Abstract:
The present invention relates to the foot operated musical instruments like tambourine, cymbals, jingles and cowbells. These musical instruments can be operated by using one or both feet at the same time. The tambourine playing shoes can be converted to a percussion shoe very easily. The foot operated instruments of the present invention lets musicians to play multiple instruments at the same time, while giving a new found sound to a musician&#39;s tapping foot.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the foot operated musical instruments like tambourines, cymbals, jingles, shakers and cowbells. These feet operated instruments like present invention help the musician play multiple instruments at the same time by simply tapping their feet. The easily changeable sounds of the present invention gives the musician a vast choice of foot-operated percussion sounds that they can easily attach or detach to their foot. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to foot operated musical devices and more particularly to a novel method of operation of tambourine, guiro, cymbals and cowbells with feet. The use of foot operated musical instruments are well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,957 issued to Matt Anderson discloses a foot operated playing device, where tambourine is mounted onto a foot pedal coupled with a base pad. Although this device can be played by foot; there are chances that while playing the device the foot may slip from the instrument, because there is no connection between the foot and the device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,239 issued to L. Blumenfled discloses a tambourine jingle rim supporting and actuating mechanism. This instrument can be played by tapping with foot at the base of the longitudinally mounted tambourine jingle rim. Although this device has advantage of axial movement and limited secondary movement, its main draw back is that it is operated by an extra pedal and is not secured onto the feet firmly. Because of the pedal tapping by the toe end of the foot, and because of the intense movement, there may be strain and pain in the calf muscles of the leg after certain period of operation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,197 issued to John Bills, discloses a tambourine that is connected onto a foot pedal and strike the leg of the operator near calf muscles above the operator&#39;s foot operating the foot pedal. If the operator strikes the pedal hard it may injure the calf muscles of the operator. 
     U.S. Publication No. 2005/0028601 discloses a foot operated tambourine playing device for playing with left or right foot. This device can be fixed onto the toe end of the user&#39;s feet. The main drawback of this invention is that it is made of metal and is heavy. 
     U.S. Publication No. 2009/0087158 A1 by wolfgang Payerl discloses a musical rhythm instrument with sounding devices where the instrument is fastened to the user&#39;s feet. The main disadvantage of this invention is that it requires extra strings for attaching to the users feet and may be heavier for children or elderly people who would like to use the instrument. 
     While the prior art achieve their objectives, they do not disclose any of the elements of the present invention, and do not provide a tambourine shoe with jingles, bells, clacker, clapper, metal shakers or removable tap shoe soles which can be fixed onto both feet of a user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the disadvantages known in the prior art, the present invention provides a new foot operated percussion shoe that is capable of attaching and detaching accessory instruments with clips, Velcro, and magnets. The foot operated percussion shoe&#39;s hit stick (spoke) also strikes foot level cowbells, gyros, and cymbals, making it a truly unique foot operated drumstick. 
     The object of the present invention is a tambourine and spoke fixed onto a shoe such that the tambourine can be played by the foot to create rhythm and the spoke can tap a cymbal, a gyro or cowbells with the feet. The present invention generally comprises of shoes for both feet or single feet coupled with tambourine with a metal stick at the toe part of the shoes. 
     The other object of the present invention is to secure the shoe onto the users foot. There is no need of any extra straps or buckles or connections. This device is light and can be used by children or by elderly. The other object of present invention is to remove complicated connections or coupling mechanism for connecting to the user&#39;s feet to a tambourine. It is further object of present invention that the foot operated tambourine, cymbal, gyro; cowbell playing device can be made of light metal or durable plastic. It is another object of present invention to provide a new foot operated tambourine, gyro, cymbals and cowbell operating device by foot which is very economical and easy to manufacture with universal appeal from all ages, children, young or elderly population. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device such that a tambourine can be played with one foot and a percussion instrument with another foot using spoke. Another object of present invention is to combine bells, metal jingles and shakes with a tambourine to create unique sounds. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the figures, which illustrate, by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention, 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the tambourine shoe with a spoke; 
         FIG. 2  represents a tambourine with an elastic fastener and an opening to receive a shoe; 
         FIG. 3  represents a tambourine with clamping mechanism; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a tambourine attached to a frame that users foot can easily fit into, with shoes or barefoot; the unique frame adjusts to the users foot when tightened; 
         FIG. 5   a  represents lateral view of foot shake tambourine; 
         FIG. 5   b  represents aerial view of foot shake tambourine; 
         FIG. 6  represents a percussion foot shake tambourine shoe with Djembe shakers on the sole; 
         FIG. 7  represents a view of Jingle Spoon Shoe; 
         FIG. 8  represents a percussion shoe with a spoke; 
         FIG. 9  represents the method of operation of a percussion shoe with spoke; modified gyros, cowbells and cymbals can be played. 
         FIG. 10  represents a percussion shoe with shakers, bells and a horn; 
         FIG. 11  represents the bottom of the shoe with magnetic and Velcro grooves to attach additional instruments designed for the shoe. 
         FIG. 12  represents a clap shoe; 
         FIG. 13  represents a shoe with sea shells or hollow wooden shells; and 
         FIG. 14  represents a percussion shoe with wooden clackers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  Illustrate one embodiment of the foot operated instrument  10 .  FIG. 1  represents a shoe with a tambourine attached to its bottom, two straps  24  and  25  to go over the top cover of the shoe  33 , and a spoke  40 , attached to its toe  31 . This instrument comprising, a tambourine  20 , having straps  24  and  25  or other means to tightly attach the tambourine to a shoe. Tambourine  20  has two different sounding parts, the head  21  and the jingles  50 . Standard tambourines are substantially circular and are made of wood or plastic. The head  21  is of medium thickness skin, parchment or the like as one finds on a drum. The head is stretched tightly over a shell  22 , which is made of a hard material, like wood or hard plastic. The elastic straps can go around a shoe and fastened the tambourine to a shoe. Straps are attached to the shell on both sides and can either be elastic or Velcro type straps. Standard tambourine size is about ten inches in diameter with a double row of jingles  50  (preferably staggered). The shell should be lightweight to allow easy movement and to permit an acceptable vibration. The jingle discs  50  are typically made of metal and are freely mounted on pins (not shown) so as to produce jingling sounds when the tambourine is shaken. The shell  20  has a section  27  which is either fully open or has a smaller height than the rest of the shell. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a different embodiment of the same invention having a tambourine with a fastener, which goes behind the shoe. Tambourine  300  has hinges  320  that allow it to open. A shoe  30  is then fit inside the tambourine. The tambourine is then closed and tightened to the shoe. A belt buckle  330 , or similar connectors, can be used to tighten the tambourine to the shoe. The shoe is then secured from the back to the tambourine. Other securing means, such as an elastic band,  340 , is also located in the front part of the tambourine to secure the front of the shoe to the tambourine. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 4 , wherein tambourine  100  has a special frame. The frame comprises of a circular outer shell  11  and a rectangular inner shell  12 . The jingles  50  are attached to the circular outer shell. The rectangular inner shell  12  is designed to receive a shoe in its opening  125 . A connecting device  14 , such as Velcro, laces, buckles, or other mechanisms, is used to tightly fix a shoe to the tambourine. A shoe is positioned inside the inner shell  12  and tightened. 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  illustrate side and top views of a foot tambourine, which comprises of a half tambourine  63 , with jingles  50  attached to the toe part  31  of a shoe. Plastic or metal circular disc  61  covering the full diameter of the upper part of the shoe  30  is attached to the upper cover  33 . Shakes  60  are clipped onto the plastic or metal disc  61  by any mechanism known in prior art. Bells  62  are attached across the shoe  30 . 
     Half tambourine can be attached to the back of a shoe as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Half tambourine  63  is attached at the rear end of the shoe along with bells  50 . Djembe shakers  16  are also fixed onto the shoe  30 . When the shoe is moved they give a special sound. 
       FIG. 7  represents a view of jingle spoon shoe, where half tambourine  63  is attached to the forward end of the shoe and jingles  94  attached to the rear end of the shoe. Spoons  12  attached to the centre of the said shoe. The shoe may also have shakers  60 . In operation, the tambourine is worn as/with a shoe. As the shoe is tapped the jingles and additional instruments attached to the shoe make a sound. 
       FIG. 8   a  illustrates a percussion shoe  400 . This shoe has a spoke  40  connected at the toe end  31  of the toe cover  33 . The spoke can be made of metal, plastic, wood, fiberglass, or the like. Spoke  40  is a longitudinal stick which has a ball shaped forward end  41 , which is connected to the toe cover  33 .  FIG. 8   b  illustrates the same percussion shoe with a spoke further having a drum brush  42 . The brush can be made of metal or plastic and it may be clipped onto the stem of the spoke  40 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the method of use of the shoe with a spoke. The percussion shoe  400 , can be used to strike a guiro  70  or cymbals  72  or cowbells  80 , which may be mounted on a frame  71  to be located on the ground. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention of a percussion shoe with toe bells. Toe bell shoe  500  comprises of a bell  50  attached to part  31  of the shoe  30 . The bell  50  can be attached to the toe part  31  by any mechanism known in prior art. The bell  50  has a metal oscillator inside it. When the shoe is tapped on to the floor, sound of ringing bell can be heard. A horn  81  and shakes  60  are clipped on to the side of the shoe  30 . This horn can be played by the other foot or by hand during a performance. The horn can be attached to the shoe by any methods known in the prior art. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the bottom  35  of the shoe  30 . The bottom of the shoe  35  has two connecting means: one at a forward end  36  under the toe part  31 , and the other at the rear part  37  under the heel part. These two connecting means are designed to fasten shoe accessories and they can be Magnetic or Velcro strips or clips. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a sole clap shoe  100 , which combines the shoe  30  with a metal clap  15 . A plastic or metal clap  15  is attached to the bottom of the sole  36  of the shoe which has a magnetic strip on its toe end  36  and heel end  37 . Metal clap  15  consists of an upper end  16  and a lower end  17 . The metal clap  15  can be made of iron or steel. 
       FIG. 13  represents another embodiment of present invention, which comprises of shoe  30 , shell shakers  20  along with bells  50  are attached across the shoe  30  by any of the mechanisms known in prior art. When the shoe hits the ground percussion sound can be heard. 
       FIG. 14  represents another embodiment of present invention, where wooden clackers  90  are arranged to the toe part  31  of the shoe  30  by any of the mechanisms known in prior art. When the shoe is moved up and down the clackers move up and down to generate a particular sound. 
     Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail may be made to the presently described embodiment, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not by way of limitation.