GB2445768A

GB2445768A - Rotating drum tuning mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2445768A
Application number: GB0700896A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Momcilo Stojakovic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-17
Filing date: 2007-01-17
Publication date: 2008-07-23
Also published as: GB0700896D0

Abstract

A rotating drum tuning mechanism is fitted substantially within the circumference of a drum shell. A non-rotating threaded rim 4 is secured to the inner wall of the drum shell and a threaded tensioning rim 1 is rotatably mounted to the non-rotating rim 4. Support rim 3 is loosely mounted on the non-rotating rim 4 and a bearing edge rim 2 is loosely mounted on the support rim 3, such that both the support rim and the bearing edge rim can rotate with the drum head 7. A drum skin is stretched over the bearing edge rim and the tension of the drum skin can be increased or decreased by rotating the tensioning rim 1 clockwise or anticlockwise. Specially formed ends of two drum sticks can be inserted into sockets in the tensioning rim 1 to assist rotation of the tensioning rim and enable higher tensions. Locking pin 9 is provided to prevent detuning of the drum during playing. An optional decorative rim 5 may be provided to cover the outside of the rim of the drum.

Description

ROTATING DRUM TUNING MECHANISM

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO TENSIONING AND TUNING OF DRUMHEADS.

CONVENTIONAL DRUM TUNING MECHANISMS ARE STEEL BASED AND

INHERENTLY INEFFICIENT. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY DEPEND ON SEPARATE ACTIONS OF MULTIPLE TIGHENING POINTS (BOLTS AND LUGS), TIGHTENED BY THE USE OF A DRUM TUNING KEY. THIS GENERALLY CREATES UNEVEN TIGHENING OF THE DRUMHEAD AND EACH LUG APPLIES PRESSURE ON TO THE DRUM SHELL, HENCE AFFECTING ITS NATURAL RESONATING VALUES. THIS SYSTEM MAKES HEAD CHANGE, TUNING OR REPLACEMENT VERY DIFFICULT AND IS TIME CONSUMING.

IN ORDER TO AVOID THESE PROBLEMS THIS ROTATING MECHANSIM CAN

EQUALLY TIGHTEN THE DRUM HEAD BY USING SOCKETS POSITIONED ON TENSIONING RIM, WITH ASSITANCE OF iWO CUSTOM TURNED DRUMSTICKS INSERTED IN THEM. THIS ROTATING MECHANISM COMPRISES OF FIVE RIMS OF WHICH TWO ARE FIXED AND THREE ARE ROTATING.

TENSIONING IS ACHIEVED BY TURNING INTERLOCKING RIM WITH SOCKETS CLOCKWISE.

THIS MECHANISM WILL NOT DETUNE AND DOES NOT REQUIRE THE USE OF A

DRUM TUNING KEY, THUS ENABLING THE DRUM HEAD CHANGE TO BE FASTER EASIER AND MORE CONVENIENT.

WHEN FITTED WITHIN A STANDARD THIN WOODEN DRUMSHELL, BEING PERFECTLY ROUND IT WILL RECTIFY THE NATRUAL DISTORTION IN THE WOOD. THIS ENORMOUSLY IMPROVES THE SOUND OF THE DRUM I.E. CLARITY, VOLUME AND LONGER RESONANCE. THIS MECHANISM COMBINES DIFFERENT SIZES OF STANDARD DRUMHEADS AND DRUM SHELLS (THE DRUM HEAD IS 7 SMALLER THAN THE BODY ON WHICH IT IS FITTED), WHICH PRODUCES MUCH DESIRED LOWER FREQUENCIES.

BY PLACING A DRUMHEAD OVER THE BEARING EDGE RIM OF THIS DRUM TUNING

MECHANISM, AND NOT OVER THE DRUMSHELL'S BEARING EDGE (AS IN CONVENTIONAL DRUMS), ONE CAN CHANGE THE SOUND OF THE DRUM BY SIMPLY USING RIMS WITH DIFFERENT BEARING EDGES. BEING MANUFACTURED IN ALLUMINIUM AND PLASTIC, THE WEIGHT OF THE DRUM CAN BE CONSIDREBLY REDUCED.

ROTATING DRUM TUNING MECHANISM

DETAILED DISCRIPTION

THIS ROTATING DRUM TUNING MECHANISM USES A METHOD TO TUNE DRUM HEADS IN A

FASHION RATHER LIKE TIGHTENING OR LOOSENING A JAM JAR' LID BY TURNING TENSIONING RIM (1) CLOCK-WiSE THE HEAD TIGHTENS, AND ANTI-CLOCK HEAD LOOSENS (FIGURE2).

BEARING EDGE RIM (2) IS LOOSLEY POSITIONED ON TOP OF SUPPORT RIM (3) AND UW TURN TOGETHER WITH THE DRUMHEAD (1) DURING THE COURSE OF TIGHTENING.

SUPPORT RIM (3) IS ALSO LOOSLEY PLACED ON TO A SMALL EXTENSION OF THE THREADED RIM (4) SO IT CAN ALSO TURN, TO MINIMISE FRICTION DURING TENSIONING (FIGURE 1). AS THE NAME INDICATES, DECORATIVE RIM (5) IS AN OPTIONAL PART OF THE SET-UP FOR PURELY DECORATIVE PURPOSES (MATERIALS, COLOURS & SHAPES CAN VARY). LOCK PIN (9) IS A STRAIGHT FORWARD MECHANICAL DEVICE WHICH MULD STOP THE TENSIONING RIM (1) FROM DETUNING DURING PLAYING (FIGURE 1 AND 2).

TENSIONING IS ACHIEVED BY USING A PAIR OF CUSTOM TURNED DRUM STICKS

(8), WHICH CREATE EXTRA LEVERAGE HENCE ENABLING HIGHER TENSIONS. DRUMSTICKS ARE SIMPLY TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN, THE PLUGAT THE END IS INSERTED IN TO ONE OF THE SOCKETS ON THE TENSIONING RIM (1), AND WITH BOTH DRUMSTICKS IN PLACE, APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE HEAD CAN BE TIGHTENEND OR LOOSENED (FIGURE 2). 3.

Claims

ROTATING DRUM TUNING MECHANISM

CLAIM I. A ROTATING DRUM TUNING MECHANiSM IS PLACED WITHIN THE DRUM SHELL WITH IT'S OWN BEARING EDGE FOR STRETCHING DRUMHEADS AND BY ROTATING INTERLOCKING

RIM WITH SOCKETS DRIVEN BY TWO CUSTOM TURNED ORUMSTICKS CAN EQUALLY TIGHTEN A

DRUMHEAD
CLAIM 2. THIS MECHANISM ACCORDING TO CLAIM I USES SOCKETS AS TENSIONING POINTS CLAIM
3. THIS MECHANISM ACCORDING TO CLAIM I AND 2 WITH ASSISTANCE OF TWO CUSTOM

TURNED DRUMSTICKS INSERTED IN TO SOCKETS ON THE TENSIONING RIM CAN TIGHTEN THE

DRUMHEAD TO DESIRED TUNE
CLAIM 4. THIS ROTATING MECHANISM ACCORDING TO CLAIM 1 USES IT'S OWN BEARING EDGE

TO STRETCH THE DRUM HEAD
CLAIM 5. THIS MECHANISM ACCORDING TO CLAIM I COMBINES SMALLER SIZE OF STANDARD

DRUMHEAD WITH LARGER SIZE STANDARD DRUM SHELL
CLAIM 6. THIS MECHANISM ACCORDING TO ANY OF THE PRECEDING CLAIMS EUMINATES THE

USE OF DRUM TUNING KEY FOR TUNING DRUMHEADS