Carrier assembly for percussion instruments

• US 6,323,407 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Randall May International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Randall L. May
• Inventors: May, Randall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLETCHER, MARLON T
• Application Number:
  US09/497,265
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 844/11.R, 844/21, 248/443, 248/444
• US Class Current: 84/421
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 13/28 Mountings or supports for individual drums supports for carrying musical instrument, while playing G10G5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 5/005 while playing, e.g. cord, strap or harness rests or guards as part of the instruments, see the particular instruments, e.g. G10D3/18

Abstract

Drum hardware and drum secured thereon are preferably supported on a vest type carrier or a T-bar carrier having a plurality of separate parts removable from each other and formed of a rigid light material such as plastic or a light metal such as magnesium, aluminum or titanium. The carrier has a vest or belly plate, shoulder straps, and back bar and the shoulder straps are removable and/or adjustable. The supporting elements are of rod or tubular construction. Special padding may be included on the shoulder straps, belly plate portion and other parts where cushioning is needed. The hardware may be universally adjustable.

Claims

1. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments, comprising

a supporting member positioned to rest against the abdominal region of the wearer in use,

a pair of rigid shoulder straps supporting said supporting member,

receptacles secured on said supporting member, and

drum supporting hardware operatively supported on said supporting member comprising rods or tubes supported in said receptacles and supported on said shoulder straps, and

a back bar adjustably and removably supported between the ends of said shoulder straps.

2. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 1, in which:

the rod or tube supported in said receptacles is a J-rod for supporting cymbals or other percussion hardware.

3. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments, comprising:

a supporting member resting against the abdominal region of the wearer in use,

a pair of rigid shoulder straps for supporting said supporting member,

a plurality of clamping receptacles supported on said supporting member and on said shoulder straps,

supporting tubes or rods connected in said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps and said supporting member for adjustment and/or removal, and

drum supporting hardware on said supporting member.

4. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, including:

a back bar secured between said shoulder straps for contacting the back of the wearer.

5. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 4, in which:

said back bar is removable.

6. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, in which:

said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps are positioned laterally on the ends of the shoulder straps,

said clamping receptacles on said supporting member are positioned vertically thereon,

said tubes or rods having ends fitting in said shoulder strap clamping receptacles and in said supporting member clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of pivotal, angular, or lateral position on said shoulder straps and vertical position on said supporting member.

7. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, in which:

said supporting member is a belly plate,

said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps are positioned laterally on the ends of the straps, said clamping receptacles on said belly plate are positioned vertically thereon,

said tubes or rods having outturned ends fitting in each of said shoulder strap clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of pivotal, angular, or lateral position on said shoulder straps and other ends fitting in each of said belly plate clamping receptacles permitting vertical positioning on said belly plate.

8. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 7, in which:

said shoulder strap clamping receptacles have anchoring slots thereon, and

J-hook members supported in said anchoring slots.

9. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, in which:

said supporting member is a belly plate,

said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps are positioned laterally of the ends of the straps,

said clamping receptacles on said belly plate are positioned vertically thereon,

one of said tubes or rods being of a U-shape and having outturned ends fitting in each of said shoulder strap clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of pivotal, angular, or lateral position on said shoulder straps,

another of said tubes or rods being of a U-shape having spaced ends fitting in each of said belly plate clamping receptacles permitting vertical positioning on said belly plate, and

a clamp member securing said U-shaped tubes or rods together in a fixed but pivotally adjustable relation.

10. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 9, in which:

said shoulder strap clamping receptacles have anchoring slots thereon, and

J-hook members supported in said anchoring slots.

11. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, including:

a bar member connecting said shoulder straps,

said clamping receptacles for said shoulder straps being positioned on said bar member laterally of the ends of the shoulder straps,

said supporting member which is a belly plate,

said clamping receptacles on said belly plate which are positioned vertically thereon,

one of said tubes or rods being U-shaped and fitting in one of said shoulder strap clamping receptacles and having spaced ends fitting in said belly plate clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of position on said shoulder straps and on said belly plate.

12. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, in which:

said supporting member is a vest of light rigid material,

said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps are positioned laterally of the ends of the straps, said clamping receptacles on said vest are positioned vertically thereon, and

said tubes or rods have outturned ends fitting in each of said shoulder strap clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of pivotal, angular, or lateral position on said shoulder straps and other ends fitting each of said vest clamping receptacles permitting vertical positioning thereon.

13. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, in which:

said supporting member is a vest of light rigid material,

said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps are positioned laterally of the ends of the straps,

said clamping receptacles on said vest are positioned vertically thereon,

one of said tubes or rods is of a U-shape and has outturned ends fitting each of said shoulder strap clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of pivotal, angular, or lateral position on said shoulder straps,

another of said tubes or rods is of a U-shape having spaced ends fitting in each of said vest clamping receptacles permitting vertical positioning on said vest, and

a clamp member securing said U-shaped tubes or rods together in a fixed but pivotally adjustable relation.

14. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 3, including:

a bar member connecting said shoulder straps,

said clamping receptacle for said shoulder straps being positioned on said bar member laterally of the ends of the straps,

said supporting member which is a vest of light rigid material,

said clamping receptacles on said vest are positioned vertically thereon, and

one of said tubes or rods being U-shaped fitting said shoulder strap clamping receptacle and having spaced ends fitting said vest clamping receptacles permitting adjustment of position on said shoulder straps and on said vest.

15. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments, comprising:

a supporting member resting against the abdominal region of the wearer in use,

a pair of rigid shoulder straps for supporting said supporting member,

supporting tubes or rods connected on said shoulder straps and said supporting member for adjustment or removal, and

drum supporting hardware on said supporting member.

16. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments, comprising:

a supporting member resting against the abdominal region of the wearer in use,

a pair of rigid shoulder straps for supporting said supporting member,

clamping receptacles supported on said supporting member and said shoulder straps,

supporting tubes or rods connected in said clamping receptacles on said shoulder straps and said supporting member for adjustment or removal, and

J-rods supported in clamping receptacles on said supporting member.

17. A shoulder supported harness subassembly for supporting percussion instruments, comprising

a pair of rigid shoulder straps for supporting an instrument-supporting member,

a horizontally oriented bar member secured between the ends of said shoulder straps,

a plurality of clamping receptacles supported on said bar member,

a vertically oriented supporting bar secured to one of said receptacles and supporting said bar member,

others of said receptacles supporting said shoulder straps, and

selected ones of said clamping receptacles being adjustable to permit angular or pivotal adjustment of said shoulder straps relative to said vertical supporting bar.

18. A shoulder supported harness assembly for supporting percussion instruments according to claim 17, in which:

said bar member has a polygonal cross section, and

said clamping receptacles have of the same polygonal cross section as said bar member.