Abstract:
A steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device includes a housing having a first receiving space and a notch; a rotating mechanism having a second receiving space and being clamped in the first receiving space with the housing vertically rotatable relative to the rotating mechanism; a rotating pole partially clamped in the second receiving space with the rotating mechanism horizontally rotatable relative thereto; a fixed pole fixedly assembled to one side of the housing; and an adjustable locking subassembly extended into the housing and the rotating mechanism for selectively pressing the housing, the rotating mechanism and the rotating pole against one another to an immovably state or loosening them from one another to allow stepless adjustment of the locating device in two axis directions. Thus, a cymbal mounted on either the rotating or the fixed pole can be adjusted to any horizontal orientation and vertical angle according to a user&#39;s need.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an adjustable percussion cymbal locating device, and more particularly to a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device that allows fine adjustment of a cymbal mounted thereon in two axis directions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The currently commercially available cymbal locating structure mainly includes a pole, a fixed seat, a cymbal locating rod, and an adjusting knob. The pole is connected at a lower end to a set of stand legs, so as to stably stand on a surface. The fixed seat is assembled to an upper end of the pole and is formed on one side with a plurality of annularly arranged locating teeth. The cymbal locating rod is movably connected via a pivot block on its lower end to the fixed seat and has a cymbal fixedly fitted on an upper end thereof. The pivot block is formed on one side with a plurality of annularly arranged tooth sockets for engaging with or disengaging from the locating teeth on the fixed seat. With these arrangements, the cymbal locating rod can be set to different vertical angles relative to the fixed seat, and the cymbal can be changed to different angles when the cymbal locating rod is vertically rotated. The adjusting knob is extended into the pivot block and the fixed seat. By turning the adjusting knob to a pressing position, the locating teeth and the tooth sockets can be brought to tightly engage with one another to thereby fix the cymbal locating rod to an adjusted angle. 
     The design of changing the vertical angle of the cymbal locating rod through engagement of locating teeth with tooth sockets is often restricted by the number and the density of the locating teeth and tooth sockets provided. Therefore, the cymbal locating rod could not always be adjusted conveniently to reach a really desired angular position. That is, with the above-described conventional cymbal locating structure, it is not able to finely adjust the cymbal locating rod to accurate angular positions. 
     To overcome the disadvantage of the conventional cymbal locating structure in failing to allow fine angle adjustment, there was developed a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating structure as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The conventional steplessly adjustable cymbal locating structure includes a pole  1  having a fixed seat  2  and an immovable clamp disc  3  formed on the fixed seat  2 ; a clamper  4  mounted to the pole  1  and including a base  5  seated on the fixed seat  2  and a movable clamp disc  6  formed on the base  5  to face toward the immovable clamp disc  3 ; a cymbal locating rod assembly  7  including a friction disc  8  arranged between the immovable clamp disc  3  and the movable clamp disc  6  and a cymbal locating rod  9  outward projected from the friction disc  8 ; two friction washers  10 , one of which being arranged between the immovable clamp disc  3  and the friction disc  8  while the other one between the movable clamp disc  6  and the friction disc  8 ; and a primary adjusting screw rod assembly  11  extended through the immovable clamp disc  3 , the movable clamp disc  6 , the friction disc  8 , and the friction washers  10  to adjustably press these parts against one another. 
     However, the conventional cymbal locating structure shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  can only be adjusted in its vertical angular position via the cymbal locating rod assembly  7 . That is, the cymbal locating rod  9  and accordingly the cymbal (not shown) mounted thereto could not be adjusted to different horizontal orientations, unless the whole cymbal locating structure along with a stand thereof is lifted and turned to a desired horizontal orientation. It is no doubt time and effort consuming to do so. In view of the above problems, it is really necessary to improve the conventional cymbal locating structure to meet users&#39; demands. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a locating device applicable to a percussion cymbal, and the percussion cymbal locating device allows adjustment thereof in two axis directions at the same time, so that the cymbal mounted on the locating device can be adjusted to any vertical angle and any horizontal orientation according to a user&#39;s actual need. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cymbal locating device that utilizes adjustable locking mechanisms instead of tooth-socket engagement design for a user to perform stepless fine adjustment of the horizontal orientation and the vertical angle of the cymbal. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a cymbal locating device that includes both an adjustable locking subassembly for pressing or loosening relevant parts of the cymbal locating device against or from one another and an adjustable auxiliary locking means for generally holding the cymbal location device in place when the adjustable locking subassembly loosens the relevant parts from one another, so that the cymbal mounted on the locating device is protected against undesirable falling off the locating device when the relevant parts are freely rotatable relative to one another. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention mainly includes a housing, a rotating mechanism, a rotating pole, a fixed pole, and an adjustable locking subassembly that together constitute a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device allowing fine adjustment thereof through rotating in two axis directions. 
     The present invention is characterized in that the housing internally has a first receiving space and is provided on a surface with a notch communicable with the first receiving space; the rotating mechanism is clamped in the first receiving space of the housing with the housing selectively vertically rotatable relative to the rotating mechanism and internally has a second receiving space; the rotating pole is clamped in the second receiving space of the rotating mechanism with the rotating mechanism selectively horizontally rotatable relative to the rotating pole; the fixed pole is fixedly connected at an end to one side of the housing; and the adjustable locking subassembly is extended into the housing and the rotating mechanism, such that the housing, the rotating mechanism and the rotating pole are selectively pressed against one another to become immovable or loosened from one another to become adjustable. 
     In an operable embodiment, the housing of the present invention is assembled from a first clamp disc and a second clamp disc. The first clamp disc includes a fixed seat and has a fixed disk portion extended from one lateral side of the fixed seat, and the second clamp disc includes a movable seat correspondingly assembled to the fixed seat and has a movable disc portion extended from one lateral side of the movable seat corresponding to the fixed disc portion, such that the first receiving space is defined between the fixed and the movable disc portion and the notch is formed on an outer edge of the first receiving space. 
     Further, the housing also includes an adjustable auxiliary locking means extended through the fixed seat and the movable seat for finely adjusting a tightness relation among the fixed disc portion, the movable disc portion, and the rotating mechanism. In an operable embodiment, the adjustable auxiliary locking means includes a threaded bolt and a nut; the threaded bolt has an end extended through the movable seat and the fixed seat, and the nut is screwed onto the threaded bolt for tightening the fixed seat and the movable seat against each other. Further, the fixed seat is internally provided with an open slot for the movable seat to slidably fit therein, and a connector is projected from an outer end of the fixed seat for the fixed pole to connect thereto. 
     The rotating mechanism of the present invention includes a first rotating seat and a corresponding second rotating seat, and the first rotating seat and the second rotating seat are spaced from each other to form the second receiving space between them. And, the rotating pole has a portion located inside the second receiving space while the remaining portion of the rotating pole extends out of the housing via the notch. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the rotating mechanism further includes at least one recess provided on a contact area with the rotating pole, and a centering ring received in the recess for fitting on around the rotating pole. The rotating pole and the centering ring are correspondingly provided with at least one first through hole and at least one second through hole, respectively; and the first and second through holes are communicable with one another and have a pivot pin extended thereinto to lock the centering ring to the rotating pole. 
     The adjustable locking subassembly includes a screw rod having a first section extended into the housing and a second section exposed from the housing, and a first knob screwed to the second section. The first section further has a ring portion provided thereon for the rotating pole to rotatably extend therethrough. The first knob includes a rotating sleeve having internal threads and a handle substantially perpendicularly connected at an end to an outer end of the rotating sleeve; and the second section of the screw rod is correspondingly provided on an outer surface with external threads to mesh with the internal threads in the rotating sleeve. 
     To ensure that the housing and the rotating mechanism can be immovably pressed against or adjustably loosened from each other, the steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device of the present invention further includes at least one friction ring washer arranged between the housing and the rotating mechanism. Wherein, the friction ring washer consists of two semicircular washers made of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material. 
     The fixed pole of the present invention has an end opposite to the housing with a cymbal clamper fitted therearound and a holding-down member connected thereto for pressing against a top of the cymbal clamper. In an operable embodiment, the cymbal clamper includes a locating sleeve fitted around the fixed pole and having a round flange radially outward extended from a bottom thereof, and two cymbal pads fitted around the locating sleeve; and the holding-down member is configured as a second knob screwed to the end of the fixed pole opposite to the housing, so that the two cymbal pads are located between the round flange and the second knob. 
     With the design of the rotating mechanism and the rotating pole in the housing, the cymbal locating device of the present invention advantageously provides adjustments in two axis directions, namely, in both vertical and horizontal directions, so that the cymbal can be conveniently adjusted to any desired horizontal orientation and any desired vertical angle. Further, since the housing, the rotating mechanism and the rotating pole of the cymbal locating device are releasably pressed against one another by the adjustable locking subassembly, it is able to achieve the effect of stepless fine adjustment of the horizontal orientation and the vertical angle of the cymbal. Moreover, the cymbal locating device of the present invention may use the adjustable locking subassembly and the adjustable auxiliary locking means at the same time, so that the adjustable auxiliary locking means can generally hold the cymbal location device in place when the adjustable locking subassembly loosens the relevant parts from one another, and the cymbal mounted on the locating device is protected against undesirable falling off the locating device when the relevant parts are freely rotatable relative to one another. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional cymbal locating structure; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary sectional view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  an exploded view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows the present invention when an adjustable locking subassembly thereof is turned to a pressing position; 
         FIG. 7  shows the present invention when the adjustable lock subassembly is turned to a loosening position; 
         FIG. 8  shows the manner in which the steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device of  FIG. 3  is adjusted to different horizontal orientations and vertical angles; and 
         FIG. 9  shows the manner in which a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is adjusted to different horizontal orientations and vertical angles. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , in which a steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The present invention is mainly used to set and hold a percussion cymbal unit to a desired position for use. As shown, the steplessly adjustable cymbal locating device in the first embodiment includes a housing  20 , a rotating mechanism  30  providing vertical angle adjustment, a rotating pole  40  providing horizontal orientation adjustment and connected to a set of stand legs (not shown), at least one friction ring washer  50  arranged between the housing  20  and the rotating mechanism  30 , a fixed pole  60  for holding a cymbal  61  thereto, and an adjustable locking subassembly  70  for tightening or loosening the housing  20 , the rotating mechanism  30 , the friction ring washers  50  and the rotating pole  40  to or from one another. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the housing  20  is assembled from a first clamp disc  21  and a second clamp disc  22 . The first clamp disc  21  includes a fixed seat  211 , a fixed disk portion  212  extended from one lateral side of the fixed seat  211 , a first aperture  213  formed on the fixed disk portion  212 , an open slot  214  defined in the fixed seat  211 , and a connector  215  projected from an outer side of the fixed seat  211 . 
     The second clamp disc  22  includes a movable seat  221  correspondingly fitted in the open slot  214  to thereby assemble to the fixed seat  211 , a movable disc portion  222  extended from on lateral side of the movable seat  221  to correspond to and cooperate with the fixed disc portion  212  to define a first receiving space  23  between them, and a second aperture  223  formed on the movable disc portion  222  corresponding to first aperture  213 . The first receiving space  23  is formed on an outer edge with a notch  24 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the housing  20  further includes an adjustable auxiliary locking means  25 , which includes a threaded bolt  251  and an adjusting nut  252 . The threaded bolt  251  has an end extending through the fixed seat  211  and the movable seat  221 , and the nut  252  is screwed onto the threaded bolt  251  for tightening the fixed seat  211  against the movable seat  221 , so as to finely adjust a tightness relation among the first clamp disc  21 , the second clamp disc  22 , the friction ring washers  50 , and the rotating mechanism  30 . Therefore, even when the adjustable locking subassembly  70  is loosened from the cymbal locating device, the housing  20 , the rotating mechanism  30  and the rotating pole  40  can still be held by the adjustable auxiliary locking means  25  to a substantially stable position without the risk of having loosely and freely rotatable rotating mechanism  30  and rotating pole  40  and accordingly, undesirable falling of the cymbal  61  off the locating device. 
     The rotating mechanism  30  has a second receiving space  31 , and is clamped in the first receiving space  23  in the housing  20  with the housing  20  selectively rotatable relative to the rotating mechanism  30  in a parallel direction. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the rotating mechanism  30  includes a first rotating seat  32  and a corresponding second rotating seat  33 . The first rotating seat  32  and the second rotating seat  33  are spaced from each other to form the second receiving space  31  between them. The first rotating seat  32  is provided on a contact area with the rotating pole  40  with a third aperture  321  and two recesses  322  located at two opposite sides of the third aperture  321 . The second rotating seat  33  is provided on a contact area with the rotating pole  40  with a fourth aperture  331  and two recesses  332  located at two opposite sides of the fourth aperture  331 . 
     The rotating pole  40  has a portion located inside the second receiving space  31  while the remaining portion of the rotating pole  40  extends out of the housing  20  via the notch  24  by a predetermined length. Two centering rings  41  are further fitted on around the portion of the rotating pole  40  located inside the second receiving space  31 . The two centering rings  41  are respectively received in a space defined by between two corresponding recesses  322 ,  332  provided on the first and the second rotating seat  32 ,  33 , respectively, so as to prevent the rotating pole  40  from sliding out of the rotating mechanism  30  when the adjustable locking subassembly  70  is loosened. Furthermore, the rotating pole  40  and each of the centering rings  41  are correspondingly provided with at least one first through hole  401  and at least one second through hole  411 , respectively. The corresponding first and second through holes  401 ,  411  are communicable with one another and a pivot pin  42  is extended thereinto to lock the centering ring  41  to the rotating pole  40 . 
     With the design of the rotating mechanism  30  and the rotating pole  40  in the housing  20 , the cymbal locating device of the present invention provides adjustments in two axis directions, that is, in both vertical and horizontal directions, so that the cymbal  61  can be conveniently adjusted to any desired horizontal orientation and any desired vertical angle. 
     In the illustrated preferred embodiment, one of the friction ring washers  50  is arranged between the fixed disc portion  212  and the first rotating seat  32 , while the other one between the movable disc portion  222  and the second rotating seat  33 . Further, each of the friction ring washers  50  consists of two semicircular washers made of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material. The friction washers  50  provide frictional forces, which advantageously replace the conventional engagement of teeth with tooth sockets. 
     The fixed pole  60  has an inner end connected to the connector  215  on the housing  20 , and another outer end having a cymbal clamper  62  fitted therearound for a cymbal  61  to mount thereto. A holding-down member  63  is connected to the outer end of the fixed pole  60  to press against a top of the cymbal clamper  62 . In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the cymbal clamper  62  includes a locating sleeve  621  fitted around the outer end of the fixed pole  60  and having a round flange  622  radially extended from a bottom thereof, and two cymbal pads  623  fitted around the locating sleeve  621  for clamping the cymbal  61  between them. The holding-down member  63  is configured as a second knob screwed to the outer end of the fixed pole  60 . 
     The adjustable locking subassembly  70  extends through the housing  20  and the rotating mechanism  30  to connect them to each other in a releasable pressing manner, so as to effect stepless fine adjustment of the horizontal orientation and vertical angle of the cymbal  61 . In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the adjustable locking subassembly  70  includes a screw rod  71  having a first section  711  extended into the housing  20  and a second section exposed from the housing  20 . The first section  711  has a ring portion  713  provided thereon to engage with the rotating pole  40 ; and two opposite ends of the first section  711  laterally outward project from the ring portion  713  to extend through the third aperture  321  and the first aperture  213  as well as the fourth aperture  331  and the second aperture  223 , respectively. The second section  712  has an end opposite to the first section  711  screwed to a first knob  72 . The first knob  72  includes a rotating sleeve  721  having internal threads  723 , and a handle  722  substantially perpendicularly connected at an end to an outer end of the rotating sleeve  721 . And, the second section  712  is correspondingly provided on an outer surface with external threads  714  to mesh with the internal threads  723 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 . When the adjustable locking subassembly  70  is turned inward to a pressing position, the first clamp disc  21  and the second clamp disc  22  are driven inward to press against each other, such that the rotating mechanism  30  and the rotating pole  40  are simultaneously subjected to forces externally applied thereto and become immovably clamped between the first and second clamp discs  21 ,  22 . On the other hand, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , when the adjustable locking subassembly  70  is turned outward to a loosening position, the first clamp disc  21  and the second clamp disc  22  are allowed to slightly move outward away from each other, such that the rotating mechanism  30  and the rotating pole  40  are no longer subjected to the externally applied clamping forces and become rotatable relative to each other. At this point, the housing  20  can be rotated vertically relative to the rotating mechanism  30  and bring the fixed pole  60  to different vertical angles, and the rotating mechanism  30  can be horizontally rotated relative to the rotating pole  40  to adjust the fixed pole  60  to different horizontal orientations. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9  that shows a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the first embodiment, the rotating pole  40  and the fixed pole  60  in the second embodiment are exchanged in their positions relative to the housing  20 . That is, the rotating pole  40  is now used with other supporting members (not shown) to hold the percussion cymbal  61  thereto, and the fixed pole  60  is now assembled to the stand legs (not shown) to maintain an upright position. Since the structural configurations and the connecting or assembling relations of the housing  20 , the rotating mechanism  30 , the rotating pole  40 , the fixed pole  60 , the friction ring washers  50  and the adjustable locking subassembly  70  to one another are the same as those in the first preferred embodiment, they are not repeatedly described herein. 
     The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.