GB2207278A

GB2207278A - Drum pedal arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2207278A
Application number: GB08814747A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Mackie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-07-16
Filing date: 1988-06-21
Publication date: 1989-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-21
Also published as: GB8716742D0; GB2207278B; GB8814747D0

Abstract

A drum pedal arrangement whereby pressing and releasing footplate 4 beater arms 2 and 3, with their beater heads 19A and 19B, producing alternating beats on the drum: one beat for a downward movement of the footplate, and one beat for an upward movement of the footplate. By folding over beater arm 3, on pivot 23, the arrangement works in single beat mode, with beater head 19B inoperative. The angular disposition of the beater arms may be adjusted, to achieve sound variations. <IMAGE>

Description

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS This invention relates to percussion instruments. More particularly it relates to drum kits and means for producing twin bass drum effects from a single bass drum kit.

Certain types of music require fast response bass drum techniques which are conventionally and ideally executed by the use of two bass drums. For various reasons, the use of two bass drums may be impracticable and it is the object of the present invention to provide a drum pedal arrangement adapted to achieve twin sound effects from a single drum.

According to the present invention there is provided a twin headed drum pedal arrangement for use with percussion instruments comprising a pair of reciprocating beater arms lying substantially parallel one to the other and mounted for differential angular displacement in a generally vertical plane about a common axis of rotation, actuation of said beater arms being effected from a common foot pedal and resilient means associated with the said beater arms for applying a counter angular displacement of said beater arms associated with said foot pedal actuation.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating pictorially a general arrangement in accordance with the invention.

In certain types of music requiring fast bass drum techniques it is known to use twin bass drums to achieve that effect. There are various shortcomings in this arrangement, principally that both bass drums require to be tuned exactly the same to produce a good sound and the use of twin bass drums alters the position of other adjacent equipment such as the snare drum which is inconvenient for normal rhythms.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by the provision of a twin headed drum pedal arrangement 1 for use with a single bass drum by which arrangement twin beater arms 2 and 3 are actuated by a single foot pedal 4 to be displaced in a differentially reciprocating motion to achieve a double drum beat effect upon a single bass drum. The drum is not shown here for reasons of clarity, but it will be understood that the pedal arrangement is located suitably adjacent the drum skin when required.

The arrangement principally comprises a U-shaped support bracket 5 forming twin upstanding posts 6 extending from a base rail 7. Extending rearwardly from the base rail are two parallel foot pedal mounting bars 8 to which is mounted close to the rearward end a fixed pin hinge 9 which joins the heel 10 to the footplate 4. The support bracket 5 is maintained in position by location to a base plate 11, the locating means comprising a clamping plate 12 engaging the base plate 11 by means of a thumb-screw 13.

Located at the upper end of each post 6 are bearing housings 14 rotatably engaging a pair of co-axial half shafts 15. Each half shaft incorporates a collar 16 having external cam surface 17 the collars arranged on the shaft such that the cam surface on one shaft lies in the opposed sense to that on the other. Wrapped partially around each respective collar in similar opposed sense, as illustrated, is tape 18 both of which engage the underside of the foot pedal 4. The twin beater arms, each including a beater head 19, lying substantially parallel to each other extend upwardly from their respective half shaft 15, are angularly displaced relative to each other, and arranged such that in motion they move relative to each other-in a substantially vertical plane.Tension springs 20 are located at 21 to each post 6 and at their upper ends, in an opposed sense to levers 22 which are fixed to the end of each half shaft 15.

In operation, depression of the foot pedal 4 induces tension in the tapes 18 and contra-rotation of the half-shafts 15. This action causes the beater arm 2 to be angularly displaced in a forwardly direction such that its beater head 19a contacts the drum skin whilst the beater arm 3 in angularly displaced rearwardly so that its beater head 19b moves away from the drum skin. With foot pressure removed from the foot pedal the in built spring effects induce a contra-rotational motion such that the beater head 19b provides the beat and the beater head 19a moves away. By this means, a double beat effect is achieved simply from the actuation of a single foot pedal.

By means of pivot 23 beater arm 3 can be moved into a horizontal position so that beater head 19b does not come in contact with the drum skin when foot pressure is removed from the foot pedal so that when the foot pedal is operated only beater head 19a comes in contact with the drum skin and the pedal in single beat mode works like a conventional bass drum pedal.

Although not shown here means may also be provided in the arrangement for adjusting the angular disposition of the beater arms to achieve sound variations.

Claims

1. A drum pedal arrangement whereby the operation of a single footplate activates a pair of alternating complementary beaters to produce two drum beats for each operation of the footplate, the beaters being linked to the pedal by mechanical means.

2. A drum pedal arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the beaters can be adjusted to produce even or uneven rhythms.

3. A drum pedal arrangement as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, whereby one of the beaters can be made inoperable, on this arrangement, therefore producing a single drum beat for each operation of the footplate.