Tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum

Claim 2

A tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum having a foot pedal for adjusting the tonal pitch thereof, the indicator comprising: an elongated indicator housing; a longitudinal slot in the housing visually observable from at least one side of the housing; a marker longitudinally movable in the slot; means for removably mounting the indicator housing to the kettledrum; a hollow sheath interconnected between the indicator housing and the foot pedal means and having sufficient length to form an arcuate curvature between the indicator housing and the foot pedal means; and a cable connected to the marker and passing through the hollow sheath to an anchoring means beyond the end of the hollow sheath, a portion of the cable adjacent the foot pedal means being encased in a stiffening tube having sufficient stiffness to accommodate movement of the foot pedal means relative to the cable to telescopically enclose the cable with the sheath thereby changing the curvature of the sheath resulting in a relative movement of the cable and sheath to cause the cable to move the marker in the slot.

Claim 3

A tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum comprising in combination a kettledrum having a drum head operable to be adjustably tensioned, a framework for supporting the kettledrum, foot-actuated means mounted upon the framework for adjustably tensioning the drumhead, the improvement comprising; a tonal pitch indicator having a longitudinally movable marker therein, marker movement in a first direction coinciding with an increase in tension on the drumhead with a corresponding raising of the tonal pitch of the kettledrum and marker movement in a second direction coinciding with a decrease in tension on the drumhead with a corresponding lowering of the tonal pitch of the kettledrum, the indicator comprising: an elongated housing adapted to be removably attached to the kettledrum framework; a slot extending longitudinally in the housing and being viewable from at least one face of the housing; a marker configurated to slidably move in the slot; a cable attached at a first end to the marker and configurated to be removably attached at a second end to the framework by an attachment means; and a sheath for the cable, the sheath being attached at a first end to the housing and configurated to be removably attached at a second end to the foot-actuated means, the sheath being shorter than the cable, the sheath and cable combination having a length so as to form an arcuate path, movement of the foot-actuated means causing a change in the curvature of the arcuate path thereby accommodating telescopic movement of the cable within the sheath to move the marker within the slot.

Claim 4

A tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum comprising in combination a kettledrum having a drum head operable to be adjustably tensioned, a framework for supporting the kettledrum, foot-actuated means mounted upon the framework for adjustably tensioning the drumhead, the improvement comprising; a tonal pitch indicator having a longitudinally movable marker therein, marker movement in a first direction coinciding with an increase in tension on the drumhead with a corresponding raising of the tonal pitch of the kettledrum and marker movement in a second direction coinciding with a decrease in tension on the drumhead with a corresponding lowering of the tonal pitch of the kettledrum, the indicator comprising: an elongated housing adapted to be removably attached to the kettledrum framework; a slot extending longitudinally in the housing and being viewable from at least one face of the housing; a marker configurated to slidably move in the slot; a cable attached at a first end to the marker and configurated to be removably attached at a second end to the framework by an attachment means; and a sheath for the cable, the sheath being attached at a first end to the housing and configurated to be removably attached at a second end to the foot-actuated means, the sheath being shorter than the cable, the sheath and cable combination having a length so as to form an arcuate path, movement of the foot-actuated means causing a change in the curvature of the arcuate path thereby accommodating telescopic movement of the cable within the sheath to move the marker within the slot.

Claim 5

A tonal pitch indicator as defined in claim 2 wherein the housing further includes a plurality of indicia adjustably mounted upon the housing adjacent the slot.

Claim 6

A tonal pitch indicator as defined in claim 2 wherein the housing further includes spring means in the slot and acting upon the pointer and the housing.

Claim 7

A tonal pitch indicator as defined in claim 2 wherein the second end of the sheath is removably attached to the foot-actuated means by a bracket which is secured directly to the foot-actuated means.

Claim 8

A tonal pitch indicator as defined in claim 2 wherein the foot-actuated means includes a foot pedal and the second end of the sheath is removably attached to the foot pedal by a clamp means.

Claim 9

A tonal pitch indicator as defined in claim 2 wherein the second end of the cable includes a swivel between the second end of the cable and the framework.

Claim 10

A tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum comprising in combination a kettledrum having an adjustably tensioned tympanum, a framework for supporting the kettledrum, a foot pedal means attached to the framework and operable to adjustably tension the tympanum to selectively alter the tonal pitch of the kettledrum, the improvement comprising: a tonal pitch indicator adapted to be removably mounted on the framework of the kettledrum, the indicator comprising: an elongated housing; means for removably mounting the housing to the kettledrum adjacent the tympanum; a longitudinal slot formed in the housing and visible from at least one side of the housing; a marker slidably operable in the slot, the pointer being visible from said one side of the housing; a transparent cover for the slot; spring means in the slot in cooperation between the housing and the pointer to resiliently urge the pointer toward a predetermined end of the housing; an aperture in the housing and in registry with the slot; a cable attached to the marker at a first end, passed through the aperture and attached at the second end to the framework at a position below the foot pedal means; and a sheath enclosing the cable and having a length shorter than the cable, the sheath being attached at a first end to the housing and at a second end to the foot pedal means, the sheath and cable traversing an arcuate path between the housing and the framework so as to provide sufficient curvature in the sheath to accommodate movement of the foot pedal means to correspondingly force the cable to be relatively displaced in the sheath thereby moving the marker in the slot, the marker thereby being moved counter-directionally to the foot pedal means.

Claim 11

A tonal pitch indicator for a kettledrum comprising in combination a kettledrum having an adjustably tensioned tympanum, a framework for supporting the kettledrum, a foot pedal means attached to the framework and operable to adjustably tension the tympanum to selectively alter the tonal pitch of the kettledrum, the improvement comprising: a tonal pitch indicator adapted to be removably mounted on the framework of the kettledrum, the indicator comprising: an elongated housing; means for removably mounting the housing to the kettledrum adjacent the tympanum; a longitudinal slot formed in the housing and visible from at least one side of the housing; a marker slidably operable in the slot, the pointer being visible from said one side of the housing; a transparent cover for the slot; spring means in the slot in cooperation between the housing and the pointer to resiliently urge the pointer toward a predetermined end of the housing; an aperture in the housing and in registry with the slot; a cable attached to the marker at a first end, passed through the aperture and attached at the second end to the framework at a position below the foot pedal means; and a sheath enclosing the cable and having a length shorter than the cable, the sheath being attached at a first end to the housing and at a second end to the foot pedal means, the sheath and cable traversing an arcuate path between the housing and the framework so as to provide sufficient curvature in the sheath to accommodate movement of the foot pedal means to correspondingly force the cable to be relatively displaced in the sheath thereby moving the marker in the slot, the marker thereby being moved counter-directionally to the foot pedal means.

Claim 14

A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising positioning the tonal indicia along at least one stringer, the position of the tonal indicia reflecting a predetermined note sounded by the kettledrum when the marker is aligned with the corresponding tonal indicia.

Claim 15

A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising continuously biasing the marker toward a predetermined location in the tonal indicator.

Claim 16

A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising adjusting the orientation of the tonal indicator with respect to the kettledrum to facilitate visual observation of the tonal indicator in any one of a plurality of positions.