Patent ID: 6641323
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: F16C,F16M,Y10T

Abstract:
A device for holding an object at a selected position and orientation and comprising:a ball; a body having a first part-spherical socket portion having a center of curvature and fittingly receiving said ball; a cavity in the body, said cavity having a cylindrical wall, the wall having a cylindrical axis on a line extending through the said center of curvature, with the cavity opening in a direction away from the socket portion; a piston received in the cylindrical wall of the body and co-operating with the cavity to form a chamber in the body; the piston being slidably received in the chamber and moveable in a direction toward and, alternatively, away from the socket; a socket cover having a second part-spherical socket portion facing toward the first part-spherical socket portion and receiving the ball therein; ties connected to the cover and to the piston to prevent the spacing between the cover and the piston from exceeding a predetermined limit; a passageway in the body and communicating with the chamber for pressurized fluid to enter the chamber to cause the piston to move in the direction away from the socket portions and thereby cause the cover to clamp tightly against the ball and lock the ball in a selected orientation; and a projection on the ball and adapted to connect to the said object to be positioned and held.