# US 2009/0266221 A1 · Snare mechanism for a snare drum > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0266221 A1 - Document ID: US20090266221A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/432,228 - Filed: 2009-04-29 - Published: 2009-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-29 - Assignees: Cleland Instruments Ltd. - Inventors: Terry Paul CLELAND - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090266221A1 ## CPC - G10D 13/02: Drums; Tambourines with drumheads - G10D 13/18: Snares; Snare-strainers - G10D: STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (organs, harmoniums or similar wind musical instruments with associated blowing apparatus G10B; pianos, harpsichords, spinets or similar stringed musical instruments with one or more keyboards G10C; automatic musical instruments G10F; electrophonic musical instruments in which tones are generated by electromechanical means G10H) ## Abstract An internal mechanism for a musical instrument snare drum that supports the snares and allows adjustment of the snare strands in tension as well as relative position to the vibrating member or head of the drum is provided. The mechanism has a support beam that gives a stiffer and more stable base for increased accuracy of all adjustment. The support beam also provides increased guiding for the snare holders during the tension adjustment of the snares. The adjustment of the position of the snares in relation to the vibrating member or drum head is accomplished by deflecting the strands with a bridge like arrangement providing precise placement of the strands for optimum performance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A snare mechanism for a musical percussion instrument; said musical percussion instrument having a batter head and a percussion chamber having walls and supporting said member; said snare mechanism comprising: attachment members mountable to said walls within said chamber; a snare connected to said attachment members and responsive to vibrations to said batter head when said snare is proximal to said batter head; a snare tensioning mechanism connected to said attachment members and said snare; said snare tensioning mechanism associated with a first actuator such that adjustment of said first actuator selectively causes an increase or decrease in tension of said snare; a snare positioning mechanism connected to said attachment members and said snare; said snare positioning mechanism associated with a second actuator such that adjustment of said second actuator causes movement of said snare towards or away from said batter head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The snare mechanism of claim 1 wherein said attachment members are disposed at opposite sides of said chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The snare mechanism of claim 2 further comprising a first assembly member respective one of said attachment members and a second assembly member respective to an opposite one of said attachment members. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The snare mechanism of claim 3 wherein said snare tensioning mechanism comprises a support beam disposed between said attachment members. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The snare mechanism of claim 4 wherein said first assembly member is a carriage movable in relation to said support beam and said second assembly member is a fixture affixed in relation to said support beam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The snare mechanism of claim 5 wherein said carriage additionally supports a first end of said snare and said fixture supports a second end of said snare. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The snare mechanism of claim 6 wherein said first actuator is a tensioning knob connected to said carriage, such that rotation of said tensioning knob in a first direction urges said carriage away from fixture and increases tension of said snare and rotation of said tensioning knob in a second direction urges said carriage towards said fixture and decreases tension of said snare. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The snare mechanism of claim 7 further comprising a biasing member joining said carriage and said fixture and urging said carriage towards said fixture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The snare mechanism of claim 7 further comprising a threaded element rotatable within a set of interior threads on said tensioning knob; said threaded element terminating in a nut element respective to said carriage, such that rotation of said knob corresponding linearly moves said carriage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The snare mechanism of claim 3 wherein said snare positioning mechanism comprises a first support ramp respective to said first assembly member and a second support ramp respective to said second assembly member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The snare mechanism of claim 10 wherein said snare positioning mechanism comprises a transfer shaft connected at a first end to said first assembly member and an opposite end to said second assembly member; said transfer shaft further connected to said second actuator such that rotation of said second actuator causes rotation of said transfer shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The snare mechanism of claim 11 further comprising a connecting rod movably connected along said transfer shaft and an adjusting bridge connected to a distal end of each connecting rod; each adjusting bridge resting along each respective support ramp; wherein rotation of said second actuator moves each said adjusting bridge along each said ramp. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The snare mechanism of claim 12 wherein a clevis adjoins each connecting rod to said transfer shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The snare mechanism of claim 12 wherein each said connecting rod is resiliently bendable and a nut connects each said connecting rod to said transfer shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The snare mechanism of claim 12 wherein said transfer shaft has a first threaded section respective to said first assembly member, and a second threaded section respective to a second assembly member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The snare mechanism of claim 12 further comprising a self-leveling mechanism incorporated into said snare positioning mechanism such that said adjusting bridges are self-leveling in relation to each other and such that said snare is substantially parallel to said batter head regardless of a distance between said snare and said batter head. ### Claim 17 A musical percussion instrument comprising: a batter head disposed over a percussion chamber; said percussion chamber having walls and supporting said member; attachment members mounted to said walls within said chamber; a snare connected to said attachment members and responsive to vibrations to said batter head when said snare is proximal to said batter head; a snare tensioning mechanism connected to said attachment members and said snare; said snare tensioning mechanism associated with a first actuator such that adjustment of said first actuator selectively causes an increase or decrease in tension of said snare; and, a snare positioning mechanism connected to said attachment members and said snare; said snare positioning mechanism associated with a second actuator such that adjustment of said second actuator causes movement of said snare towards or away from said batter head.