US1221141A - Method of making heads for drums and other musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

A. D. CONVERSE. METHOD OF MAKING HEADS FOR DRUMS AND OTHER MUSlJAL' INSTRUMENTS. APPLSCATIUN HLED IUNE 2 1916.

Patent-ed Apr. 3, 1917 Conberse,

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

ATHEBTON D. CONVERSE, OF WINCHENDON, MJiSSACHUSE'I-TS.

' METHOD OF MAKING HEADS FOR DRUMS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application flled June 2,1916. Seria1 No.101,854.' V

cal Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the methods of making drum heads.

The object of the invention is the production of a toy drum which may be manufactured at reduced cost and which will have greater rigidity than the drums now in general use.

The invention consists in providing each head with-a cup-shaped portion adapted to lit over the barrel of a drum and securing to the cylindrical flange formed thereon, an outwardlyextending tuck hoop such as a cord, against which the stay hoop fitted over said peripheral flange is adapted to be po sitioned.

' Theinvention further consists in certain =novel features of construction and arrangeraent'of parts which will be fully understood by-referenc'e to the description of the drawings and tothe claims hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferredform thereof is illustratedun thedrawings, this form having been-found to give satisfactory and reliable herein shown and described.

Of the drawings: Figure '1 represents a vertical section of a drum embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2represents a plan of a head thereof. Fig. 3represents a slam of the heat'l with the truck hoop or cor secured thereto.

Fig. -1 represents a section on line H on Fi 3. i a

ig. 5 represents a vertical section of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

dies used for forming a cylindrical depres sion in the head, a head being shown in section therein alter the completion of the stamping operation, and

Fig. 6 represents a section showing the cup-shaped head positioned in a stay hoop preparatory to being positioned over the end of the barrel of the drum.

Similar charicters designate like 'arts throughout the several figures of the raw? ings. i

In the drawir gs, 10 is a -metal barrel having its ends turned inwardly as at ll-to form arounded inwardly extending flange, preferably cylindrical in cross section, as shown in the drawings. Over each-end 10f the barrel 10 is' a cup-shaped head 12 of skin, tough' paper, oi any similar material having a cord 13 secured to the cylindrical portion-thereof adjacent to the edge. This cord is preferably formed of twisted fiber, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, said fiber preferably being of the samematerial and color as the material from whichflthe cup-shaped head'12 isformed.

The cord of twisted fiber is secured to the head 12 by means of a row of stitches 14.

This cord extending outwardly from the pe ripheralportion of the head 12 forms a shoulder against. which rests the inner ends of the. stay hoops 15. These stay hoops 15", are preferably formed of metal with their opposite edges turned inwardly and inclosing'a reinforcing member 16' of pastebbard or some similar material. The inwardly extending ed shown in li igs. -1 and fi-of the drawiri" Each stay hoop 15 is'provided with a rality of openin gs 11 therethrough adapted es are preferably curved as" to receive the mrds 18 by which the stay hoopsmay be drawn toward each other in y the usual manner, thereby caus'in the heads 12 to be firmly stretched over t e rounded edges of the flanges 11 at either end of the barrel 10. I

In making the heads 12 a. circular blank 19 is out out, as indicated in, Fi 3 of the drawings, and then by means 0 a row of stitches '14 the eord 13 of twisted fiber is secured to one :iace thereof adjacent to the edge of said blank, all as shown in Figs. 3'

and 4 ofthe drawings. The blank 19 with the cord 13 secured to one face thereof is then placed cord side down upon a die plate 20 and subjected to pressure of a male die 21 which causes a depression to be formed .in the centerof the head 12, as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. \Vhen thus shaped, the head 12 is adapted to be fitted over the end ofithbarrel '10.

' head when thus formed into a cup shape with the cords 13 extending outwardly from'the periphery of the cylindrical portion thereof, is placed upon a stay hoop 15, as indicated in Fig. 6 of the'drawings, the 16 cord or tuckhoop 13 resting upon the upper edge oi each stay hoop 15. The diameter of the depression 22 in each head 12 is the same as the diameter of the barrel 10, and each head supported by the stay hoop is then placed over an end of the barrel 10. The securing cords 18 are then inserted through the various openings 17, and when the stay hoops 15 have been drawn sufficiently toward each other to give the required stretch to the heads 12, the cords are secured in position in any Well-known manner.

By makingthe tuck .hoop 13 of twisted fiber, it has the appearance of askin such as -is usually used in the head of a drum. By meansof this construction agreat saving in material is made, for in the construction of the drum heretofore, the head must be of much greater diameter "so that its edges may be tucked in around the tuck hoop. \I

By constructing the' drum in the manner herein described, the twisted fiber cord secured to the edges of the head form the tuck hoop, and in a small sized drum there is ya. saving of at .least.two inches in the diameter of the/blank used to form the head. Obviously this saving in material is of great advantage.

Moreover, in the manufacture of toy 'tioii ofuthejdrum headgit has'been very I material not-liaying-su'flicient stretch to perrnit the headito be drawn over the opposite 1. ends of the, barreL. As aiconsequence, the

'50 tendency has always been for the stay hoop to rest substantially on the top of the head,

- andthis permits it to beeasily displaced,

which is a greatobjection:

' Oneof th -main-:ob'ects of this invention i in order to stretch the head over theend -of drums where fiber is used in the construc-' diflicultto fit theheads over thebarrel, the

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the barrel, it was necessary to wet the head. \Vhcn the head while in this condition was pulled clown over the edge of the barrel, it was very liable to wear the head thin in spots, especially if there was any rough portion or other obstruction on the edge of the barrel where the head was drawn over.

By subjecting the blank from which the head is manufactured to pressure and forming it into the cup-shape prior to its being positioned over the end of the barrel, these objections have been entirely overcome.

By providing inwardly projecting curved flanges at each end of the barrel 10, all danger of injuring the head when in position is prevented.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of toy drums, skilled operators were required to pull the edges of the head around the tuck hoop and secure said edges in position. B means of the method herein described, this operation of tucking the edges of the head around. the tuck hoop will be entirely elimi-' nated, making the entire method of forming the drum much cheaper than the manufacture of the drum in the old way,

Not only is the present method much cheaper than the method heretofore used, but the head and the stay hoop may be formed entirely by machinery, and a much more perfect article produced.

The present method is made possible on account of the-ability to use metal hoops, as heretofore when the wooden hoops were used, these wouldvary in size and also in shape, and as a consequence it would be almost impossible to manufacture the heads in the manner herein described.

Owing to the variation in the size and shape of wooden hoops the heads wouldnot 105 accurately fit the hoops, and consequently in the former method of constructing drums it would always be necessary to fit each tuck hoopandhead to the "stay hoop.

In the present method of manufacturing 1 0 these drums, all of these objections have been entirely obviated: Heretofore, 'in the manufacture of the barrels of drums, it has. been the usual practice to crimp the edges at right angles on a.v hand'machi'ne or mail a. 1 5

wooden hoo around the inside of the oppo site ends of the barrel, said wooden hoop projecting above the metal barrel.

Both of these methods havefbe'en found in practice to give im erfect results,-'as it iii- 2 Another advantage of constructing the barrel in this manner is that the curved edges at either end of the barrel ive a ood bearing surface over which tie hea may be turned in the rocess of tightening.

Heretofore 1n the construction of these toy drums, it was necessary to draw the head over a square corner which made the tightening of the head very diflicult, and afforded considerable opportunity for injury to said head.

It is believed that the many advantages of this invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of making heads for drums and other musical instruments which consists in taking a circular disk of-thin fibrous drum head material, and sewing a cord to one face thereof adjacent the edge.

2. The method of making heads for drums and other musical instruments which consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drum head materlal, and sewing a cord of twisted fiber to one face thereof adjacent the ed e.

3. T e method of Ir aking heads for drums and other musical instruments which consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drum head material, sewing a cord to one face thereof adjacentthe edge, and forming said disk under pressure into a cupsh'ape.

4. The method of n aking heads for drums and other musical instruments which consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drumhead material; securing a projecting member to one face and adjacent the edge thereof; and then forming said disk into a cup-shape with saidprojecting member on the periphery of the cylindrical portion thereof.

Signed by me at WVinchendon, Mass, Worcester county this 27 day of May, 1916.

ATHERT( )N D. CONVERSE.

Witnesses:

Com L. SYMON'S, MAURICE I. Ginonnns'r.

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