GB2086120A - Drum Support Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A support stand apparatus is capable of supporting a relatively large number of melodic drums or tom- toms (12) from a single conventional cymbal-type tripod stand (14). A transverse or horizontally extending elongated support bar (16) operatively positions the tom-toms (12) therefrom. The support bar is directly attached preferably to the conventional stud (28) of a conventional adjustable pivot head (30) attached at the upper end of the upright extending conventional projection member (32) of the cymbal stand (14). The support bar (16) is operatively stabilized against pivoting relative to the projection member (32) by stabilizing means preferably taking the form of a strut member (18) operatively extending between the support bar (16) and the projection member (32) at a position spaced below the pivot head (30). Angular adjustment of the support bar (16) relative to the projection member (32) is possible by adjustable pivoting and retaining means (not shown) associated with the stabilizing means (18). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drum Support Apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a number of drums, for example melodic drums or tom-toms.

Various types of support stands for tom-toms have been proposed. The conventional type of support stand extends above a bass drum resting on the floor and is useful for supporting a maximum of two tom-toms. The conventional stand includes an upright projection member extending from the bass drum and having a pair of oppositely diposed L-shaped rod brackets extending from the top end. A receiving member is attached to the side of each tom-tom and each receiving member has a hole formed therein to receive one leg of the L-shaped rod bracket. A set screw or other device extends through the receiving member to firmly contact the leg of the L-shaped rod bracket in the hole.A clip-type of support stand is similar to the conventional stand except that the upright projection is suspended from the floor by tripod-type legs, and the Lshaped rod brackets are replaced by L-shaped flat brackets. Slot-type receiving members are connected to the side of each tom-tom and slide over the flat upright extending leg of the L-shaped flat bracket. The typical clip-type support stand is also only capable of supporting a pair of tomtoms. A bar-type of support stand comprises the upright projection supported by the tripodtype legs and includes a transversely extending bar positioned at the top end of the projection member. The transverse bar is typically cylindrical, and an end of the bar is received within a correspondingly-shaped cylindrical opening formed in a receiving member attached to the side of the tom-tom.A set screw or thumb screw extends through the receiving member and frictionally engages the end of the cylindrical bar.

The bar extends radially outward from the curved side of each of the two tom-toms attached at opposite ends of the bar.

Two of the most significant disadvantages of the previously proposed tom-tom support stands are a relative lack of stability and an ability to support a relatively small number of tom-toms.

Because the typical stand will support only one drum on each transversely opposite side of the upward projection, previously proposed stands become unstable and out of balance if only one drum is attempted to be attached. Many skilled musicians use a large number of tom-toms, for example eight, and require a relatively large number of stands to support and position all of their tom-toms. Additional expense is involved in obtaining multiple stands. Multiple stands add to the congestion and detract from the usable space surrounding the musician, which is already typically occupied by numerous pieces of musical equipment, such as bass drums, multiple snare drums, and cymbals. Due to the requirement for multiple stands, a large number of tom-toms cannot be conveniently grouped for ease of playing.Furthermore, due to the balance problems, only tom-toms of approximately the same size can be attached on opposite sides of the conventional stands. Other disadvantages of conventional tom-tom support stands are known to those skilled in this particular field, and will become more apparent in light of the present invention.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for operatively supporting at least one drum from a stand having an upright extending projection member terminating at an upper end, said apparatus comprising an elongated support member of sufficient predetermined length for supporting at least one drum along its length retention means connected to the support member for retaining each drum operatively from the support member, means for connecting the support member at a position intermediate its ends to the upper end of the upright projection member, and stabilizing means for operatively connecting the support member to the projection member at a position spaced from the upper end and for stabilizing the support member with respect to the projection member against substantial pivotal movement relative to the projection member.

Further according to the invention, there is provided apparatus for supporting a plurality of drums from a stand having an upright projection member, an adjustable pivot head connected at an upper end of the projection member and a stud extending from the adjustable pivot head, said drum supporting apparatus comprising an elongated support member of sufficient predetermined length to operatively support the plurality of drums therefrom in a generally transversely aligned manner, retention means connected to the support member for operatively retaining each drum from the support member, a passageway in a middle region of the support member, the passageway having a configuration for receiving the stud therein to directly cantileverly connect the support member from the adjustable head, an elongated strut member, a first attachment bracket operatively attaching one end of the strut member to the support member at a position substantially transversely displaced from the adjustment head, said first attachment bracket including means pivotably retaining the one end of the strut member for pivoting in a plane parallel to the projection member and means for selectively forceably retaining the one end of the strut member at a selected angle relative to the support member, and a second attachment operatively attaching the other end of the strut member to the projection member at a position spaced from the adjustment head, said second attachment bracket including means pivotally retaining the other end of the strut member for pivoting in a plane parallel to the projection member and means for selectively forceably retaining the other end of the strut member at a selected angle relative to the projection member and means for selectively retaining said second attachment bracket to the projection member at a plurality of positions spaced from the adjustment head.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, to be described serves to support a plurality of tomtoms from a cymbal-type tripod stand or the like.

The supporting apparatus includes an elongated support member of sufficient length for supporting the plurality of drums along its length.

Preferably the length of the support member is sufficient to support at least four tom-toms in a generally transversely aligned member, thereby allowing as many as eight tom-toms to be connected to the support member. The support member includes retention means for operatively retaining each drum from the support member, the support member is operatively connected at its middle region to an upper end of an upright projection member of the cymbal stand.

Stabilizing means operatively interconnects the support member to the projection member at a position spaced from its upper end. The stabilizing means operatively stabilizes the support member with respect to the projection member to prevent substantial pivotable movement of the support member relative to the projection member.

Preferably the stabilizing means comprises a strut member and a pair of attachment brackets operatively connecting the strut member between the support member and the projection member at the position spaced below the upper end of the projection member. A triangular bracing structure is thereby defined and characteristics of the attachment brackets prevent substantial pivoting of the support bar relative to the plane defined by the triangular bracing structure. In this manner a relatively large number of tom-toms can be supported from a single conventional cymbal-type support stand. The structural arrangement of the elements restrains relatively large forces and provides sufficient structural support for effectively and durably positioning a relatively large number of tom-toms for convenient playing.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support apparatus and stand according to the present invention illustrated as supporting a plurality of melodic drums or tom-toms; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the support apparatus and stand shown in Figure 1 with the tom-toms removed; Figure 3 is a view of the support apparatus and stand with certain elements sectioned and others in elevation, taken substantially in the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view taken substantially in the plane of line fl 4 of Figure 3 with certain elements partially shown and others removed for clarity;; Figure 5 is a view taken substantially in the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 3 with certain elements removed for clarity: Fig. 6 is an enlarged section view taken substantially in the plane of line 6-6 of Fig. 2, with a portion broken out for clarity.

Fig. 7 is a view taken substantially in the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 6, with a portion broken out for clarity.

Fig. 8 is a generalized schematic view illustrating the operative manner by which a tomtom is attached to a support member of the present invention.

Preferring Embodiment A drum support apparatus 10 for durably and stably supporting a plurality of melodic drums or tom-toms 12 from a conventional tripod or cymbal stand 14 is generally introduced by reference to Figs.1,2 and 3. The support apparatus 10 generally comprises a transverse elongated support member or bar 16 and stablizing means generally defined by a strut member 1 8 and an upper attachment bracket member 20 and a lower attachment bracket member 22. One or more retention brackets 24 are attached to the support bar 1 6. The tom-toms 12 are operatively attached to the support bar 1 6 by sliding a retention clip 26 (Fig. 8) onto the retention bracket 24. The retention clip 26 is, of course, firmly attached to the curved side wall of the tomtom.The support bar 1 6 is directly attached to a stud 28 extending from a conventional adjustable pivot head 30 at the uppermost end of a projection member 32 of the cymbal stand 14. The stabilizing means generally defined by elements 18, 20 and 22 extends from the support bar at an upper position transversely displaced from the upper end of the projection member 32 at the adjustable head 30 to the projection member at a lower position spaced below the adjustable pivot head 30.

A highly stable and durable support arrangement is achieved by the arrangement of the support bar 1 6 and the stabilizing means defined by the strut member 18 and the upper and lower attachment brackets 20 and 22, respectively. As shown in Fig. 3, the support bar 16, the strut member 18 and its attachment brackets 20 and 22, and the portion of the projection member 32 between the lower attachment bracket 22 and the adjustable pivot head 30 define a triangular bracing structure which affords the recognized advantages of strength and rigidity. The upper attachment bracket 20 shown in Fig. 4, and the lower attachment bracket 22 shown in Fig. 5, and the connection of the brackets 20 and 22 to the strut member 18 and the support bar 1 6 and the projection member 32 provide sufficient stability to prevent the support bar 16 from pivoting about an axis through the stud member 28. A relatively large number of tom-toms 12 can be operatively connected to the support bar 1 6 as a result of the support obtained by the stabilizing means.

Furthermore, the angle of the support bar 16 relative to the projection member 32, as seen in Fig. 3, can readily be adjusted to most effectively position the tom-toms 12 for individual playing styles. A greater appreciation for the significance of the support apparatus 10 is available from the following more detailed description of its elements and of the cymbal stand 14.

The support bar 16, as shown primarily in Figs.

2 and 3 is preferably an elongated member of integral material such as aluminum having a right rectangular cross sectional configuration. An upper surface 34 and a lower surface 36 are preferably flat, smooth and are planar with respect to one another. Similarly, front and rear surfaces 38 and 40, respectively, are flat, smooth, and planar with respect to one another, and extend at right angles to the upper and lower surfaces 34 and 36, respectively. Threaded apertures 42 are formed into the support bar 1 6 from the surfaces 34 and 36, as shown in Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8, for the purpose of receiving screws 44 or other fastening means for fastening the retention brackets 24 to the upper and lower surfaces 34 and 36, respectively.A plurality of threaded apertures 44 are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the support bar 16 to allow the retention brackets 24 to be positioned at desired locations for supporting as many tomtoms 12 as is desired in the most convenient locations and to accommodate different sizes of tom-toms in desired locations. Preferably the length of the support bar is sufficient to support at least four tom-toms in a transversally aligned manner along the upper surface 34 (Fig. 1) and an equal number along the lower surface 36.

In order to directly attach the support bar 1 6 to the stud 28 of the adjustable head 30, a stud receiving or pilot passageway 46 is formed through the support bar 16 between the front and rear surfaces 38 and 40, as is shown in Fig. 3. The passageway 46 is of a generally stepped cylindrical configuration which corresponds to the steps of the typical stud 28 of a cymbal stand 14.

An outermost end 48 of the stud 28 is threaded and adapted to threadably receive thereon a wing nut 50. After the stud 28 has been inserted into the pilot passageway, the wing nut 50 is threaded on the end 48, and the wing nut 50 is tightened against a washer 52 which draws the rear surface 40 of the support bar 1 6 in firm engagement with a shoulder flat 54 of the stud 28 adjacent the pivotable head 30, thereby operatively attaching the support bar in a direct cantilevered fashion to the upper end of the projection member 32.

The stabilizing means provided by elements 1 8, 20 and 22 is transversely centered with respect to the pilot passageway 46, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The upper attachment bracket 20 includes a base portion 56 and a pair of transversely spaced wing portions 58 and 60. The base portion 56 is firmly connected to the lower surface 36 of the support bar 16 by screws 62 or other suitable fastener means. The bracket 20 is positioned at the forward surface 38 and spaced from the rear surface 40 and is thereby transversely spaced from the adjustable pivot head 30. The wing portions 58 and 60 define an interior notch therebetween and have generally parallel planar inner surfaces 64 and 66. A reduced transverse width upper end portion 68 of the strut member 1 8 is received in the notch between the wing portions 58 and 60.Parallel exterior planar surfaces 70 and 72 of the end portion 68 planarly contact and correspond with the inner surfaces 64 and 66, respectively. A bolt 74 or other pivotable connecting means extends through aligned apertures 76 (Fig. 3) formed in the wing portions 58 and 60 and in the upper end portion 68 of the strut member 18. A wing nut 78 is threaded onto an end of the bolt 74 opposite an enlarged head of the bolt. By tightening the wing nut 78, the wing portions 58 and 60 are slightly deflected into a substantial frictionally-engaging planar contact with the end portion 68 of the strut member 18, thereby operatively establishing a rigid angular relationship between the strut member 1 8 and the bracket 20 and hence the support bar (Fig. 3).

The elements of the stabilizing means adaptable to be connected to the upright projection member 32 of the cymbal stand 14 are primarily illustrated in Fig. 5. The lower attachment bracket 22 includes a main generally square-shaped center portion 80 through which a circular aperture 82 is formed. The diameter of the circular aperture 82 is slightly greater than the diameter of the projection member 32 of the cymbal stand. The aperture 82 is adapted to receive the cylindrical projection member 32 therein (Figs. 1 and 2). A slot 84 extends through the center portion 80 between an outer surface and the circular aperture 82. A bolt 86 extends through a hole 88 (Fig. 3) formed through the center portion 80 in a manner to allow the bolt 86 to intersect the slot 84. A wing nut 90 is threadably attached to one end of the bolt 86.By tightening the wing nut 90, that part of the center portion 80 around the location where the slot 84 extends from the aperture 82 is deflected or compressed slightly together. The cylindrical surface of the center aperture 82 is thereby forced into firm frictional engagement with the projection member 28 of the cymbal stand.

Means are thereby provided for firmly attaching the lower attachment bracket 22 to the projection member 32, and for allowing the lower bracket to be adjustably positioned along the length of the projection member 32 at different positions spaced from the adjustable pivot head 30.

A pair of transversely spaced wing portions 92 and 94 extend from the center portion 80 of the attachment bracket 22. Flat, smooth, parallel extending inner surfaces 96 and 98 of the wing portions 90 and 92, respectively, extend in planes spaced equidistantly from the center of the cylindrical aperture 82. The notch defined between the inner surfaces 96 and 98 of the wing portions 92 and 94 receives a reduced transverse width lower end 100 of the strut member 1 8.

Parallel planar exterior surfaces 102 and 104 planarly contact the surfaces 96 and 98, respectively. A bolt 106 or other pivotable connecting means extends through axially aligned apertures 108 (Fig. 3) formed in the wing portions 92 and 94 and in the end 100 of the strut member 18. A wing nut 110 is threaded onto the threaded end of the bolt 1 06. By tightening the wing nut 110, the wing portions 92 and 94 are slightly deflected inwardly to create a firm frictional engagement between the wing portions 92 and 94 and the end 100 of the strut member 18. The lower end of the strut member 18 is thereby firmly and rigidly attached in an adjustable angular relationship with respect to the projection member 32 of the cymbal stand.Of course, the firm frictional engagement of the center aperture 82 with the projection member 22 completes the operative rigid engagement of the strut member to the projection member and thereby completes the triangular bracing structure illustrated in Fig. 3.

The desirable features of the stabilizing means provided by elements 18, 20 and 22 are now more apparent. The firm, adjustable angular retention of the strut member ends 68 and 100 in the notches defined by the brackets 20 and 22, respectively, allows the triangular bracing structure to be obtained upon any adjustment of the angular relationship of the support bar relative to the projection member 32. Accordingly pivoting of the support bar relative to the projection member is prevented in the plane of Fig. 3. The wing portions 58, 60 and 94, 96 of the attachment brackets define means for preventing the support bar from pivoting in a plane through the projection member and perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 3 and transverse with respect to the length of the support bar 16.Accordingly the support bar is stabilized against substantial pivotable movement relative to the projection member. The bolts 74, 86 and 106 and their threadably engaged wing nuts 78, 90 and 110, respectively define means for forceably engaging the various portions of the attachment brackets 20 and 22 with the strut member 18 and the projection member 32 to achieve the desirable stabilizing features.

Each retention bracket member 24 has the same general rectangular overall shaped configuration as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Each retention bracket 24 extends between the front and rear surfaces 38 and 40 of the support bar 1 6. A flat inner surface 112 of each retention bracket 24 contacts one of the upper or lower surfaces 34 or 36 of the support bar 16. The screws 44 extend through counter-sinked apertures 114 formed in the bracket members 24 and do not extend above an outer surface 11 6 of the retention brackets.Front and rear surfaces 11 8 and 1 20 respectively of the retention brackets 24 are generally aligned parallel with the front and rear surfaces 38 and 40 of the support member 1 6. A pair of parallel extending slots are formed inward from side surfaces 122 and the inner surfaces 112 of the brackets 24. The slots 124 extend from the front surface 118 to a position spaced by a shoulder 126 from the rear surface 120. The slots 1 24 define means for removably slidingly engaging the retention clip 26 (Fig. 8) connected to the tom-tom 12.

The retention clip 26 is of well known construction and comprises a curved base plate 1 28 attached by bolts or fastener means 130 to the side wall 132 of the tom-tom 14, as is shown in Fig. 8. An offset clip plate 134 is connected to the base plate 1 28 by screws 136. The offset clip plate 134 includes a pair of U-channel edges 138 which open toward and face one another at a position offset from the base plate 128. The maximum transverse distance between the innermost points of the U-channel edges 138 is slightly greater than the transverse distance between the side surfaces 122 of the retention bracket 24. Each of the U-shaped edges 138 extends over the portion of the sides 122 remaining after the notches 1 24 have been formed therein.The portions of the U-channel edges 1 38 contact the shoulders 126 of the retention brackets 24 and thereby limit the maximum amount of sliding engagement of the offset clip plate 134 and retention clip 26 on the retention bracket 24.

The cymbal stand 14 is also of well known construction and is best shown in Fig. 1. The projection member 32 telescopes out of a lower tube member 140. Three equally spaced legs 142 connect to the tube member 140 and define a tripod-type support arrangement for the stand 14.

Each of the tom-toms 14 shown in Fig. 1 can be slidably, conveniently and firmly retained to the transverse support bar 1 6. By adjusting the location of the retention brackets 24 along the length of the support bar 16, the tom-toms can be positioned in the most convenient locations for playing. Furthermore, the high degree of structural rigidity and bracing provided by the support means comprising elements 1 8, 20 and 22 prevents the support bar 16 from pivoting about the stud 28 and from pivoting about the adjustable pivot head 30 of the cymbal stand 14.

A rigid triangular bracing structure defined by the strut member 1 8 and the transverse width of the support bar 16 and an upper portion of the projection member 18 allow the drummer to most conveniently angle all of the tom-toms for playing.

A relatively large number of tom-toms can be attached to the support bar 1 6 without fear of imbalance situations because the length of the support bar 1 6 allows the positions of the drums to be adjusted for balance. The support provided by the stabilizing means allows the full length of the support bar to be used to retain the drums. As a result, a more effective and convenient support apparatus for a relatively large number of tomtoms even of different sizes, is provided.

Claims (14)

Claims

1. Apparatus for operatively supporting at least one drum from a stand having an upright extending projection member terminating at an upper end, said apparatus comprising an elongated support member of sufficient predetermined length for supporting at least one drum along its length retention means connected to the support member for retaining each drum operatively from the support member, means for connecting the support member at a position intermediate its ends to the upper end of the upright projection member, and stabilizing means for operatively connecting the support member to the projection member at a position spaced from the upper end and for stabilizing the support member with respect to the projections member against substantial pivotal movement relative to the projection member.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined length of the support member is sufficient to support at least four tom-tom drums from the support member in generally transversely aligned manner.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for connecting the support member to the upper end of the projection member is effective to position the support member transversely relative to the upper end of the projection member, and said stabilizing means is connected to the support member at a position substantially transversely displaced from the upper end of the projection member, whereby the stabilizing means and the support member and a portion of the projection member between the upper end and the position spaced from the upper end generally define a triangular support structure for the support member in a first plane parallel to the projection member.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said stabilizing means includes means for preventing pivotal movement of the support member in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said stabilizing means comprises an elongated strut member, means for operatively attaching one end of the strut member to the support member at a position substantially transversely displaced from the upper end of the projection member, and means for operatively attaching the other end of the strut member to the projection member at the position spaced from the upper end of the projection member.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the means for operatively attaching an end of the strut member each comprise a bracket member having a pair of spaced apart wing portions extending therefrom and defining a notch to receive an end of the strut member, and means operatively extending between the wing portions selectively forceably engaging the wing portions at the notch with the end of the strut member within the notch to restrain the strut member with respect to the bracket member.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for forceably engaging the wing portions at the notch with the ends of the strut member comprises means pivotably connecting the end of the strut member to the bracket member when the end of the strut member is not rigidly restrained in the notch.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the means for connecting the support member to the upper end of the projection member comprises a passageway in the support member, and having a configuration for receiving a stud extending from the upper end of the projection member.

9. Apparatus for supporting a plurality of drums from a stand having an upright projection member, an adjustable pivot head connected at an upper end of the projection member and a stud extending from the adjustable pivot head, said drum supporting apparatus comprising an elongated support member of sufficient predetermined length to operatively support the plurality of drums therefrom in a generally transversely aligned manner, retention means connected to the support member for operatively retaining each drum from the support member, a passageway in a middle region of the support member, the passageway having a configuration for receiving the stud therein to directly cantileverly connect the support member from the adjustable head, an elongated strut member, a first attachment bracket operatively attaching one end of the strut member to the support member at a position substantially transversely displaced from the adjustment head, said first attachment bracket including means pivotably retaining the one end of the strut member for pivoting in a plane parallel to the projection member and means for selectively forceably retaining the one end of the strut member at a selected angle relative to the support member, and a second attachment bracket operatively attaching the other end of the strut member to the projection member at a position spaced from the adjustment head, said second attachment bracket including means pivotally retaining the other end of the strut member for pivoting in a plane parallel to the projection member and means for selectively forceably retaining the other end of the strut member at a selected angle relative to the projection member and means for selectively retaining said second attachment bracket to the projection member at a plurality of positions spaced from the adjustment head.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the pivotal retaining means of said first attachment bracket is operative to pivotally retain the said one end of the strut member for pivoting only in a single restraint plane transverse with respect to the length of the support member and to restrain the strut member against pivotable movement in planes other than the single restraint plane.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein each end of the strut member has an aperture formed therein, and the pivotal retaining means of said first and second attachment brackets comprise a pair of spaced apart wing portions extending from each bracket and defining a notch therebetween to receive an end of the strut members, and pivot means extending into the notch from at least one wing portion and received within the aperture in the end of the strut member to allow the end of the strut member to pivot about the pivot means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the selective forceable retaining means of said first and second attachment brackets each comprise said pivot means operatively extending between the wing portions, and means connected to said pivot means for deflecting the wing portions toward one another to sufficiently forceably engage the end of the strut member within the notch.

1 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the means for selectively retaining the said second attachment bracket to the projection member at a plurality of positions comprises a centre aperture defined through a centre portion of the second attachment bracket, the centre aperture having the same configuration and a slightly larger size as a cross-section of the projection member for receiving the projection member therein, and means for deflecting the centre portion in the region of the aperture to frictionally engage and restrain the centre portion to the projection member.

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the predetermined length of the support member is sufficient to support at least four tom-tom drums from the support member in a generally transversely aligned member.

1 5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in combination with a said stand.

1 6. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the stand is a cymbal stand.

1 7. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.