Abstract:
Described is a bass drum foot pedal having a variable drive lever linkage with variable arc ratios connecting the foot pedal to a beater bracket. The beater bracket is formed with a mounting surface that tips a beater shaft forward to create a forward beater angle that maximizes the beater impact against a bass drum.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/420,851, filed on Dec. 8, 2010, entitled, “A21 Beater Bracket and Variable Drive Lever System with Variable Pivot Point Spring Rotor for Bass Drum Foot Pedals.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    (1) Field of Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to foot pedals for bass drums and, more specifically, to a beater bracket that is designed to accelerate a beater into the bass drum with greater force and velocity. 
         [0004]    (2) Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Foot pedals have long been used for striking bass drums, since the use of a foot pedal frees both of the drummer&#39;s hands for use with snare drums, cymbals or other devices. However, most prior art bass drum pedals have been constructed with a fixed drive action. This means that the drummer must vary the force with which the beater impacts the drum head by varying the force applied by the drummer&#39;s foot. Unfortunately, some drummers have a “heavier foot” than others and, hence, must constantly guard against causing the beater to strike the drum head too vigorously, while other drummers have a very “light foot” and, consequently, must exert conscious effort to effect a desired beater impact. Some attempts have been made to provide adjustable drive action. However, the adjustable drive action foot pedals of the prior art have been complex, expensive to produce and difficult to adjust and maintain. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,592 (hereinafter referred to as the &#39;592 patent) was devised to address several of the deficiencies listed above. As shown in FIG. 1, the &#39;592 patent shows a bass drum foot pedal 01 having a variable drive lever linkage 02 with variable arc ratios connecting the foot pedal 03 to the beater bracket 04. The &#39;592 patent was a significant improvement over the prior art in that the variable drive lever linkage 02 is adjustable to vary the impact force and strike point of the beater 05. 
         [0007]    While the &#39;592 patent describes a very desirable product that provides for a wide range of adjustability of optimizing performance, the beater bracket 04, in of itself, does not optimize impact force. The beater bracket 04 includes a long axis 06 with a mounting surface 07 in parallel alignment with the long axis 07. A clamp means 08 is used to attach the shaft 09 of the beater 05 to the mounting surface 07 of the beater bracket 04. Because the mounting surface 07 is in parallel alignment with the long axis 07, the shaft 09 extends perpendicular to the exterior surface 07 and long axis 06. This configuration, in of itself, does not optimize the impact force of the beater 05. 
         [0008]    Thus, a continuing need exists for a redesigned beater bracket that optimizes the impact force of a beater. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides an improved bass drum pedal which has a variable drive action which is simple and economical to produce and which is readily adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of foot strengths. Importantly, the present invention includes a new beater bracket that is formed with a mounting surface that tips a beater shaft forward to create a forward beater angle that maximizes the beater impact against a bass drum. 
         [0010]    The bass drum pedal includes a base and a foot pedal having one end pivotally secured to a front end of said base. A column is connected to said base adjacent to the opposite end of said base from said front end and extending longitudinally above said base. A beater bracket is pivotally mounted to said column and adjacent to the upper end of said column. A linkage means is included for linking said foot pedal to said beater bracket to actuate said beater bracket in response to a force applied to said foot pedal and adjustably coupled therebetween to permit selective positioning along said beater bracket. Bias means are included for biasing said beater bracket to said column and adjustably coupled therebetween to permit selective control of the force required for said foot pedal to move said beater bracket. The bias means includes a spring connected between said column and said beater bracket. A beater having a shaft is releasably secured in said beater bracket for striking a bass drum in response to said beater bracket being moved by said foot pedal. 
         [0011]    The beater bracket includes a pivot end having a pivotal attachment means. An outer end is opposite the pivot end, with a long axis passing between the pivot end and the outer end. A mounting surface is formed on the beater bracket such that a mounting surface angle exists between the long axis and the mounting surface. 
         [0012]    In one aspect, the mounting surface angle is between ten and forty degrees and, more desirably, is between nineteen and twenty three degrees. 
         [0013]    In another aspect, the mounting surface angle is approximately twenty one degrees. 
         [0014]    An attachment means is formed on the mounting surface to attach with a shaft of a beater, such that when a shaft of a beater is attached with the mounting surface, the shaft is tipped forward to form a forward beater angle that corresponds with the mounting surface angle. The attachment means is a shaft bore that extends through the beater bracket adjacent the outer end to releasably receive the shaft of a beater. 
         [0015]    Finally, as can be appreciated by one in the art, the present invention also comprises a method for forming and using the invention described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the various aspects of the invention in conjunction with reference to the following drawings, where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a right, side-view illustration of a bass drum foot pedal of the prior art; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a left, side-view illustration of a beater bracket according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a top-view illustration of a beater bracket according to the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a right, side-view illustration of a beater bracket according to the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective-view illustration of a beater bracket according to the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a right, side-view illustration of a bass drum foot pedal embodying the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a left, side-view illustration of a bass drum foot pedal embodying the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8A  is an illustration of a variable pivot point spring rotor according to the present invention, depicting its rocker and swivel components; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8B  is an illustration of the variable pivot point spring rotor according to the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9A  is an illustration of the variable pivot point spring rotor according to the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9B  is an illustration of the variable pivot point spring rotor according to the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is an illustration of the variable pivot point spring rotor according to the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is an illustration depicting a pivot range of the variable pivot point spring rotor; 
           [0030]      FIG. 12A  is a front-view illustration of the rocker component; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12B  is a right, side-view illustration of the rocker component; 
           [0032]      FIG. 13A  is a front-view illustration of the swivel component; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13B  is a right, side-view illustration of the swivel component; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is an illustration of a swivel axle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. 
         [0036]    In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without necessarily being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. 
         [0037]    The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is only one example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
         [0038]    Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” or “act of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, Paragraph 6. 
         [0039]    Please note, if used, the labels left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise and counter clockwise have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions between various portions of an object. 
         [0040]    Before describing the invention, it is important to note that the present invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,592 (hereinafter referred to as the &#39;592 patent), which is incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 2  though  5 , the present invention is directed to a beater bracket  100 . More specifically,  FIG. 2  is a left, side-view illustration of a beater bracket  100 , while  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  depict top, right, and perspective-views, respectively. The beater bracket  100  is specifically designed to accelerate the beater into a bass drum with greater force and velocity than beater brackets of the prior art. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the beater bracket  100  includes a top surface  102  and a mounting surface  104 . The mounting surface  104  includes an attachment means  106  for attaching with a shaft of a beater. The attachment means  106  is any suitable mechanism, device, or configuration for attaching with a shaft of a beater. Desirably, the attachment means  106  is a shaft bore or hole that passes through the beater bracket  100 . A unique aspect of the present invention is the angle at which the mounting surface  104  allows for attachment of a beater and its shaft. In other words, when a beater shaft is attached with mounting surface  104 , the beater shaft passes through attachment means  106  (i.e., shaft bore) and uses a clamp means for affixing the beater shaft with the mounting surface  104 . Once the beater shaft is attached with the mounting surface 104 , a forward beater angle  108  is formed. 
         [0043]    The forward beater angle  108  causes the beater shaft (and beater) to rest at a forward position. In other words, when the beater shaft is attached with the mounting surface  104 , the beater shaft protrudes from the mounting surface  104  along a bore axis  110  that is tipped forward (i.e., the forward beater angle  108 ) from a line  112  (i.e., orthogonal projection) that is perpendicular to the top surface  102 . The forward beater angle  108  is any suitable angle that tips the beater shaft forward to maximize the beater impact against a bass drum. Desirably, the forward beater angle  108  is between ten and forty degrees and, more desirably, between fifteen and twenty five degrees. In another aspect, the forward beater angle  108  is desirably between nineteen and twenty three degrees and, more desirably, is approximately twenty one degrees. 
         [0044]    The forward beater angle  108  is formed by the mounting surface angle  114 . The mounting surface angle  114  is the angle by which the mounting surface  104  falls away from a plane aligned with the top surface  102  and passes through a long axis  115  of the beater bracket  100 . The beater bracket  100  includes an outer end  46  and a pivot end  103 , with the long axis  115  passing therebetween. Thus, the mounting surface angle  114  is the angle between the long axis  115  and the mounting surface  104 . When the beater shaft is attached with the mounting surface  104 , the forward beater angle  108  is formed. Thus, the mounting surface angle  114  is the same as the forward beater angle  108 . Desirably, the mounting surface angle  114  is between ten and forty degrees and, more desirably, between fifteen and twenty five degrees. In another aspect, the mounting surface angle  114  is desirably between nineteen and twenty three degrees and, more desirably, is approximately twenty one degrees. 
         [0045]    For further understanding,  FIG. 5  provides a perspective-view of the beater bracket  100 . As shown, the mounting surface  104  falls away from the top surface  102  at an angle that is equal to the mounting surface angle  114 . Also shown is the shaft bore (attachment means  106 ) with a bore axis  110  that is tipped forward from a line  112  (orthogonal projection) that is perpendicular to the top surface  102 , thereby forming the forward beater angle  108 . 
         [0046]    The beater bracket  100  includes a pivotal attachment means  101 . The pivotal attachment means  101  is any suitable mechanism, device, or configuration that allows the beater bracket  100  to be pivotally attached with the base drum foot pedal. As a non-limiting example, the pivotal attachment means  101  is a hole or bore that passes through a pivot end  103  of the beater bracket  100 . 
         [0047]    It should be understood that the beater bracket  100  can be used with a variable drive lever system. For example and referring again to  FIG. 3 , the beater bracket  100  can include a rod  32  (not shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  5 ) that allows for a slide member (shown as element  30  in  FIG. 6 ) to be affixed with the beater bracket  100  in a desired position. Thus, through adjustment of the slide member along the rod  32  and the optimized angle of the mounting surface  104 , the beater bracket  100  enhances the performance of the variable drive lever. The mounting surface angle of the beater bracket  100  maximizes the beater impact at any adjustment setting of the variable drive lever (i.e., slide member). 
         [0048]    For further understanding,  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate right and left side-views, respectively, of a bass drum foot pedal  10  embodying the present invention. The bass drum foot pedal  10  includes a flat elongated base  12  with a foot pedal  14  having one end  16  pivotally secured to a block  18  located adjacent one end  20  of the base  12 . The opposite end  22  of the foot pedal  14  is pivotally secured to the lower end  24  of a link member  26  whose upper end  28  is pivotally secured to the lower end of a slide member  30 . The slide member  30  is movable along a rod  32  carried by the beater bracket  100  and may be secured in a desired position along the rod  32  by suitable means, such as thumbscrew  36  or a ¼-20 drum key screw. A drum key screw on the variable drive lever improves the ease of adjustment with the use of a drum key to tighten the slide member of the variable drive lever instead of tightening a thumb screw with fingers. 
         [0049]    In this aspect, the beater bracket  100  is pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end  38  of a column  40  which is fixedly mounted adjacent the forward end  42  of the base  12  and extends vertically upward therefrom. The beater bracket  100  is formed with a shaft bore (i.e., attachment means) extending therethrough adjacent the outer end  46  of the beater bracket  100  to releasably receive the shaft  48  of a suitable beater  50 . Clamp means  52  are mounted on the beater bracket  100  adjacent the shaft bore (i.e., attachment means  106 ) to releasably retain the shaft  48  of the beater  50  such that the shaft  48  resides at the forward beater angle  108 . 
         [0050]    The beater bracket  100  is pivotally mounted on the column  40  by a pivot arm  54  which extends through the upper end  38  of the column  40  and carries a first link member  56  on its opposite end  58  and a second link member  60  is pivotally connected between the lower end  62  of the first link member  56  and the upper end  64  of a spring  66 . A flange  68  projects laterally from the column  40  and has an opening  70  extending therethrough to receive the shank  72  of a hook  74  which retains the lower end  76  of the spring  66 . A thumbnut  78  serves to permit adjustment of the tension applied by hook  74  to the spring  66  and to retain the hook  74  in a desired position of adjustment. The first link member  56  is secured in a desired position of adjustment about the pivot arm  54  by means of a set screw  80  or the like. Finally, a block  81  is mounted on the base  12  adjacent the forward end  42  thereof and an arm  83  is pivotally mounted thereon with a screw  85  threadedly carried adjacent the rear end  87  of arm  83  and clamping means  89  is provided adjacent the opposite end of arm  83  to clamp the bass drum pedal  10  to the rim of a bass drum, not shown. 
         [0051]    In another aspect and as an alternative to the first and second link members (depicted as elements  56  and  60  in  FIG. 7 ), the present invention also includes a variable pivot point spring rotor as depicted in  FIGS. 8A through 14 . The variable pivot point spring rotor increases the rate at which the spring is engaged, which affects the return action of the beater. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , the variable pivot point spring rotor  200  includes a rocker component  202  and a swivel component  204 , which can be used in place of the first link and second link (depicted as elements  56  and  60  in  FIG. 7 ), respectively. As shown in  FIG. 8B , the rocker component  202  includes a slot  206  formed therethrough that allows the swivel component  204  to be attached at varying locations along the rocker component  202 . Importantly and as depicted in both  FIGS. 8A and 8B , by altering the location of attachment, a user can effectively alter the distance between the rocker axis of rotation  208  and the swivel axis of rotation  210 . 
         [0053]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  depict various angles that are provided by the rocker component. For example, A 1  is the angle of the rocker component  202  as the beater  50  hits a drumhead. D is the distance between the rocker axis of rotation  208  and the swivel axis of rotation  210 . Further, A 2  is an angle that is equal to A 1  when the beater  50  is in full reverse position (not depicted). 
         [0054]    Alternatively and as depicted in  FIG. 9B , A 1  is zero when the beater  50  is at rest. Again, D is the distance between the rocker axis of rotation  208  and the swivel axis of rotation  210 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 10  is an illustration depicting that the swivel component  204  can be set at any position in the slide range  400  of the rocker component  202 . The figure illustrates the swivel component  204  being set in the top position  402  and, alternatively, the bottom (lowest) position  404 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 11  is an illustration depicting how the pivot range is impacted by altering the distances between the rocker axis of rotation  208  and the swivel axis of rotation  210  (illustrated in positions  1 ,  2 , and  3 ). As the swivel component is moved down the rocker component and the distance between the rocker axis of rotation  208  and swivel axis of rotation  210  increases, the amount of overall spring deflection (i.e., D 1 , D 2 , and D 3 ) also increase. 
         [0057]    For further understanding,  FIG. 12A  is a front-view illustration of the rocker component  202 , while  FIG. 12B  is a right, side-view illustration of the rocker component  202 . Alternatively,  FIG. 13A  is a front-view illustration of the swivel component  204  while  FIG. 13B  is a right, side-view illustration of the swivel component  204 . 
         [0058]    The swivel component is attached with rocker component with a swivel axle. As shown in  FIG. 14 , the swivel axle  300  allows the swivel component to rotate about the swivel axle while the swivel axle remains fixedly attached with the rocker component. In other words, the swivel axle  300  can be selectively and fixedly attached (e.g., using a clamp means) anywhere along the slot of the rocker component, thereby fixing the distance between the rocker axis of rotation and the swivel axis of rotation. Further, ball bearings or any other suitable rotatable means can be used to assist the swivel component with freely rotating about the swivel axle  300 . 
         [0059]    As can be appreciated, numerous variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.