Abstract:
A snare clamp assembly is disclosed that provides for the selective precise rapid engagement and disengagement of the snares against the snare head and also provides for the precise rapid adjustment of the tension within each of a plurality of snare groups without affecting the tension in the remaining snare groups. The clamp includes a primary element, a secondary element that is adjustably coupled to the primary element, and one or more engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanisms received through the secondary element and adjustably movable therein permitting the precise rapid engagement and disengagement of a snare group against the snare head and provides for the precise rapid adjustment of tension in each snare group against the snare head. Another group of snares can be received between the primary and secondary element and adjustably clamped therebetween.

Description:
This application is a CIP of 08/734831 filed Oct. 22,1996 now abandoned. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates, in general, to a snare system for a snare drum and, more particularly, to a clamp that provides for the selective precise rapid engagement and disengagement of the snares against the snare head without the use of tools and also provides for the selective precise rapid tensioning of the snares against the snare head. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Snare drums produce a sound that is quite different from that produced by other drums. This unique sound is produced by stretching snares, typically made of cable, gut, or wire across one head of the drum. The snares are generally attached to the drum shell at one end, stretched across the snare head, and attached to a strainer which is connected to the opposite side of the drum shell. The strainer operates to stretch the snares across the snare head. By selectively engaging and disengaging the snares against the snare head and/or by varying the amount of tension applied to the snares by means of a snare strainer, a drummer can change the sound produced by the snare drum. Various devices are available for adjusting the tension within the snares themselves, however, these devices require the use of tools, such as Allen wrenches, screw drivers, or the like, and are virtually impossible to employ while the drummer is performing on the instrument. In addition to being very cumbersome to use, such tools prohibit the drummer from making precise rapid adjustments to the individual snare groups as musical and artistic circumstances dictate. Furthermore, these devices do not provide for the selective precise rapid engagement and disengagement of the snares against the snare head, when desired, while performing. 
     In view of the foregoing, it has become desirable to develop an improved snare system including a snare clamp which utilizes a minimum number of components, is operable without the use of tools, and which enables the drummer to rapidly and precisely engage and disengage the snares against the snare head and which permits the drummer to make precise rapid adjustments to the tension within the snare groups while performing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves the problems associated with prior art snare clamping devices and other problems by providing a snare drum clamping device which provides for the selective rapid engagement and disengagement of the individual snares against the snare head and also provides for the precise rapid tensioning of the snares against the snare head without the use of tools and while the drummer is performing. The clamping device is comprised of a primary element and a secondary element retained in an abutting relationship by fasteners passing therethrough. One or more screws having threads over a portion of their length are received within through bores located adjacent the outer ends of either the secondary element or primary element. A hand nut engages the threaded end of each of the screws. The opposite end of the screw has a cross-drilled bore therethrough. The ends of a first snare group are attached to a snare clasp having a connecting cable passing therethrough which is received through the cross-drilled bore in the opposite end of the screw. Similarly, the ends of a second snare group are attached to another snare clasp having a connecting cable passing therethrough which is received through the cross-drilled bore in the opposite end of another screw. By rotating the hand nut associated with each screw, the snare groups can be selectively engaged and/or disengaged against the snare head and the tension within each of the snare groups can be precisely adjusted. After the snare groups have been engaged against the snare head and the tension has been precisely adjusted, the tension within the snare group is maintained since the orientation of the hand nut with respect to its respective threaded screw will not change unless the hand nut is turned by the drummer. In addition, the snare group can be selectively engaged and disengaged against the snare head by merely rotating the hand nut a pre-determined number of turns. The ends of the third snare group are received between the primary element and the secondary element and are held therein in a vise-like arrangement thus preventing the tension within this group of snares from changing. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the first and/or second group of snares can be attached to the secondary element by means of a connecting cable attached to the snare clasp and having its ends received within a through bore in the secondary element and retained therein by means of a fastener received within a threaded blind bore in the secondary element. In still another alternate embodiment, only a singular element, rather than a primary element and secondary element, is utilized and one or more snare engagement, disengagement and precision adjusting means comprised of the aforementioned screw and hand nut arrangement is similarly employed. Alternatively, either one or both of the screws and hand nuts can be eliminated and the ends of the connecting cable which passes through the snare clasp can be received within a through bore in the singular element and retained therein by means a fastener received within a threaded blind bore in the secondary element. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a snare drum showing snares attached to an improved snare clamp in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a seventh embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an eighth embodiment of an improved snare clamp of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings where the illustrations are for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention described herein, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a snare drum  10  including a shell  12  having a batter end  14  and an oppositely disposed snare end  16 . A batter head (not shown) is attached to batter end  14  by a batter rim  18  and a snare head  20  is attached to snare end  16  by a snare rim  22 . Batter rim  18  and snare rim  22  are pulled toward one another by tension rods  24  which are aligned and held in place by passing through lugs  26  which are attached to shell  12 . Rims  18  and  22  are positioned over batter end  14  and snare end  16 , respectively, so that tension rods  24  are aligned with apertures  28  formed in rims  18  and  22 . Tension rods  24  are received through apertures  28 , and nuts  30  threadingly engage tension rods  24  pulling rims  18  and  22  toward one another, thereby fastening the batter head (not shown) and snare head  20  to batter end  14  and snare end  16 , respectively. Snare rim  22  is formed to include a snare gate  32  having an aperture  34  therein through which the snares  36  can pass. A strainer  40  is provided to apply tension to snares  36  or to release the amount of tension being applied thereto. Snares  36  are attached to an improved snare clamp, which is the subject of this invention and which has numerous embodiments, hereinafter described. The improved snare clamp is, in turn, attached to strainer  40  by connecting cables  42 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, a first embodiment of an improved snare clamp  50  of the present invention is illustrated. Clamp  50  includes a primary element  52 , a secondary element  54 , a first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  and a second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58 . Primary element  52  has a gripping surface  60  and spaced-apart threaded bores  62  formed therein and positioned so as to be substantially perpendicular to gripping surface  60 . Two pairs of cable-receiving bores  64  are provided in primary element  52  and are positioned so as to be substantially perpendicular to threaded bores  62  and are located so that a threaded bore  62  is positioned between each pair of cable-receiving bores  64 . 
     Secondary element  54  has a gripping surface  66  positioned so as to operably abut gripping surface  60  of primary element  52 . Through bores  68  are formed in secondary element  54  and are positioned so as to be coaxially aligned with threaded bores  62  in primary element  52 . Allen screws  70  are received within bores  68  in secondary element  54  and threadingly engage threaded bores  62  in primary element  52  causing gripping surface  60  on primary element  52  to be drawn toward gripping surface  66  on secondary element  54  as Allen screws  70  are threadingly advanced within threaded bores  62 . With Allen screws  70  operably positioned and threadingly engaging primary element  52 , gripping surfaces  60 ,  66  on primary element  52  and secondary element  54 , respectively, are aligned to operably abut one another. Secondary element  54  is also provided with a through bore  72  at either end thereof and positioned outwardly of and substantially perpendicular to the axis of bores  68 . Through bores  72  are positioned so that their respective axes are substantially parallel to gripping surface  66  on secondary element  54  and are located such that a chord thereof, shown generally by the numeral  74 , is coincident with gripping surface  66 . First snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  is received within a bore  72  positioned at one end of secondary element  54  and second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58  is received within the bore  72  positioned at the other end of secondary element  54 . Both first and second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanisms  56 ,  58  include a screw  76  having threads over a portion thereof which are engaged by a hand nut  78 . The opposite end  80  of screw  76  is unthreaded, substantially cylindrical in configuration, and has a cross-drilled bore  82  therethrough. A flat  84  is provided over the entire length of screw  76  providing a chord having the approximate same dimension as chord  74  in bore  72 . The plane of flat  84  is substantially parallel to the axis of cross-drilled bore  82 . It should be noted that even though first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  and second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58  are shown as being received within oppositely disposed bores  72  in secondary element  54 , oppositely disposed bores  72  could be placed outwardly of cable-receiving bores  64  in primary element  52 , rather than in secondary element  54 , without any change in the operation of the snare clamp  50 . In this latter instance the width of secondary element  54  could be narrower than that shown in FIG.  2 . 
     Snares  36  can be divided into three groups, a first snare group  90 , a second snare group  92  and a third snare group  94 . The ends of first snare group  90  are attached to a snare clasp  96  having spaced-apart apertures  98  therein. A connecting cable  100  is received through cross-drilled bore  82  in screw  76  of first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  and each end of connecting cable  100  is received through one of the apertures  98  in snare clasp  96  and then knotted so as to engage clasp  96 . Similarly, the ends of second snare group  92  are attached to a snare clasp  102  having spaced-apart apertures  104  therein. A connecting cable  106  is received through cross-drilled bore  82  in screw  76  of second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58  and each end of connecting cable  106  is received through one of the apertures  104  in snare clasp  102  and then knotted so as to engage clasp  102 . The ends of third snare group  94  are gripped between gripping surface  60  of primary element  52  and gripping surface  66  of secondary element  54 . Allen screws  70  threadingly engage threaded bores  62  in primary element  52  causing the gripping surfaces  60  and  66  of primary element  52  and secondary element  54 , respectively, to be pressed together forming a vice-like arrangement to grippingly retain the ends of third snare group  94  therebetween. This method of attaching third snare group  94  to clamp  50  results in an essentially permanent attachment, however, Allen screws  70  can be loosened permitting tension within third snare group  94  to be adjusted, and then Allen screws  70  can be retightened. When Allen screws  70  are tightly engaged in threaded bores  62  in primary element  52 , the flat  84  on each screw  76  contacts the gripping surface  60  on the primary element  52  preventing screw  76  from rotating. Clamp  50  is attached to strainer  40  by connecting cables  42 . A connecting cable  42  passes through each adjacent pair of cable-receiving bores  64  in primary element  52 . The ends of connecting cables  42  are attached to strainer  40 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The effective length of each connecting cable  42  can be varied with respect to that of the other connecting cable  42  permitting the clamp  50  the be tilted with respect to the strainer  40  allowing the tilt angle of the clamp  50 , relative to the snares, to be precisely set. 
     From the foregoing, it is apparent that by turning hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56 , first snare group  90  can be rapidly engaged and/or disengaged against snare head  20 . Also, the tension within first snare group  90  can be precisely adjusted by turning hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of mechanism  56 . Similarly, by turning hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58 , second snare group  92  can be rapidly engaged and/or disengaged against snare head  20 . Also, the tension within second snare group  92  can be precisely adjusted by turning hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of the mechanism  58 . In each case, screw  76  cannot rotate as its associated hand nut  78  is turned since flat  84  on screw  76  is in firm contact with gripping surface  60  on primary element  52 . Lastly, as previously stated, the tension within third snare group  94  can be adjusted by loosening Allen screws  70  so as to release the grip provided on third snare group  94  by the gripping surfaces  60 ,  62  on primary element  52  and secondary element  54 , respectively, and then retightening Allen screws  70 . It should be noted, however, that the tension within third snare group  94  is typically not changed after it is initially set. 
     From the foregoing it is apparent that the first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  enables the drummer to rapidly engage and/or disengage the first snare group  90  against the snare head  20  without the use of tools, even when performing on the instrument. This is accomplished by turning the hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  a pre-determined number of turns in a particular direction. For example, turning the hand nut  78  a pre-determined number of turns in the clockwise direction causes the first snare group  90  to engage the snare head  20 ; whereas turning the hand nut  78  a pre-determined number of turns in the counter-clockwise direction causes the first snare group  92  to become disengaged from the snare head  20 . Similarly, the second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58  enables the drummer to rapidly engage and/or disengage the second snare group  92  against the snare head  20  without the use of tools, even when performing on the instrument. This is accomplished by turning the hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58  a pre-determined number of turns in a particular direction. For example, turning the hand nut  78  a pre-determined number of turns in the clockwise direction causes the second snare group  92  to engage the snare head  20 ; whereas turning the hand nut  78  a pre-determined number of turns in the counter-clockwise direction causes the second snare group  92  to become disengaged from the snare head  20 . In addition, by slightly turning the hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  and/or by slightly turning the hand nut  78  associated with screw  76  of second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  58 , the tension within first snare group  90  and/or second snare group  92  can be precisely adjusted even during the performance of a musical selection. The precise rapid engagement and/or disengagement of the snares against a snare head without the use of tools is not possible with presently available snare clamping devices. Similarly, the precise rapid adjustment of the tension within the snare groups, without the use of tools, during the performance of a musical selection is not possible with presently available snare clamping devices. Clamp  50  of the present invention permits all of the foregoing (engagement, disengagement and rapid precise adjustment of tension) to be accomplished without the use of tools. 
     An alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 is illustrated in FIG.  3 . In this embodiment, clamp  112  utilizes only a first snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism  56  and the second snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism has been deleted therefrom. Clamp  112  would be utilized when only two group of snares are utilized and the tension in only one of the snare groups requires precise adjustment. 
     A still another embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 2 is illustrated in FIG.  4 . In this embodiment, clamp  114  does not utilize primary element  52 , and through bores  68  in secondary element  54  have been replaced by cross-drilled threaded bores  116  which intersect through bores  118  oriented substantially perpendicularly to threaded bores  116 . An Allen screw or thumb screw  120  is received within each threaded bore  116 . Cable-receiving bores  64  typically positioned within primary element  52  have been transferred to secondary element  54  and are positioned so that a through bore  118  is positioned between each pair or cable-receiving bores  64 . In addition, through bores  72  have been transferred to secondary element  54  and are positioned at either end thereof and outwardly of cable receiving bores  64 . Each through bore is provided with a broached surface  128  which mates with flat  84  on the screw  76  of its corresponding snare engaging, disengaging and adjusting mechanism. In this embodiment, the ends of third snare group  94  are attached to a snare clasp  122  having spaced-apart apertures  124  therein. A connecting cable  126  is received through apertures  124  to retain snare clasp  122  and each end of connecting cable  126  is received within a bore  118  in secondary element  54  and is retained therein by the Allen screw or thumb screw  120  in its associated threaded bore  116 . Clamp  114  is attached to strainer  40  by connecting cables  42 . As in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a connecting cable  42  passes through each adjacent pair of cable-receiving bores  64  in secondary element  54 , and the ends of connecting cables  42  are attached to strainer  40 , as shown in FIG.  1 . Also, the effective length of each connecting cable  42  can be varied with respect to that of the other connecting cable  42  permitting the clamp  114  to be tilted with respect to the strainer  40  allowing the tilt angle of the clamp  114 , relative to the snares, to be precisely set. 
     A still another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 5 which shows a clamp  130  including a primary element  132  and a secondary element  134 . Primary element  132  has a gripping surface  136  and spaced-apart threaded bores  138  formed therein and positioned so as to be substantially perpendicular to gripping surface  136 . Two pairs of cable-receiving bores  140  are provided in primary element  132  and are positioned so as to be substantially perpendicular to threaded bores  138  and are located so that a pair of cable-receiving bores  140  is positioned outwardly of each threaded bore  138 . Secondary element  134  has a gripping surface  142  positioned so as to operably abut gripping surface  136  of primary element  132 . Through bores  144  are formed in secondary element  134  and are positioned therein so as to be coaxially aligned with threaded bores  138  in primary element  132 . Allen screws  146  are received within bores  144  in secondary element  134  and threadingly engage threaded bores  138  in primary element  132  causing gripping surface  136  on primary element  132  to be drawn toward gripping surface  142  on secondary element  134  as Allen screws  146  are threadingly advanced within threaded bores  138 . With Allen screws  146  operably positioned and threadingly engaging primary element  132 , gripping surfaces  136 ,  142  on primary element  132  and secondary element  134 , respectively, are aligned to operably abut one another. A through bore  148  is provided within secondary element  134  adjacent each of the outer ends thereof. The axis of each of the through bores  148  is substantially perpendicular to the axis of bores  144 . A cross-drilled threaded blind bore  150  is oriented substantially parallel to the axis of bores  144  and positioned so as to intersect each through bore  148 . An Allen screw or thumb screw  152  is provided in each of the threaded blind bores  150 . 
     As in the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the ends of the first snare group  90  are attached to snare clasp  96 . Connecting cable  100  is received through apertures  98  in snare clasp  96  and the ends of cable  100  are received within one of the bores  148  in secondary element  134  and are retained therein by the Allen screw or thumb screw  152  in its associated threaded blind bore  150 . Similarly, the ends of second snare group  92  are attached to snare clasp  102 . Connecting cable  106  is received through apertures  104  in snare clasp  102  and the ends of cable  106  are received within bore  148  located at the other end of secondary element  134  and are retained therein by the Allen screw or thumb screw  152  in its associated threaded blind bore  150 . Lastly, the ends of third snare group  94  are gripped between gripping surface  136  of primary element  132  and gripping surface  142  of secondary element  134 . Allen screws  146  threadingly engage threaded apertures  138  in primary element  132  causing the gripping surfaces  136 ,  142  of primary element  132  and secondary element  134 , respectively, to be pressed together forming a vise-like arrangement to grippingly retain the ends of third snare group  94  therebetween. Allen screws or thumb screws  152  can be loosened to allow the tension within the first snare group  90  and/or second snare group  92  to be adjusted, and then Allen screws or thumb screws  152  can be retightened. Even though the attachment of third snare group  94  to clamp  130  is essentially a permanent attachment, Allen screws  146  can be loosened to allow the tension within the third snare group  94  to be adjusted, and then Allen screws  146  can be retightened. As in the previous embodiments, clamp  130  is attached to strainer  40  by a connecting cable  42  passing through each adjacent pair of cable-receiving bores  140  provided in primary element  132 . Ends of connecting cables  42  are attached to strainer  40 . Also, as in the previous embodiments, the effective length of each connecting cable  42  can be varied with respect to that of the other connecting cable  42  permitting the clamp  130  to be tilted with respect to the strainer allowing the tilt angle of the clamp  130 , relative to the snares, to be precisely set. 
     An alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5 is illustrated in FIG.  6 . In this embodiment, clamp  160  utilizes only one, rather than two, through bores  148  to receive the connecting cable for a snare group. In all other respects, clamp  160  operates in the same manner as clamp  130  but is utilized when only two groups of snares, rather than three snare groups, are to be secured. 
     A still another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 7 which shows a clamp  170  including a singular element  172  having a plurality of spaced-apart through bores  174  passing therethrough. A cross-drilled threaded bore  176  intersects each bore  174  and is positioned so as to be substantially perpendicular to the axis of its associated bore  174 . An Allen screw or thumb screw  178  is threadingly received within each threaded bore  176 . Cable-receiving bores  180  are positioned on opposite sides of each of the innermost bores  174 . In this embodiment, the ends of connecting cable  100  for first snare group  90  are received within one of the bores  174  located adjacent an end of the singular element  172  and the ends of connecting cable  106  for second snare group  92  are received within the bore  174  located at the other end of the singular element  172 . After the connecting cable ends have been received within their respective bores  174 , Allen screws or thumb screws  178  are tightened retaining the cable ends within their respective bores  174 . The ends of the connecting cable  126  for the third snare group  94  are received through the innermost bores  174  in singular element  172  and are retained therein by Allen screws or thumb screws  178  in its associated threaded bore  176 . In this case, a connecting cable  42  is received through each pair of cable-receiving bores  180  and the ends of the connecting cables  42  are attached to strainer  40 . Here again, as in the previous embodiment, the effective length of each connecting cable  42  can be varied with respect to that of the other connecting cable  42  permitting the clamp  170  to be tilted with respect to the strainer allowing the tilt angle of the clamp  170 , relative to the snares, to be precisely set. 
     An alternate embodiment of the clamp shown in FIG. 7 is clamp  190  illustrated in FIG.  8 . In this embodiment, one of the through bores  174  and its associated threaded bore  176  have been deleted. Therefore, clamp  190  is utilized to retain two groups of snares, rather than three snare groups. In this manner, this clamp is similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is clamp  200  shown in FIG. 9 which, in essence, combines the snare engaging, disengaging and adjustment feature illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  and the utilization of a singular clamp element illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. It is apparent from the foregoing, that the snare engaging, disengaging and adjustment feature shown in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  can be readily combined with the features of the singular element shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to provide an almost limitless number of combinations in which snares can be engaged, disengaged and/or adjusted against a snare head. 
     Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing. It should be understood that all such modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability, but are properly within the scope of the following claims.