Patent Publication Number: US-7211720-B1

Title: Adjustable bass drum beater

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention is directed to bass drum beaters, specifically a bass drum beater that adjusts to give drum players more options in equipment setup. 
   2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
   A bass drum beater is operated by a drum pedal in conjunction with a player&#39;s foot to contact the surface of a bass drum. A bass drum is set up with a drum surface facing the front of a drum pedal. A bass drum beater usually comprises a shaft with a beater head at one end. The shaft is held by the drum pedal and the beater head swings in an arc when the drum pedal is depressed and contacts the drum surface. 
   Bass drums may come in different sizes and the floor upon which the drum is placed may not be even with the floor upon which the pedal is placed. In these circumstances, it may be beneficial to have a means for adjusting the bass drum beater so that the beater head hits the drum surface to produce the desired sound and tone. The bass drum beater may be placed so that the distance between the drum pedal and the beater head is longer or shorter, depending upon the desired contact position with respect to the bass drum. However, shortening the length of the distance from the drum pedal to the beater head usually involves shifting the position of bass drum beater as it is held by the drum beater and may result in the bottom of the shaft hitting the drum pedal or the drum head. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention provides a bass drum beater which may include a shaft having a length, a beater head fixable to a selected position along the length, and a connector engageable to the beater head and to the shaft to secure the position. The length of the shaft may be between about 6 inches and about 10 inches. The beater head may form an angle with respect to the shaft and the angle may be adjustable along a range, which may be about 20 degrees to either side of perpendicular. The shaft may be made from titanium and the beater head may be made from aluminum. 
   In another aspect of the invention, a bass drum beater may also include a shaft, a beater head having a drumward side and a hole to engage the shaft, a beater face attachable to the drumward side, and a means for holding the beater head in a longitudinal position and an angular position with respect to the shaft, wherein the longitudinal position and the angular position are adjustable. The means may include a bushing around the hole and a screw engaging the bushing. The bushing may have arms which are in contact with the shaft, and the screw may force one of the arms against the shaft. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater. 
       FIG. 2  is top view of a cross section of a beater head. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a beater head engaged to a top portion of a shaft. 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of a cross section of a beater body. 
       FIG. 5  is an elevation view of a cross section of a beater body. 
       FIG. 6  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater engaged to a top portion of a shaft. 
       FIG. 7  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater with a beater head angularly rotated upward and engaged to a top portion of a shaft. 
       FIG. 8  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater with a beater head angularly rotated downward and engaged to a top portion of a shaft. 
       FIG. 9  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater held in a drum pedal mechanism striking the surface of a small bass drum. 
       FIG. 10  is an elevation view of a cross section of a bass drum beater held in a drum pedal mechanism striking the surface of a large bass drum. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , bass drum beater  10  may include shaft  20  having a length, beater head  30  fixable to a selected position on shaft  20 , and a connector engageable to beater head  30  and to shaft  20  to secure the position. As shown in  FIG. 1 , bass drum beater  10  may include shaft  20  and beater head  30 . 
   Beater head  30  may be selectively positioned along the entire length of shaft  20  to strike a bass drum. Preferably beater head may be positioned along top portion  21  of shaft  20 . Loosening screw  60  within screw hole  62  loosens bushing  70  and allows beater head  30  to slide along shaft  20 . Preferably beater head  30  may be positioned on top portion  21  of shaft  20 . Tightening screw  60  in screw hole  62  may cause screw to contact a connector in beater head  30  and locks beater head  30  to a position along the length of shaft  20 . In one embodiment, the connector may be bushing  70 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  10 , shaft  20  may have top portion  21  and bottom portion  29 . Bottom portion  29  may be held in a drum pedal and beater head  30  normally may be positioned along top portion  21 . Shaft  20  may be between about 6 inches and about 10 inches, preferably between about 7 inches and about 9 inches, and in one embodiment may be about 8 inches. Construction of shaft  20  may include titanium. The diameter of shaft  20  may be between about 0.1 inches and about 0.4 inches, preferably between about 0.2 inches and about 0.3 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.25 inches. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2–5 , beater head  30  may include beater body  40  which may be of unitary construction. In one embodiment (not shown), beater body  40  may be integral with beater face  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , beater head  30  may engage shaft  20  through bushing  70  which may act as a connector engageable to both beater head  30  and to shaft  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , from the side, beater body  40  may be bugle-shaped with face portion  41  flaring out from midportion  42 , and a pointed back portion  43 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , beater head  30  has four holes, stem hole  48 , shaft hole  45 , screw hole  62 , and bushing hole  46 . Stem hole  48  extends inwardly from face surface  41  on face portion  41  between about 0.2 inches and about 0.6 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.45 inches. Stem hole  48  may be between about 0.3 inches and about 0.6 inches in width, and in one embodiment about 0.4 inches in width. Shaft hole  45  extends downwardly through the middle of midportion  42 . Shaft hole  45  may be oval shaped and may be between about 0.2 inches and about 0.6 inches in length, preferably between about 0.3 inches and about 0.5 inches in length, and in one embodiment about 0.4 inches in length. Shaft hole  45  may be between about 0.2 inches and about 0.4 inches in width, and in one embodiment about 0.3 inches in width. Bushing hole  46  may be circular with a diameter of between about 0.2 inches and about 0.6 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.4 inches. Screw hole  62  may extend inwardly from back portion  43  of beater body  40 . Screw hole may have a length of between about 0.2 inches and about 0.6 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.4 inches. Screw hole  62  may have a diameter of between about 0.2 inches and about 0.4 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.3 inches. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , bushing  70  fits within bushing hole  46  of beater head  30  and has bushing shaft hole  72  to hold shaft  20  extending through shaft hole  45 . Bushing  70  has slot  73  and arms  74 . In one embodiment, bushing  70  has two arms  74 , drum arm  75  and screw arm  76 . Slot  73  allows arms  74  to be flexible around bushing shaft hole  72  to hold shaft  20 . When screw  60  is tightened in screw hole  62 , the tip of screw  60  may force screw arm  76  to pinch shaft  20 . The pinching action of screw arm  76  holds beater head  30  in a desired position on shaft  20 . 
   The outer diameter of bushing  70  may be slightly smaller than the diameter of bushing hole  46  such that bushing  70  may fit in bushing hole  46  and rotate freely therein. Shaft  20  may fit through shaft hole  45  of beater head  40  and also fit through bushing shaft hole  72  of bushing  70  when bushing  70  is in place within bushing hole  46 . The length of bushing  70  corresponds to the side thickness of midportion  42  and may be between about 0.5 inches and about 0.8 inches, preferably between about 0.6 inches and about 0.72 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.68 inches. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , in one embodiment, beater face  50  may be a separate piece from the rest of beater body  40 . Beater face  50  may have strike flange  51  and stem  52 . Strike flange  51  may include strike surface  53  which strikes the surface of a drum and beater surface  54 , which engages face surface  47  on face portion  41 . Face surface  47  may be toward the drumward side of beater head  30 . Beater face  50  must be located on the drumward side of beater head  30  in order to contact a bass drum. As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , stem  52  fits within stem hole  48  extending through face portion  41  and part of midportion  42 . In one embodiment, stem  52  may have double lead threads to thread into stem hole  48 . Beater face  50  may be made of plastic and may have a thickness between about 0.1 inches and about 0.3 inches, preferably between about 0.15 inches and about 0.25 inches, and in one embodiment about 0.188 inches. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7–9 , beater head  30  may be angularly adjustable with respect to shaft  20 . Beater head  30  may typically be perpendicular to shaft  20 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , and forming perpendicular line  80  with respect to shaft  20 . Beater head  30  may have midline  85  and when it is perpendicular to shaft  20 , perpendicular line  80  and midline  85  may be juxtaposed. However, if beater head  30  is angularly swiveled about bushing  70  so that beater head is not perpendicular with shaft  20 , then perpendicular line  80  will make an angle with midline  85 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , beater head  30  may be tilted towards top portion  21  and midline  85  may form angle α with perpendicular line  80 . Angle α may be between about 0 degrees and about 20 degrees, and in one embodiment about 14 degrees. As shown in  FIG. 8 , beater head  30  may be tilted towards bottom portion  29  and midline  85  may form angle β with perpendicular line  80 . Angle β may be between about 0 degrees and about 20 degrees, and in one embodiment about 14 degrees. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , when shaft  20  is positioned within shaft hole  45  and bushing shaft hole  72 , bushing  70  may rotate within bushing hole  46  to the range allowable by the length of shaft hole  45 . A longer length of shaft hole  45  would increase the range of both angle α and angle β. In one embodiment, a length of about 0.438 inches corresponds to a range of 14 degrees for angle α and a range of about 14 degrees for angle β. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , bass drums  100  may be different sizes. As a result, length  22  between beater head  30  and the drum pedal and angle β may need to be adjusted so strike face  53  of beater face  50  strikes drum surface  101  at the desired location for the desired sound. Positioning beater head  30  lower on upper portion  21  shortens length  22  and positioning beater head  30  higher on upper portion  21  lengthens length  22 . An advantage of adjustable bass drum beater  10  may be that lower portion  29  may be held in the same position by a drum pedal. Thus, lower portion  29  may never contact the drum pedal when bass drum beater  10  swings toward drum surface  101  regardless of the position of beater head  30  on shaft  20 . 
   Screw  60  contacts bushing  70 , specifically as screw  60  is screwed into screw hole  62  the tip of screw  60  pushes against screw arm  76  and forces screw arm  76  tightly against shaft  20 . Screw  60  forces bushing  70  to pinch shaft  20  to hold beater head  30  in place both longitudinally and angularly with respect to shaft  20 . Tightening screw  60  may hold both the desired longitudinal position and the desired angular position of beater head  30  on shaft  20 . This allows very easy and fast adjustment of bass drum beater  10  because only one screw needs to be manipulated for all desired adjustments. 
   Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.