US504910A

US504910A - Samuel e

Info

Publication number: US504910A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1910-09-12

Description

(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. E. COX.

DRUM. No. 504,910. Patented Sept. 12, 1 893.

FIG-.1

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR. 5 a 6 %s.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

S. E. COX.

DRUM.

No. 504,910. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,910, dated September 12, 1893. Application filed September 17, 1892. Serial No. 446.134. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. Cox, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drums and Similar Instruments, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail, one mechanical form embodying the invention; such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings-Figure I represents a perspective View of my improved drum, showing a portion broken away and removed; Fig. II, a sectional detail view of the upper portion of the drum; Fig. III, a horizontal section of a portion of the upper rim; Fig. IV, a sectional detail view of the upper portion of another form of drum, and Fig. V, a sectional detail view of a portion of a banjo rim provided with my improvement.

The drum shell, A, may be formed from metal or wood, but is preferably formed from wood and with an annular, rectangular enlargement, A, at each end. Said enlargement is formed with an annular groove, to, at its inner edge, and with an inwardly extending bead, a, at its outer edge. An annular abutting rim, B, is secured in the enlargement, so as to bear with its outer edge against the bead. That portion of the head, 0, which is secured to the flesh-hoop, D, and the fleshhoop, bear against the inner edge of said rim. An adjusting rim, E, bears with its edge against the head, within the inner circumference of the flesh-hoop, and said adjusting rim may be raised or lowered, to tighten or slacken the head, by means of screws, e, journaled to revolve in a filling, F, secured in the groove a of the enlargement, and fitting with their threaded portions in threaded perforations formed in brackets, e, projecting outward from the inner edge of the adjusting rim. The screws are provided with heads, etwhich project upon the shoulder formed by the enlargement, said heads being shaped to fit a suitable key or wrench. When the adjusting rim is forced outward by the screws, the flesh-hoop will be stopped by the abutting rim,-which, together with the shoulder of the enlargement forms an annular recess, A within which the flesh-hoop may play,and the head will be tightened. To slacken the head, the screws may be reversed and the adjusting rim drawn inward.

The abutting rimis usually made of wood and, for the purpose of snugly and perfectly fitting it into the annular recess,inside of the bead, said rim is made slightly shorter than the inside periphery of the recess and with beveled ends, 19. A wedge-shaped block, I), having an outward taper to correspond to the beveled ends, may fit between said ends and force them apart, su fficien tly to force the abutting rim completely iuto the curve of the an-- nular recess. A screw, 6 revolves in a metal strip, 19 upon the outside of the enlargement, and fits into a threaded hole in the wedge, so that said wedge may be operated and adj usted by the screw.

In the form illustrated in Fig. IV, the annular recess, A is directly formed in the drum shell, and the flesh-hoop fits within said recess. The adjusting rim bears against the outside of the drum head, and the adjusting screws turn in the outer bead a, which forms a simple flange. The threaded portions of the screws enter screw-threaded holes directly formed in the adjusting rim. In this form the head is forced inward to tighten it and outward to slacken it.

When my improvement is applied to a banjo, the annular recess A is directly formed,- in the shape of a bead,in the shell or rim of the banjo. The adjusting rim bears against the inner side of the head, and the adjusting screws are stepped in a bead, A", which forms the equivalent of the groove, (1 and filling F. The screws enter threaded holes directly formed in the adjusting rim, and have their heads bearing against the lower bead A". The head may be tightened or slackened by revolving the screws by means of a wrench, applied to them from the inside of the banjo rim.

Although I have specially illustrated the last described form as most suitable for banjos; yet, it is obvious, that any other form,

within the spirit of my improvement, may be adapted to be used for banjos as well as for all forms of drums,snare drums, bass drums, kettle-dru ms, or tympanums.

It is evident that the appearance, eifectiveness and durability of an instrument provided with my improvement will be greater than in the older forms, which have their adjusting means upon the outside and in which the adjusting tension is exerted upon the flesh hoop.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism herein set forth provided the principles of construction respectively recited in the following claims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a drum or similar instrument, the combination of a flesh hoop, a head secured to said flesh hoop, a shell formed with an annular recess within which the flesh hoop may fit and have axial play, and a movable adjusting rim bearing against the head and having means for adjusting it arranged within the annular recess in the shell, substantially as set forth.

2. In a drum orsimilarinstrument, the combination of a shell formed with an annular recess, a head having its flesh hoop secured substantiallyimmovablein said recess, a movable adjusting rim bearing against the head and having brackets projecting into the annular recess, and screws journaled to revolve in the bottom of said annular recess and having threaded ends fitting into corresponding holes in the brackets of the adjusting rim, substantially as set forth.

3. In a drum or similar-instrument, the combination of a shell formed with an annular enlargement having a head at its outer edge, an abutting rim in said enlargement, a head having its flesh hoop bearing against the inthe shell and fitted into a threaded hole in the end of the wedge, substantially as set forth.

5. In adrum orsimilarinstrument, the combination of a shell formed with an annular enlargement having a head at its outer edge and a groove at its inner end, an abutting rim in said enlargement and bearing against the bead of the same, a filling in the groove of the enlargement, a head having its flesh hoop bearing against the inner edge of the abutting rim, an adjusting rim bearing against the head within the inner periphery of the flesh hoop, and screws inserted through andjournaled in the groove and filling of the enlargement and connected to move said adjusting rim, substantially as set forth.

6. In adrum orsimilar instrument, the co mbination of a shell formed with an annular recess, a head having its flesh hoop secured substantially immovable in said recess, a movable adjusting rim bearing against the head, and adjusting means within the recess constructed to axially move the adjusting rim, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of September, A. D. 1892.

SAMUEL E. COX.

Witnesses:

WM. SEoTHER, J. B. FAY.