US3521518A

US3521518A - Musical instrument

Info

Publication number: US3521518A
Application number: US744081A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin B Cohen
Original assignee: MARTIN B COHEN
Current assignee: MARTIN B COHEN
Priority date: 1968-07-11
Filing date: 1968-07-11
Publication date: 1970-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1987-07-21

Description

July 21, 1970 M. at c ggEN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 1}, 1968 2 m a F INVENTOR.

MARTIN B. COHEN BY MQ QALQ United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for simulating the sound of a natural cabasa instrument, consisting of a drum, having a hollow chamber including a plurality of ball chains coupled around the surface of the drum. The surface of the drum is textured with serrations which run transversely to the travel of the ball chain over the surface so that the movement of the chains over the drum surface produces the cabasa sound.

This invention relates to an apparatus for simulating the sound of a Latin American musical instrument.

More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus for simulating the sound of a cabasa, a percussion type musical instrument commonly employed by Latin American musicians.

In the accompaniment of Latin American music, several percussion instruments are employed which are designed to add rhythm to the music. One of these instruments consists of the cabasa, which consists of a gourd or coconut shell having a handle secured thereto and containing a net of nut-like beads surrounding its outer circumference. The beads are typically strung on wire to form the net which surrounds the shell so that their movement against the hollow shell produces the desired rhythmic sound. The surface of the shell may also be serrated in order to accentuate the movement of the beads across its surface. After the instrument is repeatedly played, however, the wire strands of the net often break, spilling the beads and destroying the effect of the instrument.

The apparatus, according to the invention, is designed to replace the natural cabasa and capable of simulating its natural sound when played as a percussion instrument. The apparatus is constructed from readily available materials and, unlike its natural counterpart, may be mass produced in large quantities. The instrument of the invention is also constructed in such a way as to be almost unbreakable and provides long life and utility during its use by musicians.

The apparatus, according to the invention, includes a drum which is secured to the end of a handle so that it can be operated manually. The cylindrical surfaces of the drum are constructed from textured metal and include a plurality of ball chains which are strung over the textured surfaces for establishing a sliding relationshiptherewith. The flanges at the ends of the drum are sufficiently large to prevent the chains from becoming detached from the drum.

The instrument is played by holding the beads in the palm of one hand and rotating the handle of the drum with the other hand so that the beads will move across the textured surface of the drum so as to produce the desired cabasa sound.

In another embodiment of the invention, a small amount of sand or gravel may be placed inside the drum so that the instrument can produce another sound by shaking the drum.

The apparatus of the invention has been found to produce a greater volume than the original instrument with greater definition of sound.

It is therefore an object according to the present inr. ce

vention to provide an apparatus which simulates the sound of a natural cabasa instrument.

It is another object according to the present invention to provide a percussion instrument for use in Latin American music which simulates the sound of a natural cabasa and is constructed from readily available materials.

It is still another object according to the present invention to provide an apparatus which produces the sound of a cabasa and which is simple in design, easy to manufacture, and which provides long operating life.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the percussion instrument according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of the invention taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 13, there is shown one embodiment of the instrument according to the invention having a cylindrical drum 10 secured to a handle 17. The ends of drum 10 are defined by flanges 11 and 12. Disposed between flanges 11 and 12 is a cylindrical surface 14 which is textured or serrated as shown in detail in FIG. 3. Secured through the axial center of flange 12 is a handle 17 which includes a short threaded stud 19 secured in its end flange 22 along the handle axis. A coupling 18 is then threadably secured to the exposed end of stud 19. A carriage bolt 13 is inserted through the center of circular flange 11 and has a length sufficient to threadably engage the open end of coupling 18. The head of carriage bolt 13 is larger than its opening through flange 11 to prevent it from being pulled therethrough when handle 17 is threadably tightened to drum 10. A suitable adhesive may be applied to the threads of cou pling 18 prior to assembly to prevent handle 17 from becoming loose from drum 10 during playing of the instrument.

Radially disposed on surface 14 are a plurality of bead chains 15 which are each contained in closed loops and linked together by means of connecting rods 16. The balls on the chains consist of hollow spheres, and the chains are loosely coupled in order to slide freely over surface 14. The serrations of surface 14 are arranged to run parallel to the axis of drum 10 so that the balls will move transversely across the serrations to produce the desired musical sound.

FIG. 1 shows one method of playing the instrument according to the invention whereby the palm of the left hand 21 is held against bead chains 14 while drum 10 is rotated back and forth by right hand 20 gripping handle 17. The movement of the metal balls 15 across textured surface 14 of hollow drum 10 produces a sound which is of greater volume than the original cabasa instrument and also provides greater definition of the sound.

FIG. 4 shows another possible embodiment according to the invention wherein small particles such as pebbles, gravel or sand 23 are inserted into the hollow chamber of drum 10 and in contact with the internal walls of cylindrical surface 14. By shaking particles 23 within the hollow drum of the apparatus, an additional percussion sound is produced which is dilferent in quality from that of the cabasa sound.

The apparatus of the invention may be constructed from readily available materials and easily mass produced in large quantities at low cost. Handle 17 and end flanges 11 and 12 may be constructed from Wood or plastic while textured surface 14 may be constructed from metal or other hard material. Ball chains 15 are readily available in metal and are similar to those used for constructing key chains and the like. The carriage bolt and coupling are also readily available materials so that the instrument may be easily assembled within a matter of minutes by semiskilled labor.

Aside from the instruments obvious use as a percussion device to accompany Latin American music, it may also be utilized as a toy, sound prop or decorative device.

While only two embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing percussion-like sound comprising;

a hollow drum,

a rough surface disposed on the surface of said drum,

and

at least one ball chain slidably .disposed for contact against said textured surface.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said drum is substantially cylindrical and additionally comprises a handle secured along its axis at one end thereof.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said rough surface is serrated parallel to the axis of said drum.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said ball chain comprises a plurality of metal spheres and connecting linkages for loosely coupling said spheres in closed loops surrounding said surface.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said drum additionally comprises end flanges having a diameter larger than said ball chain loop to prevent escape thereof.

'6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 additionally comprising a plurality of particles inserted into the hollow chamber of said drum for contact with the internal walls of said textured surface.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said handle additionally comprises a stud, a coupling threadably engaged to said stud, and a carriage bolt engaged through the opposite end of said drum and threadably engaged to said coupling.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner L. R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,521,518 Dated July 21, 1970 Martin B. Cohen Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 29, that portion that reads "textured",

should read --rough--.

Line 13, delete "textured.

all iii!) Am (SEAL) Amer.-

Edward M. Fletcher, I1". Attaining Officer p mmien 0 Patents