Machine drum

Machine drum (Ger.: Maschinenpauke), kettledrum with some mechanical device for turning all tuning screws simultaneously. Three systems are in use: 1. *pedal drums; 2. drums tuned with a single handle; 3. drums that rotate on a stand. Machine drums in America are either pedal or rotary type. A device that acted on all tuning screws at once was invented in 1812 by Gerhard Cramer of Munich, and in 1821 J. C. N. Stumpff of Amsterdam devised a system for turning the drum itself, rather than the…