Drum pedal support

A foot pedal assembly has a rigid foot plate with its heel end pivotally supported on a pivot axis which is above the plane of the heel end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a foot pedal of the type which may be used 
with a drum or other instrument. 
Foot pedals are well known, such as for drummers and percussionists who use 
pedals to play the bass drum and the high-hat cymbals, for example. A 
typical foot pedal comprises a metal plate having a heel end which rests 
on the ground and is connected by a hinge to a toe end, which angles up 
off the ground and is coupled to an instrument in some operative way. For 
example, a bass drum may be hit with a padded striker which is pivotally 
attached to the toe end by a cam, chain or the like, so that when the toe 
end is pushed down, the striker hits the drum. Likewise, the top high-hat 
cymbal may be directly coupled to the toe end so that when the toe end is 
pushed down, the top high-hat cymbal closes onto the lower high-hat 
cymbal. 
One problem associated with such conventional foot pedal constructions is 
that the user's entire leg moves up and down and the lower leg moves back 
and forth to operate the pedal since the user's heel on the ground. It 
would be desirable to have a foot pedal which allowed movement only by the 
foot to operate the coupled instrument. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is a foot pedal utilizable for operating an 
instrument. In its broadest form, a rigid foot plate has its heel end 
pivotally supported on an axis which is above the plane of the heel end. 
In the preferred embodiment, a base plate has a U-shaped support bracket 
affixed to it with two arms extending upwardly therefrom. A foot plate 
also has a U-shaped support bracket affixed to a heel portion of the foot 
plate and with two arms extending upwardly therefrom. The arms of the 
support brackets are pivotally coupled together thereby providing a pivot 
axis which is above the plane of the heel portion. 
Preferably, the foot plate support bracket is adjustably affixed to the 
foot plate, and both support arms have adjustment positions whereby the 
location of the pivot axis may be changed. 
A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present 
invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed 
description of the invention and accompanying drawings which set forth an 
illustrative embodiment in which the principles of the invention are 
utilized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to FIG. 1, the present invention is presented schematically. 
A base plate 10 rests on the ground in close proximity to a foot-operable 
instrument 11. A support bracket 12 or base bracket is rigidly attached to 
the base plate 10 and has a plurality of adjustment holes 14 disposed 
vertically on an upright or arm portion of the base bracket. 
A foot plate 16 is coupled to the instrument 11 at its toe end in some 
operative manner at coupling 17 by one of many well-known techniques. 
The foot plate 16 also has a support bracket 18 or foot bracket which is 
similar to base bracket 12 and which is attached to the foot plate. The 
foot bracket 18 has a plurality of adjustment holes 20 disposed vertically 
on an upright or arm portion of the foot bracket. 
A pivotal connection is provided between the foot bracket 18 and the base 
bracket 12 such that the foot bracket pivots on the base bracket on an 
axis which is parallel to the ground or base plate 10, but also above the 
plane of the foot plate 16, for example, approximately coaxial with the 
user's ankle. The location of the pivot axis may be fixed, or preferably, 
it is adjustable by means of the adjustment holes 14 in the base bracket 
and the adjustment holes 20 in the foot bracket. 
It is also preferable that the foot bracket 18 be adjustable laterally 
along the length of foot plate 16, for example, in the direction indicated 
by arrow 22. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment for a drum pedal 100 is 
shown. The drum pedal 100 includes a metal base plate 110. A base bracket 
112 is rigidly mounted on the base plate 110, for example, by metals 
screws or weldment. The base bracket 112 is a piece of 1/4 inch steel 
strap or equivalent cast structure measuring approximately 11/2 inches 
wide by 24 inches long and bent into a U-shape to provide a opening 
between upright portions of approximately 75/8 inches. A plurality of 
holes 114 are symmetrically provided on the upright portions of base 
bracket 112. 
A foot plate 116 has a foot bracket 118 rigidly mounted to the heel end of 
the foot plate, for example, by metal screws 119. However, it is preferred 
that the foot bracket 118 be movable laterally along the foot plate 116. 
Therefore, a plurality of holes 121 are provided in the foot plate 116 so 
that the position of the foot bracket 118 relative to the foot plate may 
be adjusted. 
The foot bracket 118 is constructed in a U-shape similarly to the base 
bracket 112 and it is adapted to fit between the upright portions of the 
base bracket. In the preferred embodiment, the opening between upright 
portions of the foot bracket 118 is 6 inches. A plurality of holes 120 are 
symmetrically provided on the upright portions of foot bracket 112 for 
position adjustment. 
The foot bracket 118 is connected to the base bracket 112 by pivotal 
connections 124 which extend through corresponding adjustment holes on the 
upright portions of both the base bracket and the foot bracket. The 
position at which the pivot occurs, i.e. the pivot axis, can be varied by 
selecting different combinations of the adjustment holes. The selection of 
position for the pivot axis will be determined by the user based on 
experience and comfort. I have found that a position which is coaxial with 
the user's ankle will generally provide maximum comfort and usefulness. 
A conventional striker assembly 126 is coupled to the toe end of the drum 
pedal 100 and includes uprights 127 which are affixed to the base plate 
110 and an axle 128 which is rotatably mounted between the uprights. A 
striker 130 is rigidly connected to the axle 128. A gear 132 is also 
rigidly connected to the axle 128 and is driven by a short length of chain 
134 which is connected at one end to the foot plate 116 and at the other 
end to the gear 132. A spring 136 is coupled to the axle 128 to bias the 
striker in a retracted position. Upon pressing down the foot pedal 116, 
the chain 134 rotates the gear 132 and striker 130 to contact the bass 
drum surface (not shown). Upon releasing the foot pedal 116, the bias 
spring 136 rotates the gear 132 and striker 130 away from the bass drum 
surface. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment of the pivotal connection 
124 is illustrated in greater detail. A solid metal plate 150 is coupled 
to the adjustment holes 114 in base bracket 112, for example by nut and 
bolt. A ball bearing assembly has a cylindrical retaining cup 152 
centrally affixed on the metal plate 150, for example by weldment, and a 
ball bearing ring 154 which fits within the retaining cup 152. The ring 
154 has a central opening 155 for receiving an axle therein as is well 
known. Such ball bearing assemblies are conventional and readily 
available, such as a "SUF" or "NTN" single row radial double sealed 
bearing having a 1/4 inch inside diameter and 3/4 inch outside diameter. A 
hinge pin 156 is inserted through one of the adjustment holes 120 in foot 
bracket 118 and into the central opening 155 in ring bearing 154. Thus, 
the position of metal plate 150 can be adjusted vertically on base bracket 
112. Likewise, the position of the hinge pin 156 can be adjusted 
vertically on foot bracket 118. In this way, the pivot axis may be located 
for maximum comfort and usefulness according to the preference of the 
user. 
It should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited by 
the specifics of the above-described embodiment, but rather defined by the 
accompanying claims.