US575098A

US575098A - bemis

Info

Publication number: US575098A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1914-01-12

Description

(No Model.)

G. W. BEMIS.

DRUM. I

No 575,098. Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

Inventor.

G. W. Bemla.

W itnesses.

w.wM

AttorneyS.

UNIT D STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IV. BEMIS, OF \VOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 57 5,098, dated January 12, 1897.

Application filed n 27, 1896. Serial No. 597,196. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, GEORGE WBEMIsa citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drums, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates 'to snare-drums; and the especial objects of my invention are to provide an improved snare for use in connection with drums, to provide simple and efficient means for securing the snares in position to cooperate with the drumhead, and to provide a simple and efficient device for holding the snares away from the drumhead to muffle the drum when desired.

To these ends my invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described,and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a drum constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the construction of my snare and the means which I preferably provide for securing the same in place upon the drum. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the movable hook which I preferably employ for muffling the drum or holding the snares out of engagement with the drumhead, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the snare.

A snare for drums constructed according to my invention is formed of wire wound substantially into the form of a spiral spring.

In practice I have employed a fine pianowire to form the body portion of my snare, and in order to prevent the wire from rusting I ordinarily nickel-plate the wire which is employed.

In the use of the ordinary catgut snares in connection with drums the instruments are extremely sensitive to changes of temperature or moisture, such changes influencing the tone of the instruments in a marked degree.

By employing metallic spirals to form the body portion of the snares which I employ I have found in practice that I am not only enabled to get a greater degree of resonance from the instrument, which is due to the fact that the snares are more elastic and springy, but I am also enabled to provide an instrument which is less sensitiveto atmospheric changes.

In order to secure the snares in proper position to cooperate with a drumhead, I provide. the-metallic body portion of the snares with flexible fastening-sections at each end thereof. In practice I have formed these flexible fasteningsections of catgut and have found that the catgut may be firmly secured to the body portion of the snare by simply threading or turning the same inside of the spiral body portion. 4

Referring to the drawings and in detail, the drum illustrated in Fig. 1 may be constructed in the ordinary manner with a drumhead A and a tightening-hoop B,which may be moved to tighten the head by means of the tighteners a. The snares are arranged transversely across the drumhead A in the ordinary manner and are connected to any of the ordinary snare-tighteners 0. Each snare comprises, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, a body portion 10, made in the form of a spiral spring. Secured at opposite ends of the body portion 10 are the flexible fastening-sections 11. As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the fasteningsection 11 is preferably formed of catgut and is threaded or turned inside of the body portion 10.

In practice I have found that as the ordinary mercantile catgut is slightly twisted the fibers thereof will be arranged substantially spirally, as shown, and will assist in advancin g the catgut into the spiral body portion 10, and will strongly resist any strains or tensions acting to pull the fastening-section 11 out of the body portion.

To fasten my improved snare in the drum, I preferably employ a plate or comb 12, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2, and connect two of the snares together by a single fastening piece at one end, so that the fasteningsection can be looped over one tooth of the comb, thus forming a double snare having its ends properly presented in position to engage the snare-tightening device 0. Extending from the drumhead A transversely with re spect to the snares I arrange a rod 13. Mounted loosely on the rod 13 is a hook 14.

hen itis desired to muffle the drum or hold the snares out of engagement with the head A, the hook ll can be pushed down under the snares and moved to the center of the drum, and in practice I have found that this construction forms an exceedingly simple and efficient mniiling device.

If desired, in order to prevent the hook let from rattling when in an inoperative position, the rod 13 can be slightly bent or enlarged, so that the hook can be forced onto or jammed upon an enlarged section, thus securely holding the same from rattling.

I am aware that changes may be made in drums constructed according to my invention by those who are skilled in the art, and that my snares can be used in connection with drums of very many different forms. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to what I have shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is--- 1. A snare for drums formed of spirallywound wire, substantially as described.

2. A snare for drums comprising a metallic spiral-spring body portion having flexible fastening-pieces at its opposite ends, substan tially as described.

3. A snare for drums comprising a metallic spiral-spring body portion, and flexible catgnt fastening-pieces at its opposite ends, said fastening-pieces being turned or threaded inside of the body portion of the snare, substantially as described.

4-. The combination of a drum, and a plurality of metallic spiralspring snares arranged to cooperate with the drumhead there of, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a drum, a plurality of snares arranged to cooperate with a drumhead, a rod extending transversely with respect to said snares, and a hook movably mounted on said rod and arranged to hold the snares away from the drumhead to muifie the drum, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. W. REMIS. Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SoUtrnmrrn, FREDERICK 1'3. HARLOW.