Drum mounting

Jan. 5, I960 h. h. slingerland, jr 2,919,618

DRUM MOUNTING Filed Aug. 16, 1957

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2,919,618

Patented Jan. 5, 1960

United States Patent Office

2,919,618

DRUM MOUNTING

Henry H. Slingerland, Jr., Wilmette, Ill.

Application August 16, 1957, Serial No. 678,726 1 Claim. (CL 84—421)

This invention relates to a musical drum and in particular to a spur device for retaining a bass drum.

To retain a bass drum in proper position to be beaten by a drummer, legs, or spurs, are secured to the cylindrical shell of the drum to extend downwardly therefrom into contact with the surface on which the drum rests. Such spurs may be secured to the hoop at the end of the. shell or may be attached to the cylindrical wall of the shell itself intermediate the ends thereof.

This invention relates to spurs of the type which are attached directly to the shell and more particularly to a form of such directly attached spurs wherein the spur is arranged to be retracted to within the body of the drum when desired.

The retractable type spur devices now found in the art have several serious disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that the spur is secured to the shell by means of a bracket which requires that the spur extend perpendicular to a plane tangent to the shell at the point of mounting. Thus, in order to use a reasonably small sized bass drum, the spurs must be mounted on the drum quite close to the bottom thereof, resulting in a relatively unstable retention of the drum. A second disadvantage of such retractable spurs and similarly of other types of spurs presently known, is that the spurs extend in a radial plane (in a plane transversely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shell) so that little or no resistance is offered to the “walking” of the drum away from the drummer resulting from the successive impacts on the head of the drum adjacent the drummer. To remedy this problem separate devices known as drum anchors have heretofore been required.

The principal feature of this invention is to provide a new and improved retractable spur device.

Another feature is to provide such a retractable spur device having improved drum retaining functioning wherein the spur is attached to the shell by a bracket which extends the spur at an acute angle relative to a plane tangent to the shell at the point of mounting of the spur.

I A further feature of the invention is to provide a retractable spur device having improved “walking” preventing functioning wherein the bracket is arranged to extend the spur at an acute angle to a radial plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum and away from the head of the drum arranged to be beaten.

Still another feature of the invention is to provide such a bracket having means associated therewith to align automatically the bracket with the axis of the drum to insure a proper angular extension of the spur therefrom.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a bass drum having mounted thereon a pair of spur devices embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 3—3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the spur device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 5—5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the mounting bracket.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as 10 shown in the drawings, a spur device generally designated 10 is seen to be attached to a drum 11. The spur device 10 is of a retractable type wherein a rod-like spur 12 is attached by means of a bracket 13 to the tubular shell 14 of drum 11 alternatively to project outwardly 15 therefrom (as seen in Fig. 1), or to be retracted therethrough to extend to within the interior of shell 14. The instant invention comprehends a device 10 wherein spur 12 is arranged to extend, in the projecting disposition, with a novel angular relationship to the drum 11 20 whereby an improved retaining action against both a sideward or rolling movement of the drum and a longitudinal or “walking” movement of the drum is obtained.

More specifically, drum 11 may be of any suitable drum construction and is herein shown as of a conven25 tional bass drum configuration defined by cylindrical shell 14, a rear or beating head 15 across one end of the shell and a front head 16 across the opposite end of the shell. Suitable hoops 17 are provided and associated with a plurality of tensioning devices 18 to draw 36 the heads 15 and 16 taut. A pedal 19 may be secured to the hoop 17 adjacent rear head 15 to effect a beating of the drum with the drummer’s foot.

Intermediate heads 15 and 16 and relatively adjacent the horizontal central plane of shell 14, the shell is 35 provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced holes 20. Adjacent each of holes 20 is a pair of apertures 21 for use in properly positioning bracket 13, as will be brought out more fully hereinafter.

As best seen in Figures 4 through 7, bracket 13 com46 prises an inner portion 22 having a mating configuration relative to the cylindrical shell 14 conformably engaging the shell outer surface. A pair of bosses 23 projects from inner portion 22 to extend into apertures 21 of the shell. The conforming engagement of bracket 13 with 45 the shell, and the cooperative action of bosses 23 with apertures 21 effects automatic alignment of bracket 13 relative to the longitudinal axis of the shell and outwardly of hole 20. To secure bracket 13 to the shell, stud bolts 24 are threadedly associated with bosses 23, 50 suitable washers being carried thereby to engage the shell surrounding apertures 21.

Extended completely through bracket 13 is a passage 26 Ivhich opens through inner portion 22 thereof into alignment with hole 20 when the bracket is positioned on 55 shell 14 as described above. Passage 26 comprises a straight bore having an enlarged or countersunk portion 27 at its outer end. As best seen in Figure 5, passage 26 is arranged to extend at an acute angle downwardly relative to a plane tangent to the cylindrical shell at hole 60 20. Thus, as best seen in Fig. 3, brackets 13 may be mounted substantially above the surface S of the floor or platform on which the drum is supported permitting the spurs 12 to retain or “cradle” the drum 11 in an improved manner, while allowing the retraction of the 65 spurs 12 into the drum when desired. To position the spur 12 longitudinally relative to passage 26 securing means are provided, herein shown as a wing bolt 28 threaded through bracket 13 to have its inner end 28α engage releasably spur 12 within passage 26.

To limit the longitudinal movement of the spur into shell 14 a retaining ring 29 is secured to the spur adjacent the floor engaging outer tip 30 thereof. Retaining

2,919,618 ring 29 is dimensioned to move through countersunk portion 27 but not through the remainder of passage 26. The spacing of ring 29 from tip 30 is preferably such that, when spur 12 is in the fully retracted position wherein ring 29 is at the inner end of countersunk por- ΰ tion 27, tip 30 of the spur is wholly received within the countersunk portion 27 of the passage. Thus, no portion of the spur projects outwardly from bracket 13 when the spur is in the retracted position.

In addition to being arranged to extend angularly io downwardly to provide improved cradling, passage 26 is arranged to extend at an angle to a radial plane transversely perpendicular to the axis of shell 14 and through hole 20 to provide improved resistance to walking of the drum. This arrangement is best seen in 15 Figures 2 and 6. It is preferred that the angular extension from the radial plane be such that tip 30 of the spur project toward the plane of front head 16 of the drum. Resultingly, the tendency of the drum to move away or “walk” from the drummer as the rear head 15 is beaten by the drummer is effectively counteracted by the reaction of tip 30 against surface S on which the drum is carried. Thus the need for separate anchor devices is virtually eliminated.

The use of spur device 10 is extremely simple, while yet it provides an improved, positive retention of the drum 11. When the drum is to be transported, spurs 12 are fully retracted by loosening wing bolts 28 and sliding each spur longitudinally through passage 26 of the associated bolt until retaining ring 29 is fully received within countersunk portion 27. This automatically positions tip 30 of the spur fully within the countersunk portion 27 of the passage. Wing bolt 28 may then be retightened to retain the spur in the retracted position.

When it is desired to utilize spurs 12 for retaining the drum in position for use, wing bolts 28 are loosened and the spurs are withdrawn from shell 14 to the desired projected position wherein they extend downwardly from bracket 13 to engage the surface S on which the drum is to be carried. The novel angular disposition of passage 26 causes the spurs to be automatically positioned in an improved “cradling” and “walking-resistant” arrangement. Wing bolts 28 are then retightened to secure the spurs in this desired extended position and the drum is ready for conventional use.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.