inward of the thumb—rather than along a finger, and to distribute any stress of drumstick rotation more broadly throughout a glove than would be the case if that pivot point was located along a finger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an anterior perspective view of the drumstick twirling glove assembly in accordance with the present invention, the assembly shown in a disassembled state with all components spaced apart along an imaginary line;

FIG. 2 is an anterior plan view of the drumstick twirling glove assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a posterior plan view of the same; and

FIG. 4 is an anterior plan view of the drumstick twirling glove assembly in accordance with the present invention, the assembly shown being worn on the hand of a user and secured to a twirling drumstick,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure, as defined by the claims that follow, relates to a drumstick twirling glove assembly that allows a drumstick to be twirled about a glove-wearing hand, In its simplest description, the present assembly is defined by: (1) a glove; (2) a swivel assembly attached to the glove at point within its palm area and is at least partly rotatable relative to the glove; and (3) a securing strap attached to the swivel assembly and that attaches to a drumstick so that the attached drumstick is indirectly attached to the glove and rotatable relative to the glove.

The glove can be of a wide range of configurations that at least cover a palm portion of the hand defined as being longitudinally above the heel and below the fingers and laterally inward of the thumb, Its purpose is to facilitate securing a drumstick to the hand at a point within that so defined palm portion—and to distribute any stress caused by a twirling drumstick broadly along the hand, rather than at a particular focal point. Accordingly, and as is shown in FIGS. 1 & 2, a hole 68 is formed centrally within the palm portion P of the anterior side of glove 60, and this is the point at which the swivel assembly is attached to the glove 60,

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG, 1, the swivel assembly is formed by an internally threaded post 10, a first washer 12, a second washer 22, a ball bearing ring 20, a third washer 24 (where the ball bearing ring 20 is sandwiched between the two washers 22, 24 and, together, constitute a “thrust bearing”), a fourth washer 42, and a screw 40. More or fewer washers can be incorporated, as other types of rotary bearings, besides thrust bearings, may be used. Whatever form of rotary bearing is used, it should be able to rotate, relative to the glove 60, as freely as possible.

The threaded post 10 has a shaft, which is a cylindrical tube with screw threading along its inner surface, and a head. The head is anchored inside the glove 60, while the shaft protrudes through the glove hole 68. The first washer 12 is sandwiched between the post head and the glove material to prevent the post 10 from dislodging from within the glove 60.

As can be gleaned from viewing FIG. 1, positioned along the shaft of the post 10 and on the outside of the glove 60 is the thrust bearing 20, 22, 24, where the second washer 22 is immediately adjacent the glove 60. Positioned along the post 10, on the opposite side of the thrust bearing 20, 22, 24, is a securing strap 30. Preferably, this is strip of hook and look fastener material (with hooks on one side 32 and loops on the other side 34) of sufficient length to wrap around the shaft of a drumstick 70 and secure to itself. The securing strap 30 has a central hole 36 through which the post 60 also extends. The swivel assembly's screw 40 screws into the internally threaded post 60 to secure the strap 30 to the rotary bearing (with the fourth washer 42 situated between the screw head and the strap 30). This enables the securing strap 30 to rotate, relative to the glove 60, when torque is applied to the securing strap 30 by a drumstick 70.

It is preferred that a short strip of rubber material, having a length approximately the diameter of a typical drumstick shaft, be adhered to the surface 34 of the securing strap 30. This inhibits sliding of the drumstick 70 when the strap 30 is tightly wrapped around it, Alternatively, rubber grommets (not shown) could be positioned, along a drumstick 70 and about the securing strap 30, to e prevent the drumstick from sliding within the strap 30,

Claims

1. A drumstick twirling glove assembly comprising: a glove having a palm portion, wherein the palm portion is defined as being an area of the anterior side of the glove that is longitudinally above any portion of the glove adapted to cover a wearer's hand heel, longitudinally below any portion of the glove adapted to cover a wearer's finger(s), and laterally inward any portion of the glove adapted to cover a wearers thumb;a swivel assembly that is attached to the palm portion and is, at least in part, rotatable relative to the glove; anda securing strap that is attached to the swivel assembly, wherein the securing strap is wrappable around a drumstick so that the drumstick may be twirled relative to the glove.

2. The glove assembly of claim wherein said palm portion has an aperture formed therewithin for receiving said swivel assembly, and wherein said swivel assembly comprises: an internally threaded post having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft protrudes from the palm portion aperture such that the head is disposed against the inside surface of the palm portion;a rotary bearing that is disposed along the shaft and is rotatable relative thereto; anda screw for screwing into the internally threaded post and securing the rotary bearing and said securing strap to the shaft such that said securing strap is rotatable relative to said glove.

3. The glove assembly of claim 2, wherein said rotary bearing is a thrust bearing.

4. The glove assembly of claim 2, wherein said securing strap is a strip of hook and loop fastener that secures to itself when overlapping itself.

5. The glove assembly of claim 2, further comprising a rubber strip adhered to said securing strap, wherein this rubber strip causes said securing strap to more securely wrap around a drumstick.

6. The glove assembly of claim 2, wherein said swivel assembly is attached to the approximate center of said palm portion.