Patent Publication Number: US-6215056-B1

Title: Adjustable foot structure for hi-hat cymbal

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a hi-hat cymbal and particularly a hi-hat cymbal that has a dual-foot or tripod cymbal stand, which may be flexibly positioned on various performing, sites for use. 
     FIG. 1 shows a conventional hi-hat cymbal, which has a tripod stand supporting two cymbals at the top end and a foot, pedal at the bottom. By stepping the foot pedal, the two cymbals may be actuated to hit against each other for producing sound desired. The tripod stand has three feet, which may be extended around a circular perimeter to securely hold the cymbals on the floor. 
     The hi-hat cymbal usually has to couple with drum set at the performance sites, and they take relatively large floor space. When performance sites are outdoors on grass field or with no even ground surface, the three feet of the tripod stand cannot stand steadily. 
     How to resolve the problem set forth above for the hi-hat cymbal to be firmly supported on any performance sites without taking too much floor space is one of the issues musical instrument manufacturers are now pursing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable foot structure for hi-hat cymbal that has a base and a movable foot which may be folded for storing and extended for use, and may be adjusted to form different configurations to suit different performance sites to support the hi-hat cymbal steadily. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable foot structure for hi-hat cymbal that has a base and a movable foot which may be folded for storing and extended for use, and may be coupled with a drum set to facilitate playing. 
     In order to achieve aforesaid objects, the adjustable foot structure according to this invention includes a base, a cymbal stand and a movable foot pivotally engaged with the base and cymbal stand. The base has a stub at one end and a frame at another end. The movable foot includes a rod which has a screw section at one end and a transverse hole at another end, an adjustable knob and an adjusting ring engaged respectively with the screw section, a linkage means having a linkage beam which has two ends respectively and pivotally engaged with a first anchor member and a second anchor member for engaging with the stub and rod, and a sleeve located above an opening of the frame for pivotally holding the tube. The sleeve has two fingers for pivotally engaging with the transverse hole of the rod. 
     By means of the structure set forth above, the adjust knob may rest on the ground and the rod may be swiveled about the tube through the sleeve, and the movable foot and the stub form an adjustable angular connection through the linkage means such that the movable foot may be folded for storing or extended for use. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understood by the following detailed description and drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional hi-hat cymbal. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of this invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a base of this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a linkage means of this invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of this invention in use. 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of this invention in moving. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 2 through 7, the adjustable foot structure according to this invention includes a stand  10 , a base  20  located below the stand  10  and a movable foot  30  pivotally engaged with stand  10  and base  20 . 
     The stand  10  includes a tube  13 , two feet  11  pivotally engaged with the tube  13  through a stand sleeve  12  mounted on the stand  10 . The stand sleeve  12  has an adjust screw bolt  14  for securely holding the stand sleeve  12  on the tube  13 . The adjust screw bolt  14  forms respectively a same selected angle with each of the two feet  11 . 
     The base  20  is located below the stand  10  and engages with a foot pedal  40 . The base  20  includes a frame  21 , which is formed like a reversed L shape manner. Between the base  20  and frame  21 , there is a swivel block  50 , which engages with the foot pedal  40  through a chain  51 . Stepping the foot pedal  40 , the two cymbals may be driven to hit against each other for making sound. The frame  21  has a top end in which a step opening  22  is provided for holding the tube  13  and a center rod  15 . At one side of the frame  21 , there is a set screw  23  for engaging the tube  13  and center rod  15  securely in the step opening  22 . At one end of the base  20 , there are two screw apertures  24  for fixing the swivel block  50  on the base  20  by means of screw bolts. At another side of the base  20 , a stub  25  is provided. At a side wall of the frame  21 , there is a protrusive block  26  which has a cavity  261  formed therein. The cavity  261  has a top closed end and an opening at the bottom thereof. The protrusive block  26  has a transverse groove  262  communicating with the cavity  261 . In the cavity  261 , there is a pin  263  which is engaged with a transverse set screw  264  for adjusting the extended outside length of the pin  263 . 
     The movable foot  30  includes a rod  31 , an adjust knob  32 , an adjust ring  33 , a linkage means  34  and a sleeve  35 . The rod  31  has a screw section  311  at one end which has screw threads formed thereon and a transverse hole  312  formed at another end. 
     The adjust knob  32  has an internal screw threads  321  engageable with the screw section  311  so that the adjust knob  32  may become a support pad to make contact with the ground to prevent the movable foot  30  from wearing off against the ground. 
     The adjust ring  33  has a center screw bore  331  engageable with the screw section  311  for adjusting the position of the adjust knob  32  to make contact with the ground. 
     The linkage means  34  includes a linkage beam  341  which has two ends pivotally engaged with a first anchor member  342  and a second anchor member  343 . The first anchor member  342  is engaged with the stub  25  while the second anchor member  343  is pivotally engaged with the rod  31 . Thereby the angle between the movable foot  30  and stub  25  is changeable through the linkage means  34 . 
     The sleeve  35  is located above the step opening  22  of the frame  21  for pivotally holding the tube  13 . It has a slot  351  at one side between a pair of clamp fingers  352  which may engage with a clamp screw  353  for fixing the sleeve  35  tightly on the tube  13  or for loosely engaging the sleeve  35  on the tube  13  so that the sleeve  35  may be turned about the tube  13 . The sleeve  35  has a pair of rod fingers  354  at another side for pivotally engaging with the transverse hole  312  so that the rod  31  is pivotally turnable about the tube  13  through the sleeve  35 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the rod  31  has one end pivotally engaged with the sleeve  35  and another end pivotally engaged with the stub  25  through the linkage means  34 . The movable foot  30  hence may be turned about the base  20 . This may be accomplished by loosing the clamp screw  353  in the sleeve  35  to move the movable foot  30  to a position desired. Thereafter tightening the clamp screw  353  to fix the movable foot  30 , then turn the adjust ring  33  to make the adjust knob  32  making contact with the ground. 
     This invention may be used in various ground conditions. At normal conditions, the two feet  11  of the stand  10  may couple with the movable foot  30  to form a tripod stand for supporting the cymbal steadily on the ground. On an uneven ground or a restrained space, the sleeve  35  may be loosened by unscrewing the clamp screw  353  to move the movable foot  30  close and folding behind the frame  21 . Then tightening the clamp screw  353  to fix the movable foot  30 . Then turning the adjust ring  33  to move the adjust knob  32  away from the ground. Thereafter, loosening the adjustable screw bolt  14  to adjust the two feet  11  and foot pedal  40  to form a standing position on a grass or uneven ground, without the need of finding a supporting position for the third foot like a conventional tripod cymbal stand does.