Abstract:
A pedal assembly for a drum has a floor plate, a clamp for securing the floor plate to a hoop of a drum, a pivot on the floor plate, a post pivotal on the pivot of the floor plate between an erect operating position extending upward from the floor plate and a transport position recumbent on the floor plate. An upper end of the post is adapted to hold a beater shaft. A pedal pivotal on the plate is couplable to the beater shaft. A latch releasably locks the post in at least the operating position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to pedal assembly. More particularly this invention concerns a single bass-drum pedal assembly. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A standard bass-drum pedal assembly has at least one post extending upward from a floor plate and in which at least one drum beater carried on a shaft is pivotal and movable against the force of at least one return spring by a mechanism actuatable by a pedal. Such a pedal assembly is attached to a section of a circular hoop of a bass drum. When the pedal is depressed by the foot of the percussionist, the beater strikes the skin of the drum. 
         [0003]    A pedal assembly of this type that functions to transmit the foot action of the drummer quickly and precisely to the percussion instrument, for example, a bass drum, has been disclosed in DE 352 883 and DE 33 27 687. 
         [0004]    A pedal assembly disclosed in EP 1 237 147 has two drum beaters that are operated by a two-part pedal with respective actuating mechanisms. A base of this pedal assembly comprises a floor plate carrying two posts at an outer end close to the bass drum and extending upward at right angles from the floor plate. These posts are detachably mounted to the floor plate by a screw/plug-in connection. They are interconnected by a shaft carrying the drum beaters and project vertically upward when fixed to the base so that the pedal assembly as a whole has a large overall height that, in particular, is difficult to transport. Since a drum kit is always a difficult item to set up, take down, and transport, this bulky pedal assembly is an extra problem. 
         [0005]    As has been disclosed, for example by U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,312 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,508, the pedal assembly is fastened by a clip or a clamp to the hoop of the bass drum, the clip or clamp being tightly attached to the pedal assembly. Clamps of this type are composed of top and bottom clamp parts or jaws that grip the hoop. This attachment between pedal assembly and hoop must be disengaged or reclamped each time the bass drum is disassembled or assembled. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,990 discloses a clamping claw that secures a pedal assembly to a percussion instrument. Here the clamping claw is clamped in place on the hoop of the bass drum independently of the pedal assembly, then attached to the pedal assembly. During disassembly and assembly, the clamping claw remains in the clamped-in-place state on the hoop of the bass drum. First of all, the clamping claw that is clamped in place and projects beyond the circumferential rim of the hoop can interfere with transporting the bass drum, especially when the drum kit is designed to nest, and secondly, what is involved here is an attachment system that is composed of multiple individual parts. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved drum pedal assembly. 
         [0008]    Another object is the provision of such an improved drum pedal assembly that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that on the one hand can, in particular, be easily stowed and transported, yet on the other hand simultaneously provides simple and effectively manipulated attachment to the hoop of a percussion instrument. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A pedal assembly for a drum has according to the invention a floor plate, a clamp for securing the floor plate to a hoop of a drum, a pivot on the floor plate, a post pivotal on the pivot of the floor plate between an erect operating position extending upward from the floor plate and a transport position recumbent on the floor plate. An upper end of the post is adapted to hold a beater shaft. A pedal pivotal on the plate is couplable to the beater shaft. A latch releasably locks the post in at least the operating position. 
         [0010]    Due to the pivot attachment of the post, this post, after unlocking, can easily be retracted by hand out of its vertically oriented operating position into a horizontal transport position running parallel to the floor plate or to the pedal of the pedal assembly. This thus enables the complete pedal assembly to be made compact for space-saving transport, without having to laborious disassemble the post or posts. 
         [0011]    In an advantageous proposal of the invention, provision is made whereby the post is provided at its lower end with a hub-like bushing that is supported by its outer circumference on a concave integral bearing block of a hinge base attached to the floor plate, and is rotatably seated on a pivot eye by an axially lateral bushing opening that with its inner surface concentrically surrounds a projecting collar of the pivot eye. The post is thus both securely supported in its operating position, and also radially guided during pivoting by the bearing block support while having good lateral guidance due to the flat contact against the pivot eye. 
         [0012]    In order to ensure a stable, chamber-like enclosed storing receptacle, both the bushing and the pivot eye are preferably provided with an inner wall or partition wall that extends over the entire diameter and is spaced some distance from their respective ends. 
         [0013]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention for locking and unlocking the post, the bushing and the pivot eye are provided at their mutually engaging circumferential surfaces with aligned detent notches. A spring-loaded coupling with detent lobes is provided between the inner wall of the bushing and the inner wall of the pivot eye and engages both the detent notches of the bushing and also of the pivot eye. This advantageously achieves the result that the post is locked by the detent lobes of the coupling so as to be secured against movement both in the vertical operating position and also in the horizontal transport position. 
         [0014]    The coupling itself can be advantageously supported on a shaft that is passed through the inner walls and a spring, where the spring is located between the inner wall of the bushing and the coupling. 
         [0015]    In order to move the coupling out of locking engagement with the pivot eye, an actuator in the form of a button, provided according to the invention with axially projecting tension legs, is provided on the pivot eye. The tension legs extend through openings provided in the inner wall of the pivot eye and impinge on the coupling against the force of the spring. The coupling here is pressed completely into the bushing of the post, thereby releasing the locking engagement of the detent lobes with the detent notches of the pivot eye. The post can now pivot freely. As soon as the actuator is no longer pushed in by the pressure of a finger and the detent lobes of the coupling are aligned with the detent notches of the pivot eye, the spring releases and presses the coupling back into locking engagement with the pivot eye. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment of the invention, provision is made whereby the side of the post that faces the hoop of the percussion instrument is provided with a clamping element, advantageously an adjustment screw, thereby allowing for adjustments to varying thicknesses of the hoops, which element impinges upon a clamping lever pivotable connected to the hinge base when the post is in the erected and locked operating position, the lever acting on the hoop accommodated by the hinge base. The pedal assembly is fixed in place, secured against movement, on the hoop of the bass drum due to this simple but nevertheless effective clamping attachment that is simultaneously achieved by the erected and locked post in its operating position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0017]    The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a pedal assembly provided with a pivotable post; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the pedal assembly of  FIG. 1  as a completely assembled unit; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows the pedal assembly of  FIG. 2  with the post pivoted into the horizontal position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  shows the pivoting action by the post of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 5   a  through  5   c  are various perspective views showing the post in detail; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are perspective views showing in detail the hinge base of the pedal assembly of  FIG. 1 , where  FIG. 6   a  shows the hinge base from the side facing away from the post attachment while  FIG. 6   b  shows it from the post attachment side; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are perspective views showing in detail a coupling of the pedal assembly of  FIG. 1 , where  FIG. 7   a  shows the coupling from the front while  FIG. 7   b  shows it from the back; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  are perspective views showing in detail a clamping lever of the pedal assembly of  FIG. 1 , where  FIG. 8   a  shows the clamping lever from the bottom while  FIG. 8   b  shows it from the top; and 
           [0026]      FIGS. 9   a  through  9   c  are perspective views showing in detail an actuator of the pedal assembly of  FIG. 1 , where  FIG. 9   a  is a side view of the actuator,  FIG. 9   b  is a bottom view of the means, and  FIG. 9   c  shows it as viewed from the actuation side. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    As seen in  FIGS. 1-3  a pivotable cast-metal post  1  provided with a locking and unlocking mechanism is carried on a sheet-metal floor plate  2  of a pedal assembly  3 . The plate  2  is attached to a hoop  39  ( FIGS. 2-4 ) of an otherwise unillustrated base drum. The pedal assembly comprises a foot pedal  4  in turn comprised of a foot plate  5  and a heel plate  6  pivoted to each other by bearing bushings  7  and a knurled pin  8 . The pedal  4  sits on the floor plate  2 , and is attached, for example, by an unillustrated chain or a strap to an arm extending from a shaft  54  pivotal in a sleeve-like seat head  9  of the post  1 . This shaft  54 , which is standard, has another arm  55  carrying a drum beater  56  that is deflected onto the skin of the drum when the pedal  4  is depressed, as shown in several of the above-cited references that are herewith incorporated by reference. An unillustrated tension spring is typically hooked between one of the arms of the shaft  54  and the floor plate  2  to urge the beater  56  into a retracted position and the pedal  4  into an up position. 
         [0028]    A hinge base  10  forward of the foot pedal  4  is solidly attached by knurled screws  11 , compression springs  12 , and rivets  13  to the floor plate  2 . To achieve the inventive pivotal or collapsible mounting of the post  1 , the hinge base  10  has an upwardly concave part-cylindrical bearing block  14  and a pivot eye  15  that defines a horizontal pivot axis  16  transverse to the base plate  2  and that is provided with an axially projecting collar  17  on the outer side facing the bearing block  14  (see  FIG. 6   b ). 
         [0029]    The post  1  is provided at its bottom end with a hub-like bushing  18  that rides with its part-cylindrical outer surface in the part-cylindrical seat of the bearing block  14 , and concentrically fits around the collar  17  with a cylindrical hole  19  centered on the axis  16  and facing the pivot eye  15 . 
         [0030]    The bushing  18  and the pivot eye  15  are provided with respective inner crosswise partition walls or webs  20  and  21  spaced inward from their outer ends and extending perpendicular to the axis  16 . Around its inner periphery  22  in the region between the inner web  20  and the outer mouth of the hole  19 , the bushing  18  has three identical detent notches  23  that open radially inward and are angularly equispaced about the axis at 120°. 
         [0031]    The pivot eye  15  is similarly formed around its inner surface  24  in the region between the respective inner web  21  and the outer end  25  of the collar  17  with similar detent notches  26  that are similarly disposed relative to each other at an equiangular spacing of 120° (see also  FIGS. 5   a ,  5   c , and  FIG. 6   b ). 
         [0032]    An axially tapered coupling  27  is engageable with the inner walls  20  and  21  of the bushing  18  and the pivot eye  15  and is formed with detent lobes  28  that are disposed relative to each other at an angular spacing of 120° (see also  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b ) and shaped to fit with the notches  23  and  26 . This coupling  27  can slide axially on a shaft  29 , here a socket screw, that passes along the axis  16  through cylindrical apertures  30  and  31  defined by the inner peripheries of the walls  20  and  21  and through a compression spring  32  ( FIG. 1 ) between the coupling  27  and the inner wall  20 . Thus in a latching position this spring  32  presses the coupling  27 , while it is engaged with the notches  23  of the post  1 , into engagement with the notches  26  of the eye  15 . 
         [0033]    The coupling  27  is engaged by an actuating button  33  that is inserted from the inside into the pivot eye  15  and that is provided for this purpose with axially projecting spring legs  34  (see  FIGS. 9   a  through  9   c ) that extend through openings  35  in the inner wall  21  of the pivot eye  15  and press axially outward on an inner face  37  of the coupling  27 . After the barbs  36  have passed through the openings  35 , they engage behind the inner wall  21  and thus form an end stop for the button  33 , preventing axial inward movement of the button  33 . 
         [0034]    In the erect operating position of the post  1  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the compression spring  32  is compressed and the coupling  27  with its detent lobes  28  in the latching position locking engagement with the notches  23  of the bushing  18  and the notches  26  of the pivot eye  15 . 
         [0035]    In response to actuation, that is axial pressing outward (toward the left in  FIG. 6   a ), of the button  33 , the coupling  27  is pressed far enough into the bushing  18  by the tension legs  34  against the force of the compression spring  32  that the lobes  28  are disengaged from the detent notches  26  of the pivot eye  15  by axial outward movement of the coupling  27  into a freeing position only engaging the notches  23 . The post  1  can now be pivoted into the horizontal transport position of  FIG. 3  as also shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0036]    As soon as button  33  is no being longer actuated and the detent lobes  28  are aligned with the detent notches  26  of the pivot eye  15 , that is when the post  1  has assumed its transport position, the compression spring  32  releases and moves the coupling  27  with the detent lobes  28  into locking engagement with the pivot eye  15 , thereby retaining the post  1  in the lowered or transport position. 
         [0037]    The coupling  27  is provided on its inner face  37  directed axially toward the pivot eye  15  with chamfers  38  (see  FIG. 7   a ) so as to facilitate locking engagement and fitting with the detent notches  26 . 
         [0038]    After the button  33  is once again actuated and as with the above-described pivoting action from erect to recumbent position, the post  1  can be pivoted back into the erect operating position of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0039]    In this operating position the entire assembly  3  is latched to the hoop  39 , illustrated only schematically, ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of, for example, a bass drum. To this end, a cast-metal clamping lever  40  is pivotally mounted on the hinge base  10  by a knurled pin  42  that passes through bearing eyes  41  formed on the plate  10 . The lever  40  here is biased counterclockwise by a compression spring  43  ( FIG. 1 ) engaged between a centering pin  45  on the bottom  44  of the lever  40  and a centering pin  46  on the base  10 . 
         [0040]    The post  1  is provided with a bracket  47  at its lower end adjacent the bushing  18  in order to press down or apply pressure against the lever  40 . The bracket has an adjustment screw  48  that is adjustably attached to the bracket  47  by a vibration-damping pad  49  and a securing plate  50 . Thus, when in its operating position, the post  1  is pressed tightly by the screw  48  via the lever or part  40  against the hoop  39  resting on the hinge base  10 , both the lever  40  and the hinge base  10  being provided with flexible and material-protecting PU strips  51 . Thus the hoop  39  is clamped between the lever  40  and the cast-metal hinge base  10  fixed to the floor plate  2   
         [0041]    In addition, the bottom of the floor plate  2  is provided with antiskid rubber sheets  52  that is screwed tightly onto the floor plate  2  by countersunk screws  53 .