(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,390,693 B2 Kasha (45) Date of Patent: Jul
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USOO939.0693B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,390,693 B2 Kasha (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 12, 2016 (54) MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH OPPOSING (56) References Cited ADJUSTABLE PITCH DRUMS U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (71) Applicant: Robert James Kasha, Northridge, CA 4,048.895 A ck 9, 1977 May . G1OD 13,028 (US) 84/411 A 4.278,003 A * 7/1981 Hanson ................ G1OD 13,023 (72) Inventor: Robert James Kasha, Northridge, CA 84/411 A (US) 4,312,259 A * 1/1982 Henrit .................. G1OD 13,023 84/411 A 4,596,176 A * 6/1986 Gauger ................ G1OD 13,026 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this auger 84.421 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 4,909,125 A * 3/1990 Fece .................... G1OD 13,023 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 84/411 A 7,307,206 B2 * 12/2007 Payerl .................... F16M 13/02 84.421 (21) Appl. No.: 14/864,720 8,927,842 B1* 1/2015 Honjo .................. G1OD 13,026 84.411 R (22)22) FileFiled: Sep.ep. 24,44, 2015 * cited by examiner (65) Prior Publication Data Primary Examiner — Robert W Horn US 2016/0093.276 A1 Mar. 31, 2016 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP O O (57) ABSTRACT Related U.S. Application Data A musical instrument has at least a first rototomand a second (60) Provisional application No. 62/055.420, filed on Sep. rototom with their respective drum heads facing an opposite 25, 2014. direction from each other. The musical instrument has two rototoms with each rototom having a first hoop Supporting a (51) Int. Cl. drum head, a spider Support with a second hoop, a tension GOD I3/02 (2006.01) hoop and an annulus. A generally horizontal shaft portion GOD I3/00 (2006.01) extends between the first hoop and the second hoop, wherein (52) U.S. Cl. the spider Support is movable on the shaft portion to vary a CPC .............. G10D 13/023 (2013.01); G10D 13/00 separation distance between the first hoop and the second (2013.01); G10D 13/026 (2013.01) hoop. A connector member is situated between the annuli of (58) Field of Classification search the first and second rototum to support the rototoms with their CPC ... G10D 13/023; G10D 13/00; G10D 13/026 respective drum heads facing opposite directions. See application file for complete search history. 20 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets 1193 19A 113A 15A U.S. Patent Jul. 12, 2016 Sheet 1 of 5 US 9,390,693 B2 FIG.1 PRIOR ART (27 2 U.S. Patent Jul. 12, 2016 Sheet 2 of 5 US 9,390,693 B2 86|| U.S. Patent US 9,390,693 B2 39.“?IH ?ZZZZZZZZZZZZ laer) 9 U.S. Patent Jul. 12, 2016 Sheet 4 of 5 US 9,390,693 B2 U.S. Patent Jul. 12, 2016 Sheet 5 of 5 US 9,390,693 B2 Z18 US 9,390,693 B2 1. 2 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH OPPOSING facing in a generally upward direction so that the drummer ADJUSTABLE PITCH DRUMS can Strike the drumheads in a downward direction. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION APPLICATIONS The present invention is directed to a musical instrument having at least a first rototomand a second rototom, with their This application claims priority to and the benefit of pro respective drumheads facing an opposite direction from each visional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/055,420 filed Sep. other. In some embodiments, the musical instrument has two 25, 2014, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by rototoms with each rototom having a first hoop Supporting a reference. 10 drumhead, and a spider Support with a second hoop, a tension hoop and annulus, wherein the tension hoop is clamped on or FIELD OF THE INVENTION positioned around the first hoop. The instrument also includes a generally horizontal shaft portion extending between the This invention relates to adjustable pitch drums and more first hoop and the second hoop, wherein the spider Support is particularly to two or more adjustable pitch drums arranged in 15 movable on the shaft portion to vary a separation distance between the first hoop and the second hoop. The instrument a new and useful configuration. further includes a connector member that is situated between the annuli of the first and second rototum. BACKGROUND In more detailed embodiments, the connector member has a vertical attachment portion, and the vertical attachment A conventional drum typically comprises a hollow drum portion may have sections with different diameters. shell having two drumheads, each of which is held in place at In more detailed embodiments, the shaft portion of each opposite ends of the drum shell by head hoops. Conventional rototom is connected to each other. drums are usually not tunable except in a very narrow range In more detailed embodiments, at least one drum head by adjustment of the head hoop. 25 includes a mesh portion, and the mesh portion may include a Anadjustable pitch drum consists of a drum shell having an target pad. open end, a drum head pitch changing mechanism, and a In other embodiments, the musical instrument of the present invention includes at least a first rototomand a second Supporting structure mounting the pitch changing mechanism rototom, with each rototom having a first hoop Supporting a to the drum shell. The pitch changing mechanism consists of drum head, a spider Support with a second hoop, a tension a threaded rod adjustably threaded to the Supporting structure, 30 hoop and an annulus, with the tension hoop positioned around a drumhead clamping hoop mounted coaxially on the rod for the first hoop, and a generally horizontal shaft portion extend rotation thereabout, and a drum head tensioning hoop non ing between the first hoop and the second hoop and through rotatably mounted on the other end of the rod. Rotation of the the annulus, wherein the spider Support is movable on the drum head and its clamping hoop about the rod varies the shaft portion to change a separation distance between the first tension of the drum head on the tensioning hoop, thereby 35 hoop and the second hoop. The musical instrument also changing the pitch of the drum. Movement of the threaded rod includes a connector member situated between the annuli of the first and second rototum, with the connector member in the Supporting structure changes the spacing of the drum Supporting each shaft portion. head from the drum shell open end, thereby changing the In more detailed embodiments, the connector member is resonance characteristics of the drum assembly. A rototom is 40 T-shaped with a horizontal body and a vertical portion extend a designed adjustable pitch drum made by manufacturers ing from an underside of the horizontal body, and the connec around the world, including Remo, Inc. of California. The tor member Supports each rototom at generally a common rototom is in public use and on sale but its written description elevation. may not be readily found in patents or published literature In additional embodiments, the musical instrument other than a limited amount of advertising literature available 45 includes at least a first rototom and a second rototom, each from various manufacturers. rototom having a first hoop Supporting a drum head, the first hoop having a first annulus, a spider Support with a second FIG. 1 illustrates three rototoms 10A, 10B and 10C hoop, a tension hoop and a second annulus, the tension hoop mounted in a series on a horizontal bar 22 Supported by a positioned around the first hoop, and a generally horizontal stand 20, each facing in the same direction, namely, vertically threaded shaft portion extending through the first and second upward. Each rototom has similar components and thus the 50 annuli, wherein the spider support is rotatable on the shaft following description of rototom 10A applies to rototoms portion to change a separation distance between the first and 10B and 10C. As with typical rototoms, rototom 10A has a second hoops. The musical instrument also includes a con drumhead or membrane 11 (often transparent) with an upper nector member situated between the second annuli of the first Surface on which a drummer makes contact with drum Sticks and second rototoms, wherein the drum head of the first (not shown). The drum head 11 is mounted on a Supporting 55 rototom and the drumhead of the second rototom are facing hoop 14 with a threaded shaft 12 extending from an underside opposite directions. of the Supporting hoop 14. A rigid multi-legged spider Sup In more detailed embodiments, the connector member has port 16 is secured on a threaded tubular support 18 which a vertical attachment portion. rides on the threaded shaft 12. Instead of adjusting each In more detailed embodiments, the musical instrument tension rod 19, rotation of the supporting hoop 14 about the 60 includes a harness. The harness may have shoulder Straps and shaft 12 in a direction by the drummer causes the threaded a hip strap to enable a user to carry the musical instrument tubular support 18 to move upwardly or downwardly on the hands free. threaded shaft 12 so as to vary the tensioning force applied by the spider Support 16 against the drumhead or membrane 11 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS to tune the same. The rototoms 10A, 10B and 10C are gen 65 erally linearly aligned on the horizontal support bar 22 with These and other features and advantages of the present their respective drumheads or membranes 11A, 11B and 11C invention will be better understood by reference to the fol US 9,390,693 B2 3 4 lowing detailed description when considered in conjunction annulus 113A, and multiple spokes 115A that connect the with the accompanying drawings wherein: outer hoop 112A and the center annulus 113A.