Abstract: A reduced volume drumhead has a layer of porous material and a ring of compressible material. The ring of compressible material is fixed to the underside of the layer of porous material in a substantially centered or coaxial position with the porous material stretched across a hoop in tension. The ring may be formed of a foam or similar material with compressibility and stretchability under tension and defines an open central area of the drumhead for striking. The ring may be formed of segments and thus include one or more circumferential breaks with spacing. The drumhead provides natural tonal characteristics and has a natural feel when struck.

Abstract: A drum key includes a shank portion and defines a top hole for receiving an elongate rod, such as a drumstick. A distal end of the shank includes a socket engageable with a tension rod in a drum. A drumstick is insertable through the hole of the drum key to form a torquing wrench in situ. When formed, the drumstick forms a cross member that is used to apply a torquing force about the axis defined by the shank. Once used, the drumstick can be removed, yielding a low profile drum key that is portable.

Abstract: A snare unit formed from film material includes a plurality of slots that define segments. The snare unit is attachable relative to a drumhead with a surface of the film flat against a surface of the drumhead. In the attached position, one or more of the segments vibrates against the drumhead when the drumhead is struck to produce a snare-like audible sound. In a drumhead with reduced volume, the snare unit is positioned flat against one or more layers of a porous material to define a drumhead and attached such that a portion of the snare unit vibrates against a surface of the porous material when the drumhead is struck, thereby producing a snare-like sound having a volume reduced relative to a standard drumhead.

Abstract: A reduced volume drumhead has a layer of porous material and a ring of compressible material. The ring of compressible material is fixed to the underside of the layer of porous material in a substantially centered or coaxial position with the porous material stretched across a hoop in tension. The ring may be formed of a foam or similar material with compressibility and stretchability under tension and defines an open central area of the drumhead for striking. The ring may be formed of segments and thus include one or more circumferential breaks with spacing. The drumhead provides natural tonal characteristics and has a natural feel when struck.

Abstract: A snare unit formed from film material includes a plurality of slots that define segments. The snare unit is attachable relative to a drumhead with a surface of the film flat against a surface of the drumhead. In the attached position, one or more of the segments vibrates against the drumhead when the drumhead is struck to produce a snare-like audible sound. In a drumhead with reduced volume, the snare unit is positioned flat against one or more layers of a porous material to define a drumhead and attached such that a portion of the snare unit vibrates against a surface of the porous material when the drumhead is struck, thereby producing a snare-like sound having a volume reduced relative to a standard drumhead.

Abstract: In laner apparatus for automatically arranging articles into lanes on a conveyor, for example for packaging or further processing, the articles are fed onto a conveyor upstream of a fence that extends at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the conveyor. The fence has gateways at intervals along its length and gates that control passage of the articles through the gateways and into lanes downstream of the fence. These downstream lanes may feed the articles onto slides for packaging or further processing. Articles that do not pass through a gateway move to the downstream end of the fence by the reaction forces resulting from motion of the conveyor and the angle of the fence. A control unit reads signals from sensors which are placed downstream of the fence, and preferably downstream of the laner apparatus, to determine whether each downstream lane is full and sends signals to selectively open and close the gates.