GB2257457A - Coupling device for connecting a drum to a drum stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A coupling device is disclosed for coupling one or more drums to a drum stand. The coupling device is in two parts the first of which consists of a block (12) securable to a drum cylinder and having a pair of lugs (22, 23). The second part consists of a further block (14) having a pair of recesses (28, 30) into which the lugs (22, 23) are receivable. Releasable locking means (36, 38) are provided for locking the lugs (22, 23) in the recesses (28, 30). <IMAGE>

Description

Title - Couplinq Device This invention relates to a coupling device and in particular but not exclusively to a coupling device for coupling one or more drums to a drum stand which drum and drum stand in combination form a drum kit.

Drum kits are well known to be awkward to assemble. For transportation purposes drum kits need to be quickly and easily dismantled and subsequently reassembled.

One type of known drum includes a drum cage which consists of a plurality of posts positioned circumferentially around the drum the ends of the cage being connectable to the ends of the drum shell in some way. The drum cage serves to remove stress which would otherwise be applied to the drum shell by tensioning the drum head at either end of the drum shell or cylinder.

The mounting of the drums on a drum stand is normally achieved by the use of an elaborate assembly of brackets, clamps and wing nuts and bolts. Conventionally, the brackets are attached to the drum shell or cylinder and engage corresponding brackets on the drum stand; each drum is then secured in place by wing nuts and bolts. The drum bracket is attached to the cylinder by the use of nuts and bolts, the bolts penetrating through the shell to project into the drum shell's hollow interior. Contact of the drum bracket against the shell and penetration of the bolts through the shell have an adverse effect upon the acoustics of the drum.

It is known to support a bracket between adjacent posts of a drum cage, the method of attachment to the drum stand being effected by brackets and wing nuts and bolts. This arrangement does not however provide a quick release coupling between the drum bracket and drum stand.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupling device comprising a pair of components removably connectable together, the first component having at least one recess downwardly inclined relative to the first component and having a surface for abutment against a corresponding surface of the second component, the second component having at least one projecting lug to be received in the recess of the first component with corresponding surfaces of the two components bearing one against the other, and releasable locking means for locking the two components together.

The first component may include a plurality of spaced apart parallel recesses. In this arrangement the second component includes a plurality of lugs corresponding to the number of recesses included in the first component. An advantage of this arrangement is that it provides the coupling with additional support and stability.

Conveniently, a single lug is received within a single recess, and most conveniently the lug is provided with a groove into which the locking means may engage. Alternatively, the lug may be sub-divided by a channel, the division thus forming subsidiary lugs which are received by a single recess.

The releasable locking means is preferably manually operable and may be in the form of a pivotally mounted lever on the second component, having a cam which is moved by the lever between locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position the cam engages the groove formed within the lug to lock the two components. together.

Alternatively, the locking means may be a removable threaded spigot which is manually rotatable by the use of a locking key which serves to displace the spigot into the channel between the two subsidiary lugs.

A further alternative locking means may be a wing screw which may be manually rotated so as to enable the screw to engage and disengage the channel so locking and releasing the two components together.

Although the locking means is most conveniently a manually operable means it may alternatively be carried out electrically for example by the use of a solenoid.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a drum kit comprising a drum removably locked to a drum stand and a quick release mechanism to enable a drum to be readily removed from the stand.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the first embodiment of a coupling device according to the invention in an unlocked condition; Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through part of the coupling device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a part front view of one part of the coupling device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a part-sectional view of part of the coupling device of Figure 1 in a locked condition; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second embodiment of a coupling device according to the invention in an unlocked condition; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view from below, of one part of the coupling device shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of the coupling device shown in Figure 5 in a locked condition.

Referring to Figure 1, there is provided a coupling device generally designated 10, which consists of two generally rectangular blocks 12 and 14. One type of drum 16 with which the coupling device is used is shown in Figure 1. The drum 16 includes a cage generally designated 18 which comprises a plurality of posts 20 positioned circumferentially around the drum 16 as shown.

The rectangular block 12 is provided with two spaced apart parallel upper and lower lugs 22 and 23 respectively. The upper lug 22 is provided with an arcuate groove 24 at its centre. This block 12 is screwed onto a bracket 26 which is mounted for slidable movement along two adjacent posts 20 of the drum 16 and which is clamped in position along the posts 20 wherever necessary. In an alternative construction (not shown) the rectangular block 12 is cast integrally with the bracket 26.

The second rectangular block 14 is provided with two spaced apart parallel upper and lower recesses 28 and 30 respectively. The upper recess 28 as shown in Figure 2 is provided with a bore 32 which communicates with an elongate slot 38 perpendicular to the bore 32. A cam arm 34 which forms part of a lever 36 is rotatably mounted in the bore 32 for engagement into the groove 24 of a lug 22 as shown in Figure 3 and 4. The engagement of the cam 34 with the groove 24 serves to lock the two blocks 12 and 14 together as is clearly shown in Figure 4.

The lever 36 is housed within the elongate slot 38 and serves to rotate the cam arm 34 into and out of engagement with the groove 24. The limit of pivotal movement of the lever 36 is governed by the length of the elongate slot 38 and in this embodiment is sufficient to rotate the cam arm 34 into engagement with the groove 24.

In use, the lever 36 is pivoted across to rest against one end of the elongate slot 38 so that the cam arm 34 is not protruding into the recess 28. The block 12 is then brought into engagement with the block 14 which in the case of a drum and drum stand would be part of the stand itself. The lugs 22 and 23 are then located into the co-operating recesses 28 and 30. The coupling device is locked in this position by the action of the lever 36 which is pivoted across from its rest position to the opposing end of the elongate slot 38, as shown in Figure 3 so that in turn the cam arm 34 is rotated so as to protrude out of the recess 28 into engagement with the groove 24.

To unlock the coupling device 10, the reverse operation is carried out, pivoting the lever 36 back to its rest position out of engagement with the groove 24. The lugs 22 and 23 may then be disengaged from the respective recesses 28 and 30. Thus as shown in Figure 1, the drum 16 may be quickly and simply released from a stand.

Turning now to Figures 5 to 7, a second embodiment of coupling device of the invention is generally designated 40. The coupling device 40 comprises a rectangular block 42 and an L-shaped block 44. The L-shaped block 44 has on its larger limb 46, two spaced apart parallel lugs 48 and 50 in an upper and lower position respectively as shown in Figure 6. The upper lug 48 is equally sub-divided by a central channel 50 and thus consists of two individual lugs 48A and 48B. The central channel 50 extends towards the lower lug 50.

The rectangular block 42 is provided with two spaced apart parallel upper and lower recesses 52 and 54 which co-operate with the lugs of the rectangular block 44. Formed to either side of the upper recess 52 are bores 56 and 58 which lie perpendicular to the opening of the recess 52. The bore 56 is provided with a plate 57 which bears against the inside surface of the recess 52 adjacent the bore 56. One bore 58 is screw threaded and extends towards the lower recess 54 whilst the remaining bore 56 is formed through an exterior wall 60 of the block 42. The two bores 56 and 58 are in alignment with one another and a screwthreaded spigot 62 as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 7 may be passed through the bore 56 in the exterior wall 60 across the recess 52 to engage the screw-threaded bore 58.

In use, the lugs 48 and 50 of the block 44 are brought into engagement with the recesses 52 and 54 respectively as shown by the arrow in Figure 5 and are secured together by the insertion of the spigot 62 through the bore hole 56 into the recess 52.

The spigot 62 slides through the central channel 50 and into the screw-threaded bore 58. The spigot 62 is then screwed into the bore 58 as shown in both Figures 5 and 7 by the use of a wing nut (not shown) and as it is screwed in, the plate 57 is also screwed down and bears against the lug 48 clamping the lug 48 in position within the recess 52. This secures the lugs 48 and 50 within the recesses 52 and 54 as shown in Figure 7 thus locking the coupling device together. To release the coupling device 40, the operation is simply reversed, unscrewing the spigot 62 from the screw-threaded bore 58 until it is loose enough to allow the lugs to be pulled away from the recesses.

An advantage of this coupling device is that it enables drums to be quickly and easily dismantled from a drum stand for transportation purposes. Also when reassembled wherever necessary, the drums are returned to their original positions as required and therefore in is not necessary to readjust the drum kit at each location.

Claims (1)

1A coupling device comprising a pair of components removably connectable together, the first component having at least one recess downwardly inclined relative to the first component and having a surface for abutment against a corresponding surface of the second component, the second component having at least one projecting lug to be received in the recess of the first component with corresponding surfaces of the two components bearing one against the other, and releasable locking means for locking the two components together.