Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The application claims priority of provisional patent application serial No. 60/372,494 which was filed on Apr. 12, 2002. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying percussion musical instruments, particularly drums of various kinds, and more particularly, to an a carrier hardware providing an attachment structure for the tension members of percussion instruments and to a vibration isolation system for supporting the carrier on a person while standing, walking, or marching. 
     The prior art discloses many examples of apparatus for supporting percussion instruments such as drums, but none providing the combination of features disclosed and claimed herein. Structures for carrying percussion musical instruments must provide a balance between the comfort of the person walking, standing, or marching while wearing the instruments, and the mounting of the instruments in a desired playing position. Where the instruments are rigidly maintained at a particular playing position, the straps or structure associated with the carrier can cause painful discomfort to the marcher. Thus it is important to provide an instrument carrier with an apparatus which maintains the playing instruments in a given playing position while at the same time providing an increased measure of player comfort. Additionally, the manner in which the instruments are mounted to the carrier is of great importance. The mounting should not affect the musical characteristics of the instruments nor position them in such a manner that the person carrying them cannot properly play the instruments. In the past, marching tom drums, for example, generally were mounted to support structures by drilling openings in the drum shell and making the interconnection to the support through the shell. I believe the breech of shell integrity may affect the sound characteristics of the drum. Even if that is not the case, however, attachments through the shell make it difficult to mount and/or remove the drum from the support structure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,123 to Johannsen discloses a holder for a single marching drum which clasps adjacent vertical drum rod members and is attached to the drum through those members. The holder is further secured to a pair of shoulder straps and a bracing strap configured to rest on the chest or stomach of a person wearing the holder. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,007 to Streit discloses a percussion instrument carrier for securing a single percussion instrument in a playing position while being carried by a person standing, walking, or marching. The single percussion instrument is secured in place to a structure worn on the person by a flexible tie-down cord and a number of L-clamps affixed at opposite corners of the instrument. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,583 to May discloses a carrier for percussion instruments comprising a supporting vest of composite material, rigid removable shoulder straps of light metal, and a back bar of light metal such as aluminum or magnesium. The percussion instruments are supported on a pair of J-bars mounted on the carrier in an adjustable manner. The shoulder straps specifically are intended for removal for the substitution of straps of different sizes. The straps are secured with adjustable connections permitting removal, replacement, longitudinal, and angular adjustment for comfort. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a wearable carrier for percussion musical instruments which provides an adjustable attachment structure for detachably positioning a number of musical instruments in proper playing locations, and for providing a vibration attenuating supporting structure. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the percussion musical instrument carrier and vibration isolation support assembly of the present invention provides a person with an apparatus by which a plurality of percussion musical instruments such as marching tom drums may be supported on the person while standing, walking, or marching. Each of the percussion musical instruments is detachably secured between upper and lower plates of an instrument support utilizing the casings of one or more tension elements located about the circumference of each instrument. The support frame, in turn, is secured to a supporting vest having vibration isolated shoulder straps adapted to be worn by the person. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof will become more apparent from the reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the drum carrier and vibration isolation support system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the drum carrier and vibration isolation support system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the drum carrier and vibration isolation support system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view of the drum carrier of the present invention supporting a plurality of drums; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the drum carrier of the present invention shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a enlarged perspective view of the vibration isolation components of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of a percussion musical instrument showing the installation the tension lug bushing; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bushing. 
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shoulder supported percussion musical instrument carrier and vibration isolation support system of the present invention is shown generally at  10 . The carrier comprises a belly-plate or vest portion  12  adapted to fit the torso of a wearer, a pair of shoulder straps  14 , each secured to the vest portion  12  at a first end, and a back bar  16  linking the opposite ends of the shoulder straps  14  together. A pair of support rod receptacles  18  are secured to the front surface of the vest portion  12  by bolts or rivets  19 . Support rods  20 , preferably J-rods, are supported in the receptacles  18  and secured in position by set screws  21 . Each J-rod  20  may be adjusted vertically and rotationally within the support rod receptacle  18 , providing vertical movement for height adjustment, and rotational movement in a horizontal plane for altering the spacing between the opposite ends of the J-rods  20 . A percussion instrument support frame  22  is secured to the J-rods  20 , opposite the front surface of the vest portion  12 . 
     Each of the shoulder straps  14  is secured to the vest portion  12  with a vibration attenuating element  24  to provide vibration isolation between the vest portion  12  upon which the percussion instruments are carried, and the shoulder straps  14 . The vibration attenuating element  24 , shown in FIG. 6, is preferably composed of a rubber or similar material having vibration isolating or attenuating properties interposed between the vest portion  12  and each shoulder strap  14 . A bolt or rivet  25  integral with, or passing through, the vibration attenuating element  24  secures the respective shoulder strap  14  to the vest portion  12 . Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety of materials having vibration isolating properties may be utilized as the vibration attenuating elements  24 . Correspondingly, the bolt or rivet  25  may be replaced by other conventional connectors to secure each shoulder strap  14  to the vest portion  12 . 
     The percussion instrument support frame  22  comprises an upper instrument support plate  30  and a lower instrument support plate  32 , secured in a predetermined spaced relationship by a pair of C-brackets  34 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper instrument support plate  30  is secured to the upper extensions of each of the C-brackets  34  by bolts or rivets  35 . Correspondingly, the lower instrument support plate  32  is secured to the lower extensions of each of the C-brackets  34  by bolts or rivets  36 . One or more support rods  38  are secured between the upper instrument support plate  30  and the lower instrument support plate  32 , to increase the stability thereof, and to facilitating maintaining the spaced relationship. 
     To secure the percussion instrument support frame  22  to the J-rods  20 , each of the C-brackets  34  includes a rod receiver  40 . Each C-bracket  34  is a mirror image of the other, and accordingly, the following description will describe only one C-bracket  34 . Corresponding reference numerals in the figures identify corresponding components on each C-bracket. 
     The rod receiver  40  comprises a section of tube  42  having an inner diameter sized to receive an end of the J-rod  20  in a friction fit. The tube  42  is secured to the C-bracket  34  by an adjustable bolt  44  passing diametrically through the tube  42  adjacent an upper end  43 . The orientation of the longitudinal axis of tube  42  may be adjusted parallel to the face of the C-bracket  34  by pivoting the tube  42  about the adjustable bolt  44 , thereby permitting the percussion instrument support frame  22  to be orientated at an angle relative to either the ground or the J-rod  20 . A stop  46  is secured to the C-bracket to provide for perpendicular alignment between the planes defined by the upper and lower instrument support plates  30 ,  32  and the longitudinal axis of tube  42 . 
     During use, the upturned end of each J-rod  20  is seated within a corresponding rod receiver  40  from the lower end of each tube  42 . The percussion instrument support frame  22  is oriented at a desired angle relative to the J-rods  20 , by pivoting each tube  42  about the adjustable bolts  44 . Once the desired angle is achieved, the adjustable bolts  44  are tightened to secure each tube  42  in a fixed relationship to the C-bracket  34  on which it is mounted. 
     Turning to FIG.  3  through FIG. 5, there is shown one or more percussion musical instruments  100  secured to the percussion instrument support frame  22 . Each percussion musical instrument  100  includes a cylindrical body or shell  102  and a drum head  104  stretched over the upper end of the shell  102 . The drum head  104  is secured to the shell  102  by a rim  106  which bears on the upper edge of the shell  102 . A plurality of equidistantly spaced tension lugs  108  extend through the rim  106  and are threaded into casings  110  fastened to the side of the shell  102 . Each casing  110  has a predetermined length L, and an axially disposed threaded bore  112 , open at each end, into which a tension lug  108  is threaded. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, it is shown that the upper and lower instrument support plates  30 ,  32  each include, along corresponding peripheral edges  114 , a plurality of vertically aligned curved recesses  116 . Each curved recess  116  has a radius and a radial dimension. The radial dimension corresponding to an outer radial dimension of a percussion musical instrument  100  intended for attachment at that location. Further shown in FIG. 1 are a plurality of vertically aligned instrument attachment points  120 , preferably bolt receiving bores, adjacent each curved recess  116 , and spaced about each curved recess  116  in positions corresponding to the placement of casings  110  about the shell  102  of a percussion musical instrument  100  intended for attachment at that location. 
     The predetermined spaced relationship between the upper and lower instrument support plates  30 ,  32 , as defined by the dimension of the C-brackets  34 , is greater than the predetermined length L of the casings  110  on the percussion musical instruments  100  intended for attachment to the percussion instrument support frame  22 . To secure a percussion musical instrument  100  to the support frame  22 , one or more of the tension lugs  108  are removed from the rim  106  and casings  110 . The percussion musical instrument  100  is then positioned within a curved recess  116  in the upper and lower instrument support plates  30 ,  32 , such that the peripheral edges  114  of the support plates  30 ,  32  abut the shell  102 . Next, the percussion musical instrument  100  is rotated to bring the threaded bore  112  of at least one casing  110  from which the tension lug  108  has been removed into alignment between the upper and lower support plates  30 ,  32  with a vertically aligned pair of bolt receiving bores  120 . The tension lug  108  is then replaced through the rim  106 , passing through a bolt receiving bore  120  in the upper support plate  30 , and threaded into the threaded bore  112  of the casing  110 . 
     During installation of the tension lug  108 , one vibration isolation washer  123  is installed above the casing  110  and one vibration isolation washer  123  is installed below the casing  110 . While the two vibration isolation washers may be made from any resilient material, it is preferred that the vibration isolation washers  123  be made from neoprene material. A bushing  124  (FIGS. 7 and 8) are placed into the opening within the rims  106  prior to installation of the tension lugs  108 . The bushing  124  reduces the friction between the tension lugs  108  and the rim  106  to provide a finer ability to adjust the tension in the tension lug  108 . Additionally, the bushings  124  act to keep the vertical axial tension loads perpendicular to the upper surface of the rim  106 , thereby greatly reducing the tendency to create a bending moment in the tension lug  108  as the tension lug is tightened. While the bushing  124  made be made of any material which reduces the friction coefficient between the metal of the rim  106  and the tension rod  108 , it is preferred that the bushing be made from a brass material. It will also be appreciated that while the bushing  124  is part of the drum carrier  10 , the bushing may also be used on any drum percussion instrument having a rim  106  used for tightening a drum head  104  onto a drum shell  102 . 
     A retaining bolt  122  is correspondingly passed upward through a bolt receiving bore  120  in the lower support plate  32  and threaded into the threaded bore  112  of the casing  110 , opposite the tension lug  108 . Preferably, at least two casings are secured between the upper and lower support plates  30 ,  32  in this manner for each percussion musical instrument  100 . 
     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results are obtained. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Technology Category: g