1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a foot pedal for actuation of a bass drum. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical foot pedal which operates and feels like a conventional foot pedal, but with which a remote bass drum can be actuated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Percussion instruments are played by beating or striking. A percussion artist may set up a variety of drums, cymbals and related instruments to increase his vocabulary. However, in order to be playable, each percussion instrument must be placed within easy striking range. Percussion instruments take up space and the space available within the striking range is limited. Until now, artist have optimized the use of the available space by arranging the percussion instruments in roughly three tiers--an upper tier with cymbals, high-hats, and lighter weight instruments of higher registry; a middle tier with drums having horizontal playing surfaces; and a lower tier with bass drums having a vertical playing surface.
Since the instruments must be placed within easy striking distance, the only other strategy for increasing the number of instruments other than tiering has been to arrange the instruments in a larger arc around the artist. However, in practice, the useful playable range of an arc is limited to about 90.degree.. Some artists have nevertheless found it necessary to set up percussion instruments about an arc of as much as 270.degree. in order to stage all the instruments needed for a full range of expression. Even though many instruments can be collected about an arc of 270.degree., the artist can not simultaneously play instruments located in front of him and behind him. Other artists have felt the need to set up two or more drum sets next to each other in order to stage all the desired percussion instruments. Such multiple setups are, however, obviously not optimal in that they require the artist to travel from one arc to the next, and in that they necessitate the duplication of certain of the instruments, which can be of considerable expense.
There is a need for further improving the percussion instrument cluster so that more instruments can be operated from within a smaller arc.
Considering the vertical bass drums in particular, these instruments take up much space. There are presently known pedal actuated drum beating mechanisms which employ a foot pedal mechanism to drive a pivoting beater arm, the beater arm having a generally cylindrical beater head attached to one end. The foot pedal and the beater arm are both designed to pivot and are usually attached to a common base or frame, with the foot pedal operatively connected to the beater arm such that depressing the foot pedal causes the beater head end of the beater arm to describe an arc and impact a vertical surface of a drum.
Most conventionally, the lower end of the beater arm is mounted to as to be capable of pivoting about a horizontal axis. After the downward foot pressure has been removed from the foot pedal, the pedal returns upwardly to it's starting position by spring action, and the beater arm returns to it's starting position either as a result of being connected to the foot pedal, or by independent spring means. A foot pedal normally takes the form of a simple flat plate. This form of foot pedal assembly is designed to be operated by a rocking action, with the player's foot flat on the foot plate, and pivoting on the heel, but is most commonly played by suspending the heel in the air and "bouncing" the ball and toes of the foot on the foot pedal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,640 describes a prior art foot pedal assembly, and is specifically concerned with a quick connect arrangement for securing the foot pedal assembly to a drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,431 discloses a foot pedal assembly which includes a pivoted footplate. The plate is adjustable for both height and proximity to the beater to suit the personal preferences of the individual player.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,592 teaches a bass drum foot pedal having a variable drive lever linkage with variable arc ratios connecting the foot pedal to the beater drum and having an electronic device actuator carried by a beater support member, the actuator being operable with the pedal being attached to a drum or attached to an electronic device which replaces a drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,946 teaches a beater for a drum pedal, the beater comprising a beater arm and a beater body, wherein the beater body is adjustable about a horizontal axis so that the flat surface of the beater body can be set to contact flush with the vertical surface of the drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,549 teaches a pedal mechanism for a bass drum with a primary platform for depressing with the toe, and a resiliently mounted secondary platform for depressing with the heel.
It will be apparent that a wide variety of bass drum pedals have been developed over the years in order to accommodate the tastes and requirements of the percussion artist. However, no pedal has been proposed or developed which will permit the artist to better use the limited available space as it relates to bass drums. No pedal has been proposed or developed which will allow the artist to stage bass drums outside his immediate striking range.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds