Musical Instrument

There are many instruments which produce musical sounds by being struck by a stick such as drums or the triangle. There are also many instruments that produce musical sounds by striking one against the other such as cymbals or wood blocks. Cymbals can also be struck by a stick to produce a musical tone. The cymbals can either be mounted on a stand and struck or dangled from a string and struck while spinning. Each of these instruments is distinct in the sound produced, as well as the manner in which the desired sound is produced.

Structures similar to the musical instrument disclosed herein have also been used as a support for drum heads. In these instances, the structure is not intended to impart any musical properties to the drum itself. The structure merely acts as a frame on which the drum head is placed and allows the drum head to be tuned.

A musical instrument comprising a rim and spokes along with a like or different associated device is the object of this invention. The instrument produces the desired sound by being struck by a different or similar object. The musical instrument has a substantially circular configuration with spokes numbering at a minimum three, which extend from a second rim in the center of the outer rim to distinct points on the outer rim. The second rim is not in the same plane as the rim but shares the same axis with the outer rim thereby imparting a substantially conical shape to the instrument. The instrument produces the desired sound by either being struck by another object such as a drum stick or striking two of the instruments together. The sound can be varied by changing the size of the instrument; the number or length of the spokes of the instrument; the material the instrument is made of; by rotating one of the instruments while striking the other instrument; by mounting a cymbal in the instrument; or by striking the instruments together at a different angle.

FIG. 1 is a drawing of the instrument, FIG. 1abeing a top view and FIG. 1b being a side view;

FIG. 2 is a drawing of the instrument with a smaller diameter and fewer spokes than that of FIG. 1, FIG. 2a being a top view and FIG. 2b being a side view;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the instrument mounted on a stand with a cymbal inserted therein;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of two instruments of different diameters mounted on a stand facing each other;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of two instruments of the same diameter facing each other and mounted on a stand;

FIG. 6 is a cut-away view showing two instruments flush with each other at their inner rims; and

FIG. 7 is a partial view of the instrument with a motor and belt driver mechanism to rotate the instrument while it is being played.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the basic components of the instrument. FIG. 1 shows a larger diameter embodiment of the component or spider illustrating the spokes 14 and the rim 16. From the figure it can be seen that the rim has a substantially circular configuration. FIG. 1b is a side view that shows that the inner rim from which the spokes emanate is not in the same plane as the rim 16. As can be seen in FIG. 1a the inner rim is in the center of the outer rim making the spokes 14 all of equal length. However, the spokes can be oriented in an asymmetric fashion, that is the spokes do not have to be equidistant from each other at the points where they intersect the outer rim. FIG. 2 shows the instrument with a smaller diameter and fewer spokes than those shown in FIG. 1. Again, the inner rim 12 from the which the spokes emanate is not in the same plane as the outer rim 16. The component of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be, for example, the spider of a rapid-tuning pitched drum or tuneable tom-tom sold by Remo, Inc. of North Hollywood, Calif. under the Rata Tour name.

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the instrument 10 mounted on a stand 34. The instrument is fastened on the shaft 18 using a wing nut 24 assembly or other suitable tightening means. A cymbal 22 is also fastened to the stand 34. The musical instrument 10 imparts a different sound when the cymbal placed therein is struck. The musical instrument also imparts a different sound to the cymbal than if the cymbal were not placed in the instrument. The cymbal 22 is loosely fastened so that when struck it can vibrate or resonate, thereby producing sound. The configuration of the instrument 10 is such that the cymbal can be placed therein. Because of the substantially conical configuration of the instrument 10, the cymbal fits into the instrument although there is an indented portion near the center of the cymbal. This indented portion faces inward toward the inner rim 12 of the instrument.

FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, a stand with two spiders, 42 and 44, mounted thereon. This stand 34 is equipped with a foot pedal 20. The foot pedal 20 causes one of the instruments 42 to hit against the other instrument 44 when the foot pedal is pressed down. Note that in this embodiment the instruments 42 and 44 have different diameters. By pressing on the foot pedal 20, the top instrument 42 is drawn down to contact the larger stationary instrument 44.

FIG. 5 shows another stand wherein both the instruments 46 and 48 are of the same diameter. Note that FIGS. 4 and 5 show two instruments facing each other with their inner rim portions facing outward. However, it should be noted that the instrument can be mounted where they are facing the same direction as shown in the cut away drawing of FIG. 6. Note that the point where the instruments come into contact with each other in FIG. 6 is the inner rim of instruments 50 and 52.

FIG. 7 shows the instrument equipped with a means for rotating it. Rotating the instrument produces a different sort of sound when the instrument is struck either by some sort of stick like a drum stick or another instrument. The instrument is rotated by the motor 24 rotating the shaft 54 of the motor to which a pulley 26 is attached. The pulley 26 has a belt 28 which also wraps around a pulley 30. As the shaft 54 turns it rotates pulleys 26 and 30. Pulley 30 is attached to a shaft 32 which is attached to the instrument 10. The shaft 32 as depicted in FIG. 7 is rotatably mounted in the stand 34 depicted in FIG. 3. As wheel 30 rotates so does shaft 32 and the attached instrument 10, and, when struck, creates a Doppler effect.

Note that FIG. 7 shows the instrument mounted so that the face of the instrument is facing sideways rather than upward or downward. Tonal variation is available by playing the instrument at an angle.

It should be noted that the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 through 7 can be modified by placing a cymbal inside the instruments as depicted in FIGS. 4-7 (Instruments 10, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52), the cymbals are placed in the instrument in an orientation as depicted in FIG. 3. When a pair of instruments is to be struck together to make a sound, a cymbal can be placed in either one or both of the instruments, depending upon the desired sound. Of course, the instruments can also be used without the cymbal therein, as depicted on FIGS. 4-7. By placing cymbals in the instruments depicted in FIGS. 4-7, the sound made by these instruments when struck together can be varied.

The preferred material of which the instrument is made of is cast aluminum. An obvious modification for one skilled in the art would be to make the instrument of any metal or other material with adequate resonant properties when cast in this or similar configuration. Another obvious modification to one skilled in the art would be that a portion of an instrument with the same or similar configuration would possess similar musical properties. Therefore, a fragment of the instrument shown in the drawings can be employed in the same manner as the entire instrument as described herein.

The embodiments described herein are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way except in the spirit of the appended claims.