Carrier for a percussion instrument or other object

Apparatus for carrying an object, such as a percussion instrument, a backpack or a tray, includes a belly plate with a carrier extending outwardly therefrom to support the object in a generally overhanging position from a person. A rigid band extends along one or both sides of the person at the waistline area from the belly plate to the back of the person. A back-plate riser arm extends upwardly generally parallel to the spine of a person to apply a reactive force to the load at the thoracic region generally below the scapula region or at the sternum region. A pad assembly is adjustably positioned on the riser arms to engage the person's back or chest. A releasable latch interconnects the rigid band and the belly plate. A carrier bracket is releasably supported by the belly plate by engaging latch pins in notches located at opposite sides of a lock plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an apparatus for carrying an obJect such as a 
percussion instrument, particularly drums; a work tray for tradesmen or a 
carrier for a backpack. More particularly, the present invention relates 
to a carrier device embodying a construction and relationship of parts to 
transfer forces due to, inter alia, the weight of a burden to the body of 
a person carrying the burden in a manner so that the person can 
efficiently carry a burden; maintain a stable attitude while walking or 
marching about and avoid pressure or other forms of detrimental forces on 
the shoulders and lower back, lumbar region. 
As is known in the art, a carrier for a percussion instrument generally 
takes the form of a frame-like structure that is suspended from the 
shoulders of a person by hooks or straps. The hooks engage with a T-shaped 
breastplate with a central leg extending to a riser attached to a belly 
plate. A carrier frame projects from the belly plate and any one of 
various forms of extension bars may be attached to the carrier frame for 
engaging the instrument or instruments It is a common practice to use such 
a carrier to support one or more of a variety of instruments that notably 
consist of one or more drums. The instrument may comprise marching bells, 
a xylophone, a vibraphone, a marimba, a timpani, chimes or the like. An 
example of such a carrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,123. 
Instead of hook members to engage the shoulders, a shoulder harness made up 
of straps that pass over the shoulders of a person, crossing in the back 
and passing forwardly below the arms at the sides of the person, can be 
used to support a drum which is also connected to a belly plate by other 
straps. Examples of this type of carrier are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
3,021,744 and 3,974,732. Another form of an instrument carrier is shown in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,007 and comprises a rigid metal rod with bent portions 
forming a pair of spaced-apart loops for engaging the shoulder blades of a 
marcher and a cooperating integral bent portion adapted to contact the 
back of the marcher to suspend the carrier from the player's torso. A pair 
of arm members projects from the frame at the back of a person forwardly 
to support the percussion instrument. A releasable belt is coupled between 
the opposite sides of the frame to secure the carrier to the marcher. 
Because of the fact that percussion instruments must be carried at an 
outwardly-extended position from the marcher's body, the shoulders and the 
lower back of the person carrying the instrument are particularly 
vulnerable to fatigue. The stress and strain due to the overhung load can 
be detrimental to the person carrying the instrument. In recent times, the 
number, weight and types of instruments that are carried have increased. 
For example, four and sometimes six drums are carried by an individual. 
Other instruments which are supported by carriers which hang on the 
marcher's body include bells, a xylophone or a marimba, vibraphone, 
timpani and/or chimes which may have a weight of up to and sometimes 
exceeding 30 pounds. Sometimes an instrument or a group of instruments 
weighing up to 70 pounds must be carried. The weight of an instrument is 
applied to a marcher as a torque about the belly plate and forms a moment 
arm defined by shoulder straps or hooks. The marcher, almost inherently, 
shifts his or her lower torso forwardly as an offsetting measure to 
sustain the load produced by the overhanging weight. A similar condition 
may exit when a person carries an outwardly-extending load from the waist 
area while anchored at the shoulder area. Such a load condition on the 
human body causes fatigue in the lower lumbar region which the apparatus 
of the present invention is designed to at least substantially eliminate. 
A person carrying a backpack also experiences abnormal loading on his or 
her lower torso. The load produced by the weight of a burden which is 
usually situated in an overhanging manner from the body causes the person 
to shift the lower torso region rearwardly as an offsetting measure. 
Examples of a backpack are equipment for camping, and compressed air 
canisters for an air mask. Numerous other articles are carried by 
attaching them to a support structure that is, in turn, attached for 
support by the body of a person at the thoracic region. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for use by 
a person to support an object forming a burden by which reactive forces to 
the weight of the burden which may be carried in an outward or overhung 
manner from the person are applied to the thoracic or sternum region of 
the person about a pivot area normally contacted by a plate situated at 
the waistline region of the person. 
More particularly, according to the present invention an apparatus is 
provided for use by a person to carry an object wherein the apparatus 
includes the combination of means including a carrier to receive an object 
for partial support at the waistline area of the person, a rigid band with 
a generally bent contour to extend along a portion of the waistline area 
of the person, a riser arm supported by the band to extend in a generally 
upward direction such that an upper end portion of the arm will extend 
along to an elevation generally at the thoracic or sternum region of the 
person, and means carried by the upper end portion of the arm for 
imparting to the person a reactive force to the weight of the object about 
the fulcrum area of contact with the person. The aforesaid means with a 
carrier bracket preferably includes a plate with a curved contour to 
conform to the contour of the waistline area of contact with the person. 
In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the aforesaid 
back-plate riser arm angles upwardly from the side of the person to 
diagonally cross the spinal column at the thoracic region. In another 
embodiment of the present invention, the rigid band includes a back 
portion with at least one but preferably two bent side portions having 
terminal ends joined to a belly plate. The back-plate riser arm extends 
perpendicularly to the back portion in a generally parallel relation with 
the spinal column to the thoracic region of a person. A rectangular or 
square pad having a resilient surface is adjustably attached to the 
back-plate riser arm and forms the aforesaid means carried by the arm for 
imparting the reactive force to the person. The pad can be situated to 
engage the thoracic back region below the scapula back region or the 
sternum region of the chest which is generally opposite thereto. 
Latch assemblies are constructed to permit quick disengagement of a carrier 
bracket from the belly plate. The latch assemblies include spaced-apart 
pins that can pass in notches at opposite sides of a latch plate. Other 
latches are constructed to faciliate disengagement of the belly plate from 
the rigid waistband. These latches include a lock shaft with a 
semi-circular part supported so that it can be rotated into one of a 
series of semi-circular grooves in the waistband. The lock shaft is 
supported by spaced-apart trunnions of a holder.

Turning, first, to FIG. 1 there is illustrated an apparatus for carrying an 
instrument. Any one of a number of different instruments such as marching 
bells, a marching xylophone or a marching marimba, may be engaged for 
support on the apparatus by the use of suitably-constructed extension 
arms. More than one drum may be supported by the use of the carrier 
according to the present invention. The apparatus in FIG. 1 includes a 
carrier frame 10 having the form of a U-shaped bent bar with the free ends 
of leg portions welded or otherwise attached to a belly plate 11. The 
carrier frame 10 is engaged with extension arms 12 which project from the 
belly plate along the leg portions of the carrier frame 10 outwardly where 
they engage and support the instrument, such as a marching xylophone, not 
shown. The belly plate 11 has a curved configuration to generally conform 
to the front waistline contour of a person. Fastening rings 13 are bolted 
to opposite lateral sides of plate 11. A waist plate 14 is affixed by 
fasteners 15 across the top portion of the belly plate. Vertically, 
spaced-apart attachment pins 16 extend from the belly plate at the center 
portion thereof. The waist plate takes the form of a rigid band with a 
curved portion 15A protruding outwardly from the belly plate for access to 
the attachment pins 16, the purpose of which will be explained in detail 
hereinafter. The inner face of the curved configuration of the belly plate 
which is opposite the face engaged with carrier frame 10, has a resilient 
comfort pad to cushion and distribute supporting engagement at the 
waistline area with a marcher. The configuration of the belly plate can be 
changed as necessary. If desired, a portion of the waist plate 14 can 
serve as a means for supporting an instrument at the front waistline area 
of a person. The waist plate 14 has a bent side section 15B with at least 
one but preferably two drilled openings therein that can be aligned with 
spaced-apart drilled openings in a lower end portion 18 of a back riser 
arm 19. Fasteners, such as nut and bolt assemblies, releasably 
interconnect the riser arm to the waist plate so that the riser arm is 
spaced from the belly plate by a distance which is sufficient to 
accommodate the size of the waistline area of a person. The riser arm 19 
angles upwardly to present an end portion 20 generally diagonally with the 
spinal column of the person at the thoracic region. A back-plate assembly 
21 is adjustably positioned on end portion 20 to present a load-bearing 
face of the plate at the thoracic back region generally below the scapula 
back region of the person. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the back-plate assembly 21 includes a 
rectangularly-shaped resilient pad 22 having one face surface affixed by a 
suitable adhesive to a plate 23. The opposite face surface of plate 23 
engages slide blocks 24 which are spaced apart by a distance corresponding 
to the width of the back-riser plate so that it can fit between the blocks 
where it is releasably clamped to the plate 23 by a clamp screw 25 passed 
through a threaded opening in a crossplate 26. Drilled openings in the 
crossplate 26, slide blocks 24 and back plate 23 are aligned to receive 
bolts 27 that are secured in place by washers 28 and nuts 29 at the 
crossplate. The slide blocks form spacers to hold the crossplate from the 
backriser plate so that only the threaded end portion of the fastener 25 
can engage the back plate when passed through the crossplate. 
Referring, again, to FIG. 1 the pins 16 engage with openings in a lower end 
portion of a front riser arm 31. The upper end of the riser arm has a 
series of drilled holes to receive threaded fasteners when aligned with 
drilled holes in the shank of a T-shaped breastplate 33. 
Oppositely-extending wing portions of the breastplate carry shoulder hooks 
34 which are attached by threaded fasteners 35. The shoulder hooks 34 pass 
over the shoulders of a person to maintain the belly plate and waist plate 
at an elevation corresponding to the front waistline area. The weight of 
the instrument carried on arms 12 acts, about a fulcrum formed by the 
belly plate, to produce a reactive force on the resilient face of the 
back-plate assembly 21 against the thoracic region generally just below 
the scapula, i.e., just below the lower parts of the shoulder blades. 
In FIG. 2, a further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and 
includes belly plate which is substantially the same as belly plate 11 
already described in regard to FIG. 1. Reference numeral 11 identifies the 
belly plate to which a carrier frame assembly 10A is attached by rivets or 
other fasteners. The carrier frame assembly carries hooks 12A to engage 
and support a snare drum. The embodiment of FIG. 2 includes a waist-plate 
assembly that passes along at least one side part but preferably encircles 
the waistline area at the sides and back of a person. The waist-plate 
assembly includes side portions 43 which are attached at end portions to 
the belly plate with their opposite ends bent to extend along the opposite 
sides of a marcher. The side portions 43 are joined with leg portions of a 
U-shaped back plate 44. Releasable latch assembly as 45 are used to hold 
the back plate to the side portions 43 at a preselected spacing from the 
belly plate. Each latch assembly includes a frame 46 engaged with a length 
of square tubing 47 into which side portions 43 extend and are secured 
thereto. A leg portion of back plate 44 can slide into the tubing. Frame 
46, in turn, supports a springbiased lock pin assembly 48 having a lock 
pin 49 with an end portion that can pass through aligned openings in 
waist-plate portions 43 and 44. Assembly 48 includes an actuator arm 50 
projecting from the lock pin s that the fingers of the person can apply a 
squeezing force to compress a spring 51 and withdraw the pin 49 from the 
aligned openings in waist-plate portions 43 and 44. The latch assembly has 
no loose parts and permits quick disengagement of the waist-plate 
portions. 
A back riser arm 52 extends from the midportion of waist plate 44 in a 
generally perpendicular relationship such that the riser arm projects 
upwardly along a site which is generally parallel with the spinal column 
of the person traversing the thoracic region Back-plate assembly 21 
embodies the same construction of parts as already described in regard to 
FIGS. 1 and 3 for adjustable support on the back riser arm and positioning 
at the thoracic region. End portion 53 of the back riser arm is curved 
forwardly and terminates generally at the upper part of the thoracic 
region, preferably before the cervical region of the person's spine. End 
portion 53 is engaged by threaded fasteners to support a crossbar 54 which 
carries spaced-apart eyelets 55 used to engage with hook members on the 
ends of straps 56. The straps pass forwardly over the shoulders of the 
marcher where they cross at the chest area and passed downwardly to engage 
with fastening rings 13. 
In FIG. 4 of the drawings, the manner by which the apparatus according to 
the present invention is supported by a person is illustrated with respect 
to the embodiment of FIG. 2. It can be seen that the belly plate 11 forms 
a fulcrum area by contact with the waistline area and upper belly region 
for the weight of an instrument, e.g., snare drum D which is carried at an 
outwardly-hanging relation by carrier assembly 12A. The downward force 
produced by the weight of the instrument is applied by a reactive force to 
the thoracic region of the person by back-plate assembly 21. The reactive 
force is transmitted by the waist-plate portions 43 and 44 and riser arm 
52. The hooks 34 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and straps 56 in the 
embodiment of FIG. 2 maintain the carrier so that the waist-plate portions 
extend along the general waistline area of the person and prevent downward 
movement of the carrier on the upper torso of the person. 
In FIGS. 5-10, there is illustrated a disengageable carrier bracket 60 
according to a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the 
present invention. In the same manner as shown in FIG. 2 and described 
previously, two latch assemblies 45 are used to releasably join the end 
parts of leg portions of U-shaped back plate 44 to side parts 61 which 
form part of a waist plate. The side parts 61 are joined by fasteners 62 
such as nut and bolt assemblies to a belly plate 63. The side parts 61 
extend outwardly from the belly plate where they form a carrier frame 10B 
generally comprised of side arms 64 and a front cross arm 65. A support 
pedestal 66 for an instrument, such as a drum, is connected by arms to 
cross arm 65 and the belly plate 63, as shown. The side arms 64, as shown 
in FIGS. 5-8 and 10, each includes spaced-apart latch pins 67 and 68 that 
have threaded end portions by which they are secured to the side arms by 
nut members 67A and 68A, respectively. The latch pins 67 and 68 each has a 
square shank 69 that extends from the side arm to a retaining collar 70. 
The retaining collars 70 extend along one side of a lock plate 71 when the 
square shanks of the latch pins are received in notches 72 and 73 in the 
lock plate. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the notch 72 extends from one side 
edge to about the midportion of the lock plate 71 and the notch 73 extends 
from the opposite side edge to about the midportion of the lock plate. The 
lock plate is spaced from support arms 74 by collars 75. Threaded 
fasteners 76 hold the lock plate and collars to the support arms 74. The 
support arms form part of the carrier bracket 60 that further includes a 
spacer bar 77 also having a U-shaped configuration and is attached to the 
support arm fasteners 78. The frame can be readily connected and 
disconnected without the use of tools by angling the frame so that the 
notches 72 and 73 in the latch plate move out of an engaged relation with 
the latch pins 67 and 68. 
A further and preferred embodiment of a detachable carrier bracket for the 
apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 11-13 which includes 
a latch plate 80 which is preferably a casting embodying a design that 
avoids the need for spacers. The latch plate is connected by spaced-apart 
fastener assemblied 81 to a support arm 82 that forms part of a carrier 
bracket. It is to be understood that the support arm 82 is releasably 
attached to each side of the carrier bracket 10B (FIG. 5). The latch plate 
includes notches 83 and 84 that have tapered edges to receive the tapered 
sides of wedge blocks 85 and 86, respectively. Each wedge block is secured 
by a fastener assembly 87 to the side arms 64. The wedge blocks 85 and 86 
are arranged to engage the tapered edges of the notches 83 and 84 and 
force the latch plate 80 against side arm 64. 
Referring again to FIG. 5, the apparatus shown therein includes a riser arm 
which is identified by reference numeral 88 and carries at its upper end a 
back plate assembly 89. The details of the construction of the riser arm 
and back plate assembly are shown in FIG. 18. The riser arm takes the form 
of a plate member with an enlarged lower end portion 88A wherein two 
openings 88B are provided to receive threaded fasteners by which the riser 
arm is secured to back plate 44. A series of spaced-apart holes 88C is 
formed in the upper end portion of the riser arm. Any one of these holes 
can be aligned with a similar ho1e in the plate 89 and secured thereto by 
a threaded fastener assembly 90. Spaced-apart guide and anchor ribs 91 
project from back face surface of the back plate and extend along opposite 
lateral sides of the upper portion of the riser arm. A rectangular slab 92 
of foam rubber or other resilient material is adhered to a front face 
surface of the plate which is opposite the ribs 91. 
In FIGS. 14-18, there is illustrated a preferred form of latch assembly for 
releasably interconnecting a U-shaped back plate with side parts of the 
waist plate forming part of the carrier assembly according to any of the 
embodiments described hereinbefore. The latch assembly includes a series 
of spaced-apart, semi-circular grooves 94 which are cut in the top edges 
of end portions 95 of a U-shaped back plate. The semi-circular grooves 
extend transverse to the extended length of the plate. The end portion of 
the plate can pass into an opening formed by a holder 96 having 
spaced-apart side walls 97 and 98 that include upstanding support 
trunnions 99 and 101, respectively. Side wall 98 is formed with an 
extended length for attachment to the belly plate. A lock shaft 102 is 
supported by the trunnions. The lock shaft is provided with a flat surface 
103 so that when the shaft is rotated, the flat surface 103 moves from a 
position wherein it faces one of the semi-circular grooves 94, as shown in 
FIG. 17, into a locking position in which the semi-circular part of the 
shaft passes into one of the semi-circular grooves 94 as shown in FIG. 18. 
The shaft 102 is rotated by a lever arm 104 which is connected to the 
shaft by a lock pin. The lever arm is held in the locked and unlocked 
positions by ledges 105 and 106 which protrude from a trunnion 101. 
The end portions 95 of the latch assembly shown in FIGS. 14-18 are, as 
described previously, part of the back plate which is first positioned to 
partly encircle the waist area of the user and then the belly plate with 
extended arms terminating at the holders 96 is moved into position so that 
the end portions 95 slide into the openings of the holders. A desired 
amount of space is then established between the back plate and the belly 
plate by moving the end portions 95 along the holders 96. Minor 
repositioning may be necessary to align the semi-circular slot to directly 
underlie the lock pin at each latch 1 assembly. Thereafter, the lever arm 
104 is rotated to reposition the semi-circular part of the lock into the 
underlying slot. This locks the parts together which can be released by 
rotating the lock pins in the reverse direction. 
In FIG. 20, the apparatus of the present invention which may be constructed 
according to any of the embodiments disclosed hereinbefore is illustrated 
for supporting a tray 110 typically comprised as an open top box. In 
substantially the same manner as described hereinbefore in regard to FIG. 
4, the weight of an object in the box is applied to a fulcrum area by 
contact of the belly plate at the waistline area of a person so that a 
reaction force is applied to the thoracic region of the person by the back 
plate assembly 21. By repositioning of parts as shown in FIG. 21, a 
backpack 111 can be supported by a bracket 112 which is attached to the 
apparatus of the present invention. The bracket 112 is secured by 
fasteners to the belly plate. The belly plate is bent or shaped by other 
means for positioning so that it extends along, i.e., partly encircles, 
the back waistline area of the person with the band extending therefrom 
and encircling the waistline area of person. The back plate assembly is 
positioned on the riser arm to extend to the sternum region of the 
person's chest. The reactive force of the load imposed by the backpack on 
the apparatus is applied to the upper torso at an elevation generally 
corresponding to the sternum region and avoids an abnormal loading on the 
lower torso of the person. 
Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific 
embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that 
various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit 
requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.