improvements in and relating to Drums and similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1886

page_text: improvements in and relating to Drums and similar Musical
Instruments.
I, BERNHARD FLECK, of Mühlhausen, Thuringen, Germany, Hardware Manu-
facturer, 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 drums and similar musical instruments.
The musical instruments, by which sounds are produced through the medium of
stretched skins or membranes must be provided with means for enabling these skins
or membranes to be stretched more or less, or to be slackened.
The present invention comprises improved means for stretching and relaxing the
said skins or membranes. It also comprises improved means for facilitating the
carrying of drums and similar instrumenta
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drum provided with my present improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a section on the line A B, Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a section on the line C, D Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a view of a detail.
A metal ring a having a broad foot, presses upon the projecting collar b attached
to the skin or membrane and thereby stretches the latter over the body c.
Mounted upon this ring, and capable of turning thereon is a second similar ring d,
which has upon its circumference a number of guide bars e each forming a part of
a screw thread. With these bars engage the drawing-rods f provided on their
upper ends with claws, which rods are guided in dove-tail depressions in the foot
of the ring a, these depressions corresponding to their own.form; and being held
in the lower ring g. Now, as soon as the ring d is turned upon the ring a, the
claws of the drawing rods f tend to ascend upon the inclines formed by the bars e,
and thereby force both rings a and g towards the drum body c, extending and
stretching the drum heads 6 and 61, between the said body and the rings a and g,
equally in all directions.
In order to effect the turning of the ring d rapidly and with certainty, it has a
small toothed wheel h provided with a triangular or square piñ or a similar device,
and engaging with a curved rack p on the foot of the fixed ring a.

page_text: Now, if the small wheel h is turned by means of the drum stick, for which
purpose the latter has in its head a hole or the like fitting the said pin on the
small wheel, the above mentioned turning of the ring d upon the ring a and
consequently the stretching and slackening of the skin or membrane, takes place
instantaneously and in an equable manner.
To enable the gut strings k placed over the lower drum head to be stretched and
slackened at the same time as the drum heads the said strings at one or both sides
of the drum are attached to a hooked rod l.
If the strings are stretched by the screw in the desired manner while the skin
is tight they will be slackened when the tension of the drum head is released but
in stretching the latter they will automatically re-obtain the previous tension.
For the purpose of carrying the present instrument, a metallic lug m is firmly
fixed on the inner metallic ring in which lug the hook n is engaged when the drum
is in use the said hook being fastened to the frame t in such a manner that it can
turn. The small frame is suspended by a leather loop from the belt.
This device is specially applicable for military purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First The means for equally and rapidly stretching and slackening the skins or
membranes of drums or similar musical instruments, comprising the rings a, d and g,
the drawing rods f, the inclined bars e, the rack p and the small toothed wheel h
Second The combination with the apparatus claimed in the preceding claiming
clause, of the mechanism for stretching and relaxing the tension of the gut strings
simultaneously with the stretching or slackening of the drum heads.
Third A device for facilitating the carrying of drums, consisting of the metallic
lug m fixed on the upper ring a, and a hook n capable of turning in the small
frame t.
Dated this 29th day of June 1886.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.