Year: 1886

page_text: I, HENRY GUSTAV LEHNERT, of City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Manufacturer and Importer of Musical Instruments do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to musical drums and consists partly in applying a snare
to the batter or top head of the same.
It further partly consists in providing the drum with recesses or beds for a set of
snares applied to the batter head thereof.
:
It also partly consists in forming the under side of the batter head convex in the
direction of the snares.
By these means the drum possesses many advantages as will be hereinafter fully
Bet forth.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a top or plan view of a drum embodying my invention,
Figure 2 represents a vertical section of a portion of the drum on the line a, x
Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section on the line y, y Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A represents the body or shell of a drum, B the batter or top head, C the top
hoop, and C¹ the top flush hoop, all formed of suitable material.
To the under side or inner side of the batter head B I apply a set of snares D,
which rest in recesses or beds E formed in the top edge of the body A, and are
connected with a tightener D¹, said recesses or beds being sufficiently deep to allow
the snares to be freely moved in order to be tightened or slackened; this being
assisted by making recesses E E on the inner sides of the top hoop C and flush
hoop C¹.
The upper edge of the body A is gradually lowered at opposite places at a right
angle to the snare, as at F, F, whereby the batter head has imparted to it, on its
under side, a convexity, which extends in the direction of the length of the snares.
It will be seen that the snares D are on the under or inner side of the batter
head, instead of on the outside of or beneath the snare or bottom head of the
drum, as heretofore existing, but the drum may be supplied with snares on the
bottom head when so desired,

page_text: By means of the snares D, a stronger and sharper tone is imparted to the drum
than heretofore, this being increased when both top and bottom snares are
employed. The snares D being on the inside, are not materially affected by rain
or dampness, and will thereby retain their sound, a feature not possessed by the
well known bottom snares. The batter head is sustained by said snares D and
hence will not be easily beaten through. The drum will continue its sound should
the snares on the bottom head or the bottom head itself be broken or otherwise
become unfit for use. The crescendo and diminuendo can be made more readily
and distinctly on the drum with the snares D, than on one without the same.
Owing to the convexity imparted to the batter head, the snares D may be
adjusted in tension at the option of the drum.
The drum may be muffled by the bottom snares, in the usual manner, or by
slackening the top snares D.
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. A drum having its batter head provided with a snare substantially as
described.
Second. A set of snares applied to the batter head of a drum, substantially as
described.
Third. A drum having on the under side of its batter head a snare, substantially
as described.
Fourth. A drum having both its batter and snare heads provided with snares,
substantially as described.
Fifth. A drum having 'recesses or beds for a set of snares which are applied to
the batter head of the drum, substantially as described.
:
Sixth. A drum having its batter head provided with a snare, and said head
formed convex in relation to said snare, substantially as described.
Seventh. A drum having its batter head provided with a spare, and its hoops
formed with recesses on their inner sides relatively to said snare, substantially as
described.
Dated this 14th day of September 1886.