Year: 1898

page_text: ALFRED SMITH, 3, Oats Street, Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanic, and JOSEPH BALL, 9, Hibbert Street, Rusholme,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Musician, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved mechanism for the application of tension
to the heads, or skins, of drums, which is described in the following:
In the accompanying drawing showing one half the circumference of the
drum A is the shell, or body, of the drum, B is the movable hoop on which is
fixed the head or skin, D to Do are rocking levers attached to the movable hoop
and to the shell by means of hanging brackets on studs fixed in both hoop
and shell.
The rocking levers are pivoted at the centre and the ends are connected as
shown by wire rods E which are jointed by ball & socket to each end of the
rocking levers.
The tension is applied by the screws F, F which are carried by lugs fixed
in the movable hoop, said screws are traversed by nuts G, G¹ which are connected
with levers D) and De by wire rods, when the nuts are drawn toward the hoop,
the nearest ends of D & D are drawn in the same direction while the ends
farthest from the screws move in the opposite direction, transmitting their move-
ment to the levers D₁ & D³ attached to the movable hoop, which in turn com-
municate with D² & D, and in this manner transmitting the movement through-
out the circumference of the drum and thereby drawing the hoop further onto
the shell and thus applying or relaxing the tension on the head according to
the direction in which the screws are turned.
In the case of bass & side drums and all drums employing two heads, or skins,
the levers D, D2, D, & Dº, shown as being attached to the shell, would be
attached to the movable hoop carrying the second head, or skin.
1011
000
ALFRED SMITH,
JOSEPH BALL.

page_text: holme, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Musician, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to an improved mechanism for the application of tension
to the skins, hereinafter termed the heads, of musical drums; which is per-
formed as follows:-
In the drawing left with the Provisional Specification showing one half the
circumference of the drum A is the shell, or body. B is the movable hoop on
which is stretched the head. 1 to D are rocking levers pivoted at their centres
in hanging brackets, said brackets being hung on to studs fixed in both movable
hoop and shell.
The ends of the rocking levers are connected as shown by wire rods E, which
are jointed by ball and socket to each end of the said levers.
The tension is applied by the tuning screws F F¹ which are carried by lugs
fixed on the outside of the movable hoop. The said screws are traversed by
nuts G G¹ which are connected with levers D and D. When the nuts are
drawn towards the handles of the screws, the nearest ends of D and D6 are drawn
in the same direction, while the ends farthest from the screws move in the
opposite direction transmitting their movement to the levers D and D³ attached
to the movable hoop, these in turn communicate with D2 and D, and in this
manner transmitting the movement throughout the circumference of the drum,
thereby drawing the hoop further on to the shell and thus applying or relaxing
the tension on the head according to the direction in which the screws are
turned.
In the case of bass and side drums, and all drums employing two heads; the
levers D, D2, D and D6 shown as being attached to the shell, would be attached
to the movable hoop carrying the second head.
The number of tuning screws and rocking levers to be increased or diminished
as we may deem advisable according to the diameter of the drum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
.
The application of rocking levers connected by rods or other means for the
purpose herein before described and declared.
Dated this 14th day of February 1899
ALFRED SMITH,
JOSEPH BALL.