Patent Publication Number: US-11646003-B1

Title: Bass drum pedal compression mechanism

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/086,553 filed on Oct. 1, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/125,241 filed on Dec. 14, 2020, both incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     This disclosure relates generally to drumming apparatuses, and more particularly to a beater assembly which may be operated by a user&#39;s foot wherein the adjustment assembly comprises a spring which allows the user to adjust the force of the beater shaft relative to the user&#39;s pressure on a foot pedal. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Disclosed herein is a drum compression mechanism comprising in one example: a first end configured to be attached to a foot pedal beater clamp; a second end configured to be attached to a foot pedal stationary frame; the foot pedal stationary frame configured to be positioned adjacent a drumhead such that rotation of a drum beater attached to the foot pedal will impact the drumhead when swung about a pivot of the foot pedal; the drum compression mechanism configured to bias the drum beater away from the drumhead; a shaft extending from the pedal axle shaft to a piston adjustably connected to the shaft; and a compression member compressed between the piston and the compression housing when the foot pedal is actuated. 
     The drum compression mechanism may further comprise an elastomer compressed between the piston and the compression member housing when the foot pedal is actuated. 
     The drum compression mechanism may be arranged wherein the piston comprises helical threads such that adjustment of the effective length of the shaft is accomplished by rotating the piston relative to the shaft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a rear section view of a foot pedal assembly using a disclosed compression spring mechanism. 
         FIG.  2    is a side section view of one example of the foot pedal assembly adjacent a drum. 
         FIG.  3    a side section view of one example of the foot pedal assembly adjacent a drum. 
         FIG.  4    is an enlarged cutaway view of one example of a spring mechanism component. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Beater assemblies, which are utilized by a drummer&#39;s foot to pivot a beater about an axis to impact a drum, are well known in the art. One such assembly includes U.S. 704,308 which was patented Jul. 8, 1902, shows a foot pedal with a beater attached thereto to impact the bass drum and/or cymbal when the foot pedal is depressed. As with most of these assemblies, the beater rotates about a shaft and impacts the face of the drum or a cymbal. These assemblies generally comprise a pedal which is contacted by the user&#39;s foot, and some sort of a motion translation assembly which translates the vertical motion of one&#39;s foot on the pedal to rotation of the mallet about an axis. A coil spring “O” is often installed therebetween to bias the beater away from the drumhead for subsequent action. 
     A great many improvements over this basic assembly have been conceived, including U.S. 5,431,081, which includes a chain which connects the foot pedal to the axis of rotation. In some embodiments, a cam-like member can be utilized to adjust the relative motion of the pedal to the swing of a mallet to a desired orientation, such as to create a large amount of leverage for the initial motion of the mallet, and then a shorter lever arm which increases the speed of the mallet once the mallet has initially begun to turn or pivot. 
     Disclosed herein is an improvement to known bass drum beater foot pedal assemblies. The improvement incorporates an adjustable bass drum pedal spring mechanism  20  configured to bias a base drum beater  22  to a position away from the drum  24  which the beater  22  beats against. 
     In operation, using the example foot pedal  26  of  FIG.  2    for illustration as the foot pedal  26  is depressed by a user pressing on the foot plate  30 , the foot plate pivots  32  around an axis  34 . The opposing end of the foot plate  30  moves as result of this force in direction  28  and pulls on a drive chain  36  or equivalent. The drive chain  36  connected to a pedal axle shaft  38  which rotates about a pivot  40  when the drive chain  36  is pulled by movement of the foot pedal  26 . This rotational movement  42  translated to rotational movement  44  or swing of the beater  22 , particularly the beater head  46  toward the drumhead  48  portion of the drum  24  where the beater head  46  impacts the drumhead  48  to make sound. 
     To re-set the foot pedal  26  to the position shown in  FIG.  2   , an adjustable bass drum pedal mechanism  20  is provided to replace the tension spring normally used. This allows retrofit of the adjustable bass drum pedal mechanism  20  to most all known foot pedals  26 . 
       FIG.  4    shows a cutaway view of one example of the disclosed compression assembly  20  comprising a compression housing  50  in which is positioned a spring member  52 , which may be a compression spring, tension spring, elastomer, pneumatic spring, or an equivalent, along with an elastomer  54 , an equivalent of either, or a spring/elastomer combination. A shaft  56  passes through the compression spring  52  and/or elastomer  54  and engages a piston  58  at a first end  60  thereof. In the example shown, helical threads  62  are provided on the end of the shaft  56  such that rotation of the shaft  56  relative to the piston  58  adjusts compression of the spring  52 /compression elastomer  54 , resulting in a change to the force biasing the foot pedal to the return position of  FIG.  2   . This compression member adjustment also changing the force a user must exert on the foot plate  30  to swing the beater  22  to the drumhead  48 . 
     In another example, the threads  62  are provided on the first end  64  of the spring housing  50  and the adjacent outer surface  66  of the shaft  56 . Thus, rotation of the shaft  56  relative to the spring housing  50  adjusts the spring  52 , resulting in a change to the speed and force biasing the foot pedal to the return position of  FIG.  2   . This adjustment may also change the force a user must exert on the foot plate  30  to swing the beater  22  to the drumhead  48 . 
     In one example, the spring  52 /compression elastomer  54  may be easily removed and replaced, such as for using a spring  52 /compression elastomer  54  with different spring constants, or for replacing the elastomer  54  with an elastomer  54  with a different durometer (hardness). In one example, this can be accomplished by removing the piston  58 , removing the spring  52 , and replacing both. 
     In one example, the compression housing  50  may be substantially enclosed, where an end plug  68  is threaded or otherwise fixed to the second end  70  of the compression housing  50 . Removal of the end plug  68  allows removal of the piston  58 , compression spring  52 , and/or elastomer  54 . 
     In another example, one or more sides  72  of the compression housing  50  is open to allow access to and removal of the compression spring  52  and/or elastomer  54 . 
     In the example shown in  FIG.  4   , the shaft  56  has a first eye  74  at a first end  76  thereof for rotational attachment via a cam arm  92  or extension to the pedal axle shaft  38  as shown in  FIG.  3   . Similarly, the second end of the compression housing  50  or end plug  68  has a second eye  78  at a second end thereof, configured to rotatably attach to a pivot  82  of the foot pedal  26 . The pivot  82  may be fixed to the frame  84  or hoop clamp  86  of the foot pedal  26 . 
     In operation, the compression assembly  20  biases the foot pedal  26  to the return position of  FIG.  2   . Thus, after the beater  22  is swung  44  towards the drumhead  48 , the user may reduce or release force on the foot plate  30  and the assembly  20  biases the foot plate  30  and beater  22  to the return position of  FIG.  2   . 
     In the example shown in  FIG.  2   , the frame  184  comprises a base  188  equivalent to the base of the other examples which rests on the floor, and a stanchion  190 . The stanchion  190  extends from the base  188  to the pedal axle shaft  138  which in this example is cantilevered from the stanchion  190 , a second stanchion may be included as shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     In this example, the spring housing  50  and stanchion  190  are the same structure. In this way, cost of material, weight, visual appeal, and many other factors are all improved. The example shown in  FIG.  1    is more desired for some applications. In this example, the piston  158  has external male threads  162  thereon, while the stanchion  190 /spring housing  150  has cooperative female threads thereon. These helical threads  162  are equivalent to the threads  62  of the example in  FIG.  4   . These threads  162  allow the piston to be moved axially as it is rotated relative to the stanchion  190  such that a preload of the spring  152  may be adjusted similarly to the preload adjustment previously described. The spring  152  may be a compression spring, tension spring, elastomer, pneumatic spring, or an equivalent, mechanism connected to a cam arm  192  fixed to the pivot axle shaft  138 . This spring assembly configured to bias the drum beater away from the drumhead. 
     While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants&#39; general concept. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.