Abstract:
An adjustable drum beating device, comprising at least one rotor operable to rotate a drum beater, a foot pedal driven flexible driver having a path of engagement with the rotor and operable to rotate the rotor, the driver having adjustable connection to the rotor to effectively adjust the position of the foot pedal relative to the rotor, and there being adjustably relatively movable parts associated with at least one rotor to adjust the configuration of the path of engagement of the flexible driver with the rotor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to improvements in bass drum beating equipment; more particularly it concerns enhanced drum beating capability and adjustable beater movement toward the drum, adjustable beater movement relative to a foot pedal, and enhanced stability, support and integration of such apparatus to improve its operability, use, and lengthen the life of such equipment. 
   Prior drum beating mechanisms as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,756,224; 4,188,853; 3,797,356; 3,750,517; 3,742,806; 3,543,632; 3,195,391; and 2,845,830 have lacked the unusual advantages and combinations of advantages, structurally and functionally, of the present invention. For example, prior drum beaters were collapsible, which weakened them structurally, in use, and they tended to move about during foot pedaling. Also, beater movement in response to pedal movement was too slow for many drummers. The present invention represents a substantial and unusual advance over the prior art, and fills a need for the above advantages as well as additional advantages as will appear. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Basically, the invention is embodied in a foot-operated, bass drum pedal assembly and includes in combination:
         a) at least one rotor operable to rotate a drum beater,   b) a foot pedal driven flexible driver having a path of engagement with the rotor and operable to rotate the rotor, the driver having adjustable connection to the rotor to effectively adjust the position of the foot pedal relative to the rotor,   c) there being adjustably relatively movable parts associated with said at least one rotor to adjust the configuration of the path of engagement of the flexible driver with the rotor.       

   As will appear, the speed of reaction and/or rotation of the beater in response to pedal movement is thereby enhanced, for more accurately timed drum beating; and pedal return to- up-position is adjustable to achieve desired acceleration, to more quickly position the pedal to selected position for a subsequent down push, for the next drum beat. 
   Additional objects include the provision of a control to hold the movable parts in adjusted position corresponding to a selected configuration of said path; the provision of a clamp to clamp together said parts after adjusted relative movement of the parts; the provision of interengagable teeth or serrations on the clamp and on the rotor to enable selective positioning of the parts; and the provision of such parts having slide or pivotal interconnection. 
   A further object includes provision of a tension spring biasing the rotor toward a rest position, the spring having an end portion remote from the rotor, and a swivel connection between said spring end portion and a support. 
   Yet another object includes provision of a base plate, at least one pedestal on the base plate, an axle carried by the pedestal, and defining an axis, the rotor carried by the axis to rotate about said axis, the foot pedal carried to pivot relative to the base plate. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: 

   
     DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation showing preferred apparatus incorporating the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view taken on lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevation taken on lines  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged elevation taken on lines  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a vertical section taken on lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a section taken on lines  6 — 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary view taken on lines  7 — 7  of  FIG. 6  to show drive chain end retention; 
       FIG. 8  is a view like  FIG. 7 , but with the chain removed from the rotor (or hub); 
       FIG. 9  is a horizontal section taken on lines  9 — 9  of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of one adjustable part of the rotor or hub; 
       FIG. 11  is a view like  FIG. 6 , but showing two hub or rotor parts in an adjusted (extended) position; 
       FIG. 12  is a side elevation of a hub, showing modified adjustable parts; and 
       FIG. 13  is a view like  FIG. 12 , showing the adjustable parts in extended position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The foot-operated bass drum pedal assembly  10  illustrated includes forwardly longitudinally elongated, horizontal base plate  11  which is relatively heavy and metallic to anchor the device on a floor surface  12 . In this regard, the plate may consist of steel, and typically carries an elastomer layer  13  such as rubber on its underside to grip the floor. The underside of layer  13  may be serrated to enhance the grip. 
   Mounted to the upper side of the plate is a sub-assembly that includes two upright laterally spaced pedestals  14  interconnected by a bottom yoke plate  15 . These elements are also metallic, and may consist of steel. The yoke plate is attached to plate  11  by suitable threaded fasteners. 
   A horizontal shaft  18  extends laterally between, and is rotatably supported by the two pedestals, near their uppermost extents; to this end, suitable shaft bearings  16  may be located in the pedestal upper end portions  14   a.    
   A hub or rotor  20  is carried by the shaft  18 , and may rotate on the shaft, as enabled by bearings as seen at  20   a  and  20   b  in FIG.  5 . Positioners  21  and  22  engage the bearing inner races to locate the hub or rotor on the shaft. The rotor  20  carries a stick or beater rod  24 , via a bore  25  in the rotor. A beater head  24   a  is attached to the opposite and remote end of the rod or shaft  24 . 
   Flexible driver chain  30  is entrained on the rotor or hub  20  and has opposite end portions, one of which is anchored to the rotor at  30   a , spaced above the base plate and above a pedal  31 . A non-metallic liner  100  on the rotor is engaged by the chain.  FIG. 6  shows a chain anchor link  32  attached as by a fastener  28  to the rotor. An adjustable connection at  29  enables endwise adjustment of link  32  relative to a retainer  29   a  on the rotor. Fastener  28  extends through slots  29   c  and  32   c  in  29  and  32 . When fastener  28  is loosened, serrations or teeth  32   a  on link  32  may be adjustably slipped over teeth  29   b  on retainer  29   a  to enable endwise or path-wise adjustment of the chain along the rotor periphery. Fastener parts  28   a  and  28   b  grip  29  and  32  to hold the teeth in engagement. This adjustability of parts enables adjustment of pedal angle of inclination relative to the base plate, as will appear. 
   The forwardly elongated pedal extends in inclined relation above the base plate, and has a forward portion  31   a  of the pedal attached to the lower end  30   b  of the chain dependent below the forwardmost extent to the hub, to be displaced downwardly as the pedal is pressed downwardly, thereby rotating the rotor and beater, to beat the bass drum  150 . 
   It will be noted that the rotor periphery  20   a engaged by the chain is adjustably eccentric to the axis  18   a  of rotation of the rotor and axle shaft  18 . In particular, the chain has a mid-portion  30   b  being at progressively increasing distance (compare large distance d 1 , with lesser distance d 2 , for example, in  FIG. 4 ) from the axis  18   a , along the chain length or path in a direction toward the dangling chain portion  30   a  below the hub. As a result, the pedal accelerates, faster, the travel of the beater toward the drum, as during initial rotation of the hub by the chain, due to the longer torque arm, of which d 1 , is representative, relative to the shorter torque arm as at d 2  which are in effect as the hub completes it rotation and as the beater closely approaches the drum. This also enables more accurate timing of drum beating. Also, the cam effect serves to move more rapidly the chain extent hanging below the hub, as the chain returns to the hub, thereby bringing the pedal up faster than if the hub rotated about its true center. 
     FIGS. 6 ,  10  and  11  show provision of one form of adjustably relatively movable parts associated with rotor or hub  18 , for adjusting the configuration of the eccentric path  80  of engagement of the flexible driver, such as chain  30 , with the rotor, i.e. to increase or decrease the eccentricity to best adapt to drum beating. As shown, the parts may take the form of adjuster hub part  18   d  slidably movable on and relative to hub part  18   e  to adjust the eccentricity of the chain pathway  80  on the hub. See parallel slide and guide surfaces  70   a  and  71   a  on arms  70  and  71  of part  18   d , and which are respectively slidably engageable with slide surfaces  72   a  and  73   a  or part  18   e.    
   Accordingly, slide surfaces  72   a  and  73   a  serve as a form of guide means to enable guided bodily displacement of one part or section  18   d  outwardly relative to the other part of section  18   e.    
   In  FIG. 11 , part  18   d  has been displaced leftwardly relative to part  18   e , creating a gap  84  between stop surface  74  on part  18   d  and stop surface  75  on part  18   e . In  FIG. 6 , surfaces  74  and  75  are engaged. Also, in  FIG. 6 , the eccentricity e 1  of the path of chain travel on the hub is determined by radius r 2  relative to radius r 1 , where r 1 , is the radius from axis  18   a  to serrations  32   a  on link  32 , and r 2  is the radius from axis  18   a  to the rotor chain path point  85  where the chain leaves the hub; and in  FIG. 11  the eccentricity e 2  of the path of chain travel on the hub is determined by radius r 3  relative to radius r 1 , where r 3  is the radius from axis  18   a  to the displaced or adjusted rotor chain path point  86  where the chain leaves the hub. Note that r 3  &gt;r 2 , and e 2  &gt;e 1 . 
   A fastener  87  is tightenable to secure part  18   d  to part  18   e  at adjusted positions of desired eccentricity, between e 1  and e 2 . The fastener extends in a direction parallel to axis  18   a , and into a threaded bore  88  on a lug  88   a  integral with part  18   d . See FIG.  9 . When tightened, fastener head  87   a  clamps against shoulder  90  on part  18   e , which in turn effects frictional clamping of part  18   d  against part  18   e , at interface  91 . See FIG.  9 . Release of the fastener, enables relative shifting of parts  18   d  and  18   e . See also guide slot  90   a  in  18   e  to accommodate relative shifting of  18   d  and  18   e  with fastener  87  extending in that slot. 
   Accordingly, threaded fastener  87  serves as a form of retention means to retain part or section  18   d in a selected outwardly displaced position relative to the other part or section  18   e . See  FIGS. 9 and 11 . 
   The pedal has a rear end portion  31   b  pivotally connected to the base plate near the rearward end thereof. Of unusual advantage for this purpose is a piano hinge  38  which extends transversely between the pedal rearwardmost portion and a heel pad  39 . See FIG.  1 . The hinge has two leaves,  38   a  and  38   b . Leaf  38   a  projects rearwardly into the hard rubber heel pad to be anchored thereby, and the other leaf  38   b  is attached to the pedal rearwardmost extent, at the underside thereof. The heel pad is attached to the base plate, as by fasteners  40 , and the treaded upper surface  39   a  of that pad is slightly higher in elevation than the top of the hinge  38 , or at the same level as that top. 
   Bolts  45  are threadably attached at  46  to a cross-piece  44  and have tapered lower ends  45   a  that extend downwardly and forwardly at opposite lateral sides of the base plate, to adjustably penetrate or grip a floor surface for blocking forward bodily displacement of the base plate, in use. 
   A clamp finger  50  is rotatably carried by the yoke, as at lateral pivot locations  51 , to pivot axis  52 . The yoke also has two tongues  53  that extend forwardly beneath the level of the clamp finger, and at laterally opposite sides thereof, the tongues supported by the base plate. In use, the tongues support the downwardly convex lower side of the bass drum rim  53   a as at locations  54 . The upper side of the rim is downwardly clamped by the forward portion  50   a  of the finger  50 . Downward pivoting of the finger forward portion is adjustably effected by a set screw  55  threaded through a part  55   a , and bearing on a finger  55   b  that in turn bears on clamp finger  50 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 3 , upright return spring  59  has its upper end attached to a connector  58  at  59   a , and its lower end adjustably attached to a swivel  41 , which is carried by a pedestal  14 , that minimizes friction as the hub rotates, due to pendulum pivoting of the swivel. 
   A threaded connector  62  attached to the lower end of the spring at  62   a  is rotatable in a threaded opening in swivel pin  63  rotatably carried by the pedestal, to adjust the spring tension. Connector  58  is eccentrically carried by an offset  42  on the hub. 
   Accordingly, a sturdy, compact, reliable and more accurate pedal unit is provided. 
     FIGS. 12 and 13  show hub parts  90  and  91 , pivotably interconnected at  92 , and relatively adjustable as between positions seen in  FIGS. 12 and 13  to vary the configuration of the chain driver path (increased or decreased eccentricity). The pivoted and secured position of part  90  determines chain path eccentricity. An adjuster  94  may extend between  90  and  91  to adjust their relative positions. Tip  94   a  of the adjuster may slide in a slot  95  in  90 . Chain end  30   h  is shiftable when retainer  98  is loosened.