Ernest is right about the rigging as far as the one I saw as a kid: The drumstick was mounted as a vertical level and had a spring to keep it off the head if no pressure was on the line. The line went from the drumstick handle to the heel/ankle. The one I saw was set so the business end of the drumstick was in contact with the drumhead when the guy was standing, and I assume this required pressure against a spring, which pressure was released when he raised his foot. So when he stomped his foot the drum played. Not a lot of control over tone colour.