GB2349009A - Lightweight drum tuning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A lightweight drum tuning mechanism is comprised of a base unit 1, 2 which slips over the drum shell side, a drumhead support 3 which acts as a fulcrum over which the drum skin is stretched, a tuning ring 4 which is turned clockwise round the drum's circumference to tighten (i.e. tune) the drumhead, and a security nut and bolt 5A, 5B which are used to fasten the tuning ring at the desired place. Point A is where the two halves of the injection moulded base unit are fastened together.

Description

Lightweight Drum Tuning Mechanism This invention relates to a lightweight drum tuning mechanism Conventional current drum tuning mechanisms are metal based, heavy and inherently inefficient. This is because they rely on the separate actions of multiple screws on lugs situated both on the top and bottom of the drum. The use of a strong metal key to turn these screws is mandatory since it would be otherwise impossible to exert sufficient force to accurately stretch the drumhead skin. The tuning results therefore are also indeterminate at the time, since tuning tends to be a two-handed operation and the drum note can only be audibly checked after tuning on each separate lug, of which there may be as many as twenty, on the drum.

This invention allows one-handed, keyless, accurate drum tuning allowing the other hand to strike the drumhead therefore allowing simultaneous tuning and audible verification. Other benefits are a significant saving in drum weight by using injection moulding ingredients rather than metals, the equalisation of pressure across the drumhead minimising "Overrings"and the ability to colour co-ordinate the drum fittings to the colour of the drum shell. Furthermore this invention also allows the rapid change of drumheads when they become damaged.

According to the present invention there is provided an interlocking thread mechanism made from injection moulded materials into which the drumhead is fitted. This mechanism is comprised of a base unit, a tuning ring, an outer drum shell unit and a security bolt. Once the degree of tuning has been achieved, rather like turning the lid tighter on a jam jar, the assembly is locked in place with a security bolt.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an example to the accompanying drawing in which : Figure 1 shows the drum tuning mechanism in section from both sides.

The method of tuning the drumhead in this invention is by turning the tuning ring of the mechanism in a clockwise fashion rather like tightening a jam jar lid.

The parts comprising the invention as annotated in the drawing figure are as follows.

Parts 1 and 2 joined by screws at the bottom (point A) are the Tuning Mechanism Base Unit which fits over the existing drum shell and which incorporates one half of the interlocking thread mechanism.

Part 3 is the Drumhead support, which acts as a fulcrum over which the drumhead material is progressively stretched.

Part 4 is the Tuning Ring which bears down on the outer part of the drum head the more the tuning ring is turned in a clockwise fashion.

Part 5A is the Security Bolt, which is screwed in through the Locking Nut (Part 5B) to bear against the Tuning Ring (4) when the desired level of drumhead pitch has been obtained.

This security bolt prevents the drumhead from further turning back or forth and therefore going out of tune.

Claims (5)

1. Claims 1. A drumhead tuning mechanism, which provides single handed operation.
2. 2. A drumhead tuning mechanism as claimed in 1 wherein manufactured from injection moulded materials it is lightweight.
3. 3. A drumhead tuning mechanism as claimed in 1 or 2 wherein the equalisation of stretching across the drumhead minimises"Overrings".
4. 4. A drumhead tuning mechanism as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the drumhead can be quickly changed.
5. 5. A drumhead tuning mechanism as claimed in 1,2,3 and 4 and which through the use of injection moulded materials allows colour co-ordination with the Drum Body Shell.