Abstract:
A lightweight and easily erectable, collapsible and storable rack system for supporting music components adjacent to associated instruments. The racks can support microphones arranged about a drum set. The rack system includes fittings for horizontal bars that are pivotally attached to one another and foldable legs for the bars that allows for the system to be easily and neatly packed away during nonuse. Microphones can be pivotally attached to extendable arms, which in turn are pivotally attached to the horizontal bars. The arms can extend upward and downward from the bars, and be bendable to allow further versatility. Power and communication cables can also run through the legs and bars to the microphones.

Description:
This invention relates to instrument racks, and in particular to a foldable, expandable, and an interchangeable assembly for supporting accessories such as microphones and cables to be supported and arranged about instruments such as drum sets, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Generally, many drummers use at least approximately five to approximately twelve microphone stands with boom arms. Also, the drummers need microphone cables that can be at least approximately twenty to approximately thirty feet in length for each microphone. For example, for a snare, hi-hats, three toms, a bass drum and overhead cymbals, up to nine or more individual microphone stands have been used. In addition for each microphone stand there is the requirement for individual microphone cables. For example, nine stands has required nine cables. Additionally, the traditional stands are difficult to pack up and move and further require substantial space for storage. The conventional individual stands and cables do not fold up together. Additionally, the time expense to set up and take down multiple stands and cables is an additional problem. Furthermore, the weight of the stands and cables adds a substantially extra burden for transporting and setting up the equipment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 305,026 to Wolf; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,303 to Wolf; U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,789 to Eason et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,032 to Kuo, each show conventional type microphone stands. However, none of the patents allow for multiple microphones, nor provide any wrap around rack, nor support individual cables, and all suffer from all the problems described above. 
     Some attempts have been made over the years to support multiple microphones. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,045,583 to Mills; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 384,077 to Frasse; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,599 to Tohidi. However, these patents are generally limited to single stands for holding up several microphones. The single stand cannot support multiple microphones that must be arranged at various vertical heights and horizontally about an instrument set such as a drum set. 
     Accessory type rails have also been proposed. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,229 to Porcaro et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,292 to Lombardi. However, these patented devices have rails with limited heights and lengths for directly mounting both the instruments and the microphones directly on the rails; Thus, the drummer is limited to the physical constraints of these rails for which to position both their microphones and their instruments. Both of these patents do not allow the user to customize different height and spatial type locations for their instruments and microphones. Both of these devices do not allow for extension arms with microphones to be added to the rails. Additionally, both of these devices would potentially require multiple outside cables arranged about the rails. 
     Other patents of interest known to the subject inventor that also fail to overcome the problems described above include U.S. Pat. No. Des. 327,211 to Tarshis et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,506 to Sakamoto et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,170 to Kanamori et al. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the subject invention is to provide a single rack unit for instruments such as drums for supporting accessories such as microphone stands and cables. 
     The secondary objective of the subject invention is to provide a single rack unit for instruments such as drums, which wraps about the instruments(such as the drum set). 
     The third objective of the subject invention is to provide a single rack unit for instruments such as drums, which can fold up for easy storage. The invention has extension boom arms that can swing and fold parallel to the main rack unit. The main rack units arms and legs can swing in and fold up so that the entire unit is in a bundle having dimensions of approximately four feet in length, approximately ten inches high, and be approximately ten inches wide. 
     The fourth objective of the subject invention is to provide a single rack unit for instruments such as drums that is lightweight. All the components of the single rack unit combined together can weigh approximately one fourth the weight of conventional type microphone stands and cables that are being replaced. 
     A first preferred embodiment can include a rack having up to four or more legs, and up to three or more horizontal support bars that are pivotally attached to one another so that the rack can be easily assembled and disassembled. Fasteners such as thumbscrews can be used to tighten the legs and horizontal bars to desired positions so that the rack can be arranged about an instrument set such as a set of drums. Various novel microphone stands can be attached to the horizontal bars and legs and be further extendable and bendable to selected positions as needed. 
     A second embodiment allows for the microphones to be easily attached to the rack by simple plug type connections such as but not limited to XLR connectors, and the like. 
    
    
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the novel microphone support rack assembled about a drum set. 
     FIG. 1 b  is an enlarged view of the sound board connection used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 1 c  is an enlarged view of a microphone mounting fitting used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 1 d  is an enlarged view of a dual pivot fitting used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 1 e  is an enlarged view of a single pivot fitting used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 2 shows the underlying frame used in the rack of FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 3 shows the frame of FIG. 2 beginning to be folded. 
     FIG. 4 shows the frame of FIG. 2 in a final folded state. 
     FIG. 5 a  is a side view of the dual pivot fitting of FIG. 1 d  along arrow V 1 . 
     FIG. 5 b  is a front view of the dual pivot fitting of FIG. 1 d  along arrow V 2 . 
     FIG. 6 a  is a side view of the single pivot fitting of FIG. 1 e  along arrow W 1 . 
     FIG. 6 b  is a front view of the single pivot fitting of FIG. 1 e  along arrow W 2 . 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged view a double pivot and double telescoping microphone arm that can be used for vocals with the rack. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of an upper microphone arm used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a lower microphone arm used in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment microphone support rack. 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a pivot support arrangement used in the rack of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a pivot fitting joint used in the rack of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a flexing microphone mount. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     First Embodiment 
     FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the novel microphone support rack  100  assembled about a conventional type drum set previously described that can include a snare, hi-hats, three toms, a bass drum and overhead cymbals. 
     FIG. 1 b  is an enlarged view of the sound board connection used in FIG. 1 a . The soundboard connection includes a multi-conductor cable  102  which can run through one opening end  101  in main horizontal longitudinal bar  110  to connect to the microphones attached to the support rack  100 . Male and female connectors  104 ,  106  such as but not limited to XLR connectors, ¼ inch plugs, and the like, that can attach cable  102  to external cable  108  which can pass to conventional external equipment  109 (not shown) such as amplifiers, synthesizers, and the like. 
     FIG. 1 c  is an enlarged view of a microphone mounting fitting  210  used with the novel rack  100  in FIG. 1 a . Fitting  210  can include a main hollow cylinder portion  212  having open slit bottom  211  that allows the main horizontal longitudinal bar  110  to pass therethrough. A lower protruding double flange  216  can be adjusted apart from one another depending on the diameter of longitudinal bar  110  by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  217 . On top of the main hollow cylinder  212 , can be an outer telescopic tube  312  of upper microphone arm  310  pivotally attached to an upper double pivot flange  214  with an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  215  passing therethrough(FIG. 8 shows more detail of the upper microphone arm  310  with mount hole  313  for allowing the thumb screw  215  to pass therethrough.) Screw  215  provides a pivot axis for allowing upper microphone arm  310  to be able to rotate in the both directions of arrows M 1 . 
     FIG. 1 d  is an enlarged view of a dual pivot fitting  220 (and described in greater detail in reference to FIGS. 5 a - 5   b ) used in FIG. 1 a . Fitting  220  can provide a connection point for allowing right horizontal longitudinal bar  130  to pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows H 1  to main horizontal longitudinal bar  110 . Fitting  220  also provides a connection point for allowing front right vertical leg  160  to pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows H 2  to main horizontal longitudinal bar  110 FIG. 1 e  is an enlarged view of a single pivot fitting  230 (which is described in greater detail in reference to FIGS. 6 a - 6   b ) used in FIG. 1 a . Fitting  230  can provide a connection point for allowing rear right vertical leg  180  to pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows H 3  to right horizontal longitudinal bar  130 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the underlying frame  105  used in the rack of FIG. FIG. 1 a . As described in the previous figures while keeping main horizontal bar  110  stationary, the right horizontal bar  130  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow H 1 , right front vertical leg  160  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow H 2 , and right rear vertical leg  180  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow H 3 . Also left horizontal bar  120  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow  11 , left front vertical leg  150  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow  12 , and left rear vertical leg  140  can be rotated and folded in the direction of arrow  13 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the frame  105  of FIG. 2 beginning to be folded. FIG. 4 shows the frame  105  of FIG. 2 in a final folded state, after the components in FIG. 2 were folded again in the direction of arrows H 1 ′, H 2 ′, H 3 ′, I 1 ′, I 2 ′, and I 3 ′. The final folded state  100 ′ can become a bundle having dimensions of approximately four feet in length, approximately ten inches high and be approximately ten inches wide. 
     FIG. 5 a  is a side view of the dual pivot fitting  220  of FIG. 1 d  along arrow V 1 . FIG. 5 b  is a front view of the dual pivot fitting  220  of FIG. 1 d  along arrow V 2 . Referring to FIGS. 1 d  and  5   a - 5   b , dual pivot fitting  220  includes main hollow cylindrical fitting portion  222  having open slit  221  that allows an end of the main horizontal longitudinal bar  110  to pass therethrough. An upper protruding double flange  224  can be adjusted apart from one another depending on the diameter of longitudinal bar  110  by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  225 . On one side of the cylinder  222 , can be an end of the right horizontal longitudinal bar  130  pivotally attached to double side flanges  226  with an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  227 . On the bottom of cylinder  222  can be the upper end of right front vertical leg  160  pivotally attached to double flanges  228  by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  229 . 
     FIG. 6 a  is a side view of the single pivot fitting  230  of FIG. 1 e  along arrow W 1 . FIG. 6 b  is a front view of the single pivot fitting  230  of FIG. 1 e  along arrow W 2 . Referring to FIGS. 1 e  and  6   a  - 6   b , single pivot fitting  230  includes main hollow cylindrical fitting portion  232  having open slit  231  that allows an end of right horizontal longitudinal bar  130  to pass therethrough. An upper protruding double flange  234  can be adjusted apart from one another depending on the diameter of bar  130  by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  235 . On the bottom of cylinder  232  can the upper end of right reare vertical leg  180  pivotally attached to double flanges  236  by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  229 . 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged view a double pivot and double telescoping microphone ann  400  that can be used for vocals with the rack  100  of FIG. 1 a  and the microphone mount fitting  210  of FIGS. 1 c . Referring to FIGS. 1 a ,  1   c  and  7 , the vertical outer telescopic tube  410  of arm  400  can attach to left horizontal bar  120  by thumb screw  215  passing through double flanges  214  and through-hole  413  in the lower end of outer telescopic tube  410 . Vertical inner telescopic tube  420  can move up and down in the direction of arrows J 3  and have an end within the upper end of outer telescopic tube  410  and be attached thereto by a clamp collar  415  and a screw  417  having a tip(not shown) which can contact an exterior lower end portion of inner telescopic tube  420 . A horizontal outer telescopic tube  430  can pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows J 2  relative to telescopic tubes  410  and  420  by a conventional type pivot clamps  450  and  460  attached to one another by thumb screws  455  similar to those previously described. A horizontal inner telescopic tube  440  can move in and out of outer telescopic tube  430  in the direction of arrows J 1  and be held to a selected position by clamp collar  435  and thumb screw  437  similar to clamp  415  and screw  417 . The outer end  447  of telescopic tube  440  can include exterior threads  447  for allowing the telescopic tube  440  to attach to a conventional microphone  3 . 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of an upper microphone arm  310  used in FIG. 1 a . Referring to FIGS. 1 a ,  1   c  and  8 , upper microphone arm  310  can include an outer telescopic tube  312  having a through-hole  313  in its lower end for allowing it to be pivotally attached to double flanges  214  of microphone mount fitting  210  by a thumb screw  215 . An extendable and retractable inner telescopic tube  320  has a lower end which passes into outer telescopic tube  312 , and is held to a selected position by a clamp collar  315  with a thumb screw  317 . The thumb screw can lock the inner telescopic tube  320  to a selected position to the outer telescopic tube  312 . A conventional pivot head  328  can be attached onto the outer end of inner telescopic tube  320  and be pivotally attached to a conventional microphone type clip  330  by a pivot pin  329 . Clip  330  can have a hollow cavity(not shown) for allowing a base portion of a microphone to be inserted inside, and clip  330  can rotate in the direction of arrows K 2  to inner telescopic tube  320  and outer telescopic tube  312 . 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a lower microphone arm  350  used in FIG. 1 a , and can be similar to the double pivot and double telescoping microphone arm  400  of FIG.  7 . Referring to FIGS. 1 a ,  1   c  and  9 , lower microphone arm  350  can be attached to main horizontal bar  110  of rack  100  by double flanges  216  and thumb screw  217  of microphone mount fitting  210  connecting through the lower through-hole  353  which passes through a lower end portion of vertical outer telescopic tube  352 . Vertical inner telescopic tube  360  can move up and down in the direction of arrows L 1  and have an end within the upper end of outer telescopic tube  352  and be attached thereto by a clamp collar  355  and a screw  357  having a tip(not shown) which can contact an exterior lower end portion of inner telescopic tube  360 . A horizontal outer telescopic tube  370  can pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows L 2  relative to telescopic tubes  352  and  360  by a conventional type pivot clamps  392  and  396  attached to one another by thumb screw  395  similar to those previously described. A horizontal inner telescopic tube  390  can move in and out of outer telescopic tube  370  in the direction of arrows L 3  and be held to a selected position by clamp collar  375  and thumb screw  377  similar to clamp  355  and screw  357 . The outer end  387  of telescopic tube  380  can include exterior threads  387  for allowing the telescopic tube  380  to attach to a conventional screw-on microphone  3 . 
     Some or all of the microphones  3  used in the first embodiment can be attached by the interior communication lines running through the rack  100  as shown in FIG. 1 b , so that no external lines, cables, wires, and the like are needed. 
     The microphone fittings  210  of FIG. 1 c  can be used to attach the microphone arms  310 FIG. 8,  350 FIG. 9 and 400 FIG. 7 to any of the horizontal bars  120 ,  110  and  130  and to any of the vertical legs  140 ,  150 ,  160  and  180  of FIG. 1 a  and FIGS. 2-4 either extending upward, and/or downward and/or to any side position as needed, when arranging the microphones  3  about instruments such as a drum set  1 . 
     Second Embodiment 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment microphone support rack  500 . FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a pivot support arrangement  600  used in the rack  500  of FIG.  10 . FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a pivot fitting joint  700  used in the rack of FIG.  10 . FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a flexing microphone mount  800 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 10-13, the second embodiment  500  includes three longitudinal horizontal bars  510 ,  520 , and  530  pivotally attached to one another by a conventional type hinge arrangement. For example the hinge arrangement  600  can include a protruding portion  594  from bar  520  that passes through spaced apart flanges  592  attached to bar  530  and held together by an adjustable and tightenable thumb screw  595  which allows bars  520  and  530  to rotate and pivot to one another in the direction of arrows P 1  Similarly vertical legs  540 ,  550 ,  560  and  570  can be pivotally attached to horizontal bars  510 ,  520 , and  530  by a hinge arrangement  700  similar to hinge arrangement  600  so that the legs( 570  for example) can pivot and rotate in the direction of arrows P 2 . A bendable goose-neck type stand  580  can connect microphone  3  to the rack  500  in the direction of arrow N by male and female connectors  575 , such as but not limited to XLR type connectors, ¼ inch plugs, and the like. Interior communication lines such as those depicted in FIG. 1 b  can also pass into the rack  500  of the second embodiment, so that no external wires, lines, cables, and the like, are used in the second embodiment. 
     Similar to the first embodiment, embodiment two can also fold up when not be used, or for transport, and the like. 
     The components of both preferred embodiments can also be combined with one another. For example, microphone fittings  210  of FIG. 1 a  can be attached to the rack  500  of FIG. 10 to supplement the microphone type connections thereon, and vice versa. 
     Although both preferred embodiments show racks  100  and  500  using four legs and three horizontal bars, the invention can be practiced with less or more legs and bars. For example, a drummer can use double base drums, which would require four arms and four legs in the main rack. Also, the shapes of the legs and bars can also vary from being cylindrical to being rectangular, square, and the like. 
     While the preferred embodiment is described for supporting microphones, the invention can support other components such as the instruments themselves, combinations of the microphones and the instruments, and the like. 
     Although the preferred embodiments describe using the novel rack frame about a drum set, the invention can be used with and/or arranged about other types of instruments used in a band, an orchestra, and the like, such as but not limited to guitars, saxophones, violins, trumpets, and the like, and combinations, thereof. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.