# US 8,772,617 B1 · Drum tuner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,617 B1 - Document ID: US8772617B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/754,902 - Filed: 2013-01-31 - Published: 2014-06-19 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-19 - Applicants: Michael Dale McGee; Peter Anthony Franco - Inventors: Michael Dale McGee; Peter Anthony Franco - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772617B1 ## CPC - G10D 13/02: Drums; Tambourines with drumheads - G10D 13/16: Tuning devices; Hoops; Lugs - G10G 7/00: Other auxiliary devices or accessories, e.g. conductors' batons or separate holders for resin or strings - 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) - G10G: REPRESENTATION OF MUSIC; RECORDING MUSIC IN NOTATION FORM; ACCESSORIES FOR MUSIC OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. SUPPORTS (music stands A47B; non-musical aspects of musical toy instruments A63H5/00; metronomes G04F5/02; teaching music G09B15/00) ## Abstract A drum tuner is described. The drum tuner includes: (i) a hub gear; (ii) two or more differential gears communicatively coupled to the hub gear and at least one of the two or more differential gears capable of engaging a tuning mechanism of a drum; and (iii) wherein, during an operational state of the drum tuner, rotation of the hub gear rotates at least one of the two or more differential gears to activate the drum's tuning mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drum tuner comprising: a hub gear; two or more differential gears communicatively coupled to said hub gear and at least one of said two or more differential gears capable of engaging a tuning mechanism of a drum; and wherein, during an operational state of said drum tuner, rotation of said hub gear rotates at least one of said two or more differential gears to activate said drum's tuning mechanism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drum tuner of claim 1, wherein said hub gear is driven by a crank sub-assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drum tuner of claim 2, wherein said crank sub-assembly includes: at least two crank gears; a stage gear having a portion coupled to one of said at least two crank gears such that a rotation of said one of said at least two crank gears rotates said stage gear; a crank pinion meshing with another of at least two of the crank gears such that rotation of the crank pinion rotates another of at least two of the crank gears that is coupled to a hub shaft; and wherein another of said at least two crank gears is coupled to a hub shaft that is in turn coupled to said hub gear such that rotation of another of said at least two crank gears through said hub shaft rotates said hub gear and said crank pinion is coupled to a crank shaft, which is capable of rotation by an external force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drum tuner of claim 3, wherein said stage gear interlocks with said one of said at least two crank gears. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drum tuner of claim 1, wherein said external force includes action of an electrical motor or manual rotation of said crank shaft using a handle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drum tuner of claim 1, wherein at least one of said two or more differential gears is secured inside a tuning yoke that is capable of lateral displacement along an arm sub-assembly so that said drum tuner is capable of tuning a plurality of drums of different sizes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drum tuner of claim 1, further comprising two or more arm sub-assemblies, and at least one of said two or more arm sub-assemblies disposed between said hub gear and at least one of said two or more differential gears, wherein, during an operational state of said drum tuner, rotation of said hub gear rotates at least one of said two or more arm sub-assemblies, which in turn rotates at least one of said two or more differential gears. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drum tuner of claim 7, wherein a number of said two or more arm sub-assemblies ranges from 2 to 20. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drum tuner of claim 1, wherein at least one of said two or more arm sub-assemblies includes an inner arm component and an outer arm component and a clutch mechanism connects said inner arm component and said outer arm component such that rotation in a first direction of said inner arm component rotates said outer arm component until a predetermined potential energy value is achieved at said clutch mechanism, and when rotational displacement in said first direction of said inner arm component exceeds said predetermined potential energy value at said clutch mechanism, rotation of said outer arm component ceases. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drum tuner of claim 9, wherein displacement in a second direction of said inner arm component rotates said outer arm component and said second direction is opposite to said first direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The drum tuner of claim 10, wherein said first direction is a clockwise direction and said second direction is a counter-clockwise direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The drum tuner of claim 7, wherein at least one of said two or more arm sub-assemblies includes an arm gear that is meshed with said differential gear such that rotation of said arm gear rotates said differential gear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The drum tuner of claim 12, wherein said arm gear is a beveled gear. ### Claim 14 A clutch mechanism of a drum tuner, said clutch mechanism comprising: a female clutch component; a male clutch component capable of engaging with said female clutch component; a shaft designed to transfer torque at said female clutch component to a differential gear capable of engaging with a drum's tuning mechanism; a disengaging mechanism that is designed to cause said male clutch component to disengage with said female clutch component when a predetermined potential energy value is achieved at said disengaging mechanism; and wherein said predetermined potential energy value is reached at said disengaging mechanism after repeated rotation in a first direction of said male clutch component and said female clutch component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The clutch mechanism of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said male clutch component engages with a portion of said female clutch component at an angle that ranges from about 35° to about 50°. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The clutch mechanism of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of said male clutch component engages with a portion of said female clutch component at an angle of about 45°. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The clutch mechanism of claim 14, wherein said disengaging mechanism includes a spring and a stopper, and wherein said spring stores potential energy produced from rotation of said female clutch component and when potential energy stored inside said spring reaches said predetermined potential energy value, then said stopper prevents rotation of said female clutch component in response to rotation of said male clutch component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The clutch mechanism of claim 17, wherein said stopper is a nut. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The clutch mechanism of claim 14, wherein said first direction is a clockwise direction. ### Claim 20 A process of tuning a drum, said process comprising: engaging two or more tuning mechanisms of said drum with two or more differential gears that are communicatively coupled to a hub gear; inducing torque at said hub gear; and transferring torque at said hub gear to said two or more differential gears. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The process of tuning said drum of claim 20, further comprising: producing potential energy proximate to a first location associated with one of said two or more differential gears during said transferring torque; storing potential energy at said first proximate location associated with one of said two or more differential gears; and ceasing transfer of torque from said hub gear to said one of said two or more differential gears when potential energy stored at said first proximate location associated with said one of said two or more differential gears reaches or exceeds a predetermined potential energy value. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The process of tuning of said drum of claim 21, further comprising continuing inducement of torque at said hub gear after said ceasing transfer of torque from said hub gear to said one of said two or more differential gears until potential energy produced at a second proximate location associated with another of said two or more differential gears reaches or exceeds said predetermined potential energy value. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The process of tuning of said drum of claim 21, further comprising continuing inducement of torque at said hub gear after said ceasing transfer of torque from said hub gear to said one of said two or more differential gears until potential energy produced at each proximate location associated with each of said two or more differential gears reaches or exceeds said predetermined potential energy value. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The process of tuning said drum of claim 20, wherein said torque at said two or more differential gears is clockwise. ### Claim 25 A process of removing a drumhead, said process comprising: engaging two or more tuning mechanisms of said drum with two or more differential gears that are communicatively coupled to a hub gear; inducing torque at said hub gear; and transferring torque at said hub gear to said two or more differential gears. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The process of removing said drumhead of claim 25, wherein said torque at said two or more differential gears is counter-clockwise. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The process of removing said drumhead of claim 25, wherein at least one of said two or more differential gears is magnetic.