Abstract:
In accordance with this invention an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device is provided having a yoke shaped hinging element with cylindrical peripheral surfaces and a channel shaped hinging element with an eye-ended connecting rod, and a relatively eccentric hinge-pin. The cylindrical peripheral surfaces of the yoke shaped hinging element seats in the channel shaped hinging element and both elements pivot on the relatively eccentric hinge-pin which penetrates the bore of the yoke and the eye-end bore of the connecting rod. The eccentric hinge-pin is connected to an activating means that controls the eccentrically applied tension on the connecting rod, consequently the friction between the cylindrical peripheral surfaces of the yoke shaped hinging element and the seat of the channel shaped hinging element, thus affecting hinging ability. The channel shaped hinging element, when functioning with a simple dual cylindrical peripheral element yoke, can have a rotational element with an axis perpendicular to the pivoting axis, thus permitting the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device to be rotatable about this axis concurrent with hinging mobilization, or rotationally immobilized concurrent with hinging immobilization.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX, IF ANY 
     Not applicable. 
     This invention relates to an immobilizable hinge and, more particularly, to an implement positioner which can be positioned and effectively locked. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A hinge always has three fundamental elements, two hinging elements and a hinge-pin about which the hinging elements may pivot. It is highly desirable to have the hinge-pin&#39;s radial surface(s) not only disposed for pivoting but also disposed for frictional immobilization of the hinging elements. Accordingly there exists a need to provide an eccentric means associated with the hinge-pin for affecting the aforementioned functions. In addition, it is also desirable to have a hinge, such as described above, in which the hinging elements can be pivotally immobilized and the hinge can be rotated and immobilized about an axis perpendicular to the pivoting axis, and all of this being accomplished by a single actuating element. To the best of my knowledge the prior art does not disclose the aforementioned combinations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, in accordance with this invention, an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device is provided comprising a yoke-type device having peripheral elements radially centered, with each of the elements housing a bore, an eccentric device having radially centered elements disposed for cooperating with the bore of the yoke-type device and having an eccentric element, a connecting device disposed for cooperating with the eccentric device&#39;s eccentric element and the yoke-type device&#39;s peripheral elements, and an activating means for the eccentric device, such that upon activation it controls the hinging ability between the yoke-type device and the connecting device. 
     Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which can tilt an implement coupled to it and simultaneously completely rotate the implement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of tilt and simultaneously immobilize both the tilting and rotating attributes with relatively minimal actuating means force torsionally applied to a single eccentric device. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which can be comfortably, receptively, hand operated because the actuating means force, especially in the case of a rolling/needle bearing eccentric device, is minimal relative to the powerful eccentrically produced immobilization force that prevents break-away (slippage) between the yoke-type device&#39;s peripheral elements and the connecting device&#39;s abutting surfaces. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which employs the eccentric device to rotate as a unit with the hinge-type device, thus assuring that a coupled implement cannot be rotated and/or tilted into a position of mutual interference with the actuating means for the eccentric device. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which is a low profile design because the eccentric device is internal to the yoke-type device as opposed to it being external, which, for such a device, would necessitate additional parts/space and an overall dimension increase. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which can be easily adjusted for ware between the yoke-type device and the eccentric device, and the connecting device, because a single adjustment element is intrinsic to the design of the connecting device. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which is environmental contamination resistant because the eccentric device&#39;s immobilization working surfaces are internal to the yoke-type device and the connecting device. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which can be easily disassembled for maintenance or repair because it can be equipped with a keying element that can be removed by removing one fastener. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which employs the yoke-type device and the connecting device for instillation of a caliper-type tilt-brake. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which employs the eccentric device and the connecting device for instillation of a safety lock to prevent inadvertent engagement or disengagement of the eccentric device. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device which is structurally and functionally heavy duty relative to the hinge-type device&#39;s size and construction materials. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention, and, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of a mobilized hinge-type device with needle bearing assemblies with inner races and an eccentric device penetrated by a hex shaft with its axis central to the bore of a yoke while eccentric to the eye-end bore of a connecting rod. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view with a partial cutaway of the apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a front view with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of a mobilized hinge-type device with dual sleeve bushing assemblies and an eccentric device penetrated by a hex shaft with its axis central to the bore of a yoke while eccentric to the eye-end bore of a connecting rod. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view with a partial cutaway of the apparatus of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a front view with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of a mobilized hinge-type device with needle bearing assemblies without inner races and an eccentric device penetrated by a round set-screwed shaft with its axis eccentric to the bore of a yoke while central to the eye-end bore of a connecting rod. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a front view with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of a mobilized hinge-type device without bearing assemblies and with an eccentric device penetrated by a round set-screwed shaft with its axis eccentric to the bore of a yoke while central to the eye-end bore of a connecting rod. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device&#39;s connecting rod with detent device of the apparatus of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4  embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of the detent device in the hinge-type device&#39;s mobilized position. 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram with a partial cutaway of the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device&#39;s safety lock with detent device of the apparatus of FIG. 3 embodying the teachings of the invention, and showing the positioning of the components of the detent device in the hinge-type device&#39;s mobilized position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The “eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device” hereinafter will be referred to as the “hinge-type device.” 
     The preferred embodiment of the hinge-type device as illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9  is comprised of: a yoke-type device  10  having peripheral elements radially centered on said yoke-type device&#39;s axis, with each element housing a bore on the axis, and the yoke-type device has an implement coupling element  11 ; anti-friction needle bearing assemblies  15  with all the bearing assemblies  15  individually having a radially outermost element  16  disposed for securely cooperating with a bore of the yoke-type device  10 ; an eccentric device  17 , having first peripheral elements  18 , 19  radially centered on an axis, with all the peripheral elements  18 , 19  individually disposed for securely cooperating with a radially innermost element  14  of a bearing assembly  15 , and the eccentric device has an eccentric peripheral element  20  disposed adjacent to first peripheral elements  18 , 19  and disposed for cooperating with a keying element  22  with an axis central to the first peripheral elements  18 , 19  and the keying element  22  retaining radial alignment of all the peripheral elements  18 , 19 , 20 ; an eccentric device element retaining apparatus  23  comprised of a snap-ring  24  and a flat washer  26  and a nut  28 ; a connecting device  29 , disposed for cooperating with the eccentric peripheral element  20  of the eccentric device  17  and all the peripheral elements of the yoke-type device, and comprised of a connecting rod  30  and a saddle  32  and an implement coupling element  34  and a two-piece spherical washer  36  and a threaded clamping collar  38 ; a connecting device seal apparatus  39  comprised of a seal washer  40  with a biasing coil spring  42  and an o-rings  44 ; a rotation anti-friction device  45  comprised of a thrust washer  46  and a wave spring  48 ; a detent device  49  comprised of a plunger  50  and a threaded retaining bushing  52  and a belleville spring washer assembly  53  and a captive adjustment screw  54 ; a tilt braking device  55  comprised of braking pads  56  and a belleville spring washer assembly  57  and slotted adjustment screw  58  and an adjustment knob  60 ; a safety locking device  61  comprised of a two piece collar  62  and a nut bar  64  and a shoulder bolt  66  and a self adjusting bolt-retainer  68  and seal washers  70 ; and an activating means  71 , comprised of a clamping collar  72  and a lever-handle  74 , for the eccentric device  17 , such that, upon activation it controls the hinging ability between the yoke-type device  10  and said connecting device  29 . 
     The yoke-type device  10  is one piece construction, however it can be constructed from three pieces by fastening, on a common axis, two axially bored, cylindrical legs to a cooperating plate designed to also cooperate with specific implement coupling requirements. The yoke-type device&#39;s  10  axial bores function as gudgeons in cooperative descending radial sequence with the outermost element  16  of the anti-friction needle bearing assemblies  15 , the eccentric device&#39;s first peripheral elements  18 , 19 , and the eccentric device&#39;s hex keying element  22 . In-between the yoke-type device&#39;s  10  peripheral elements is axial-bore space providing adequate clearance for free eccentric movement of the eye-end of the connecting rod  30 . The radially centered, cylindrical, peripheral elements of the yoke-type device  10  cooperate with a channel shaped seat of the saddle  32 , while the yoke-type device&#39;s  10  axial sides cooperate with the saddle&#39;s  32  braking pads  56 . 
     The implement coupling element  11  is comprised of two clamp-type retaining bars  12  cantilevered at equal angles over a flat surface on a peripheral segment of the yoke-type device  10 , thus forming a female dovetail socket that cooperates with a similar male dove-tailed coupling element of an implement as shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 by the example of a turret vice assembly  13 . 
     The anti-friction needle bearing assemblies  15  function to provide minimum friction between the bore of the yoke-type device  10  and the eccentric device&#39;s first peripheral elements  18 , 19 . The minimal friction functions to maximize the eccentrically applied hinge-type device immobilization stress for a given force applied to the actuating means  71  and functions to minimize the necessary force applied to the actuating means  71  to break-away from the static friction between the needle bearings and their inner and outer races which facilitates mobilization by unloading stress on the hinge-type device. The anti-friction needle bearing assemblies  15  have high load capacity per rolling bearing element diameter which is desirable to minimize bearing ware and can have a non-separable or separable inner race. 
     The eccentric device  17  functions to control connecting rod  30  tension by either loading stress which determines the strength of immobilization of the hinge-type device&#39;s tilting and rotating features, or unloading stress to mobilize the hinge-type device&#39;s tilting and rotating features. The eccentric device&#39;s  17  eccentric peripheral element  20  cooperates with the eye-end bore of the connecting rod  30 . When the eccentric device is rotated in either direction it&#39;s eccentric peripheral element  20  approaches maximum eccentricity which tensions the connecting rod  30  and concurrently causes compression in the effected areas of the keying element  22  and the first peripheral elements  18 , 19  and the needle bearing assemblies  15  and the yoke-type device&#39;s  10  peripheral elements and the saddle  32  and the implement coupling element  34  and the two piece spherical washer  36  and the threaded clamping collar  38 . The eccentric device&#39;s hex keying element  22  axially penetrates, in slip-fit sequence, the longer of the two eccentric device&#39;s first peripheral element  18 , the offset axis of the eccentric peripheral element  20 , and the second, shorter, first peripheral element  19 . The slip-fitting hex keying element  22  also facilitates instillation of the connecting device sealing o-rings  44  with minimum stretching onto the first peripheral elements  18 ,  19  and facilitates assembly of the connecting device&#39;s connecting rod  30  in-between the peripheral elements of the yoke-type device  10  for cooperation with the eccentric device&#39;s  17  eccentric peripheral element  20 . The eccentric device&#39;s  17  elements  18 , 19 , 20  are retained on the activating means  71  end of the hex keying element  22  by the snap ring  24  and the flat washer  26  and on the other end by the (interference fit) nut  60 . The eccentric device&#39;s  17  first peripheral element  18  cooperates with the safety locking device by means of a reduced diameter on its closest end to the activating means  71 . The handled activating means  71  clamping collar  72  cooperates with a diameter on the eccentric device&#39;s  17  hex keying element  22 . 
     The connecting device  29  functions to distribute energy originating as torque to the activating means  71  and eccentric device  17  to the hinge-type device by means of its connecting rod  30  which has an eye-end bore that cooperates with the eccentric device&#39;s eccentric element  20 , and has a shank that cooperates with the threaded clamping collar  38  that retains the hinge-type device assembly and adjusts operating clearance, the two-piece spherical washer  36 , the implement coupling element  34 , and the saddle  32  whose channel shaped side cooperates with the yoke-type device&#39;s  10  outer peripheral elements. 
     The connecting device sealing apparatus  39  function to maintain relatively contamination free cooperating surfaces between the eccentric device&#39;s eccentric peripheral element  20  and the eye-end bore of the connecting device&#39;s connecting rod  30  by means of two o-rings  44 , and between the saddle  32  and the implement coupling element  34  and the two piece spherical washer  36  by means of the seal washer  40  with biasing coil spring  42 . The seal washer  40  cooperates with the saddle  32  and the biasing coil spring  42  cooperates with the two piece spherical washer  36 . 
     The rotation anti-friction device  45  functions to minimize friction between the saddle  32  and the implement coupling element  34  by means of the thrust washer  46  and wave spring  48  permitting smooth rotation of the hinge-type device. The thrust washer  46  is secured to a cooperating surface of the saddle  32  and cooperates with the with the wave spring  48  that cooperates with the implement coupling element  34 . The rotation anti-friction device  45  has no practical negative affect on rotational immobilization because it functions radially inside the cooperating area where friction between the saddle  32  and the implement coupling element  34  functions to immobilize the rotation of the hinge-type device. 
     The detent device  49  is housed in the connecting device&#39;s connecting rod  30  and functions to position the eccentric device&#39;s  17  eccentric element  20  for hinge-type device mobilization. Detenting is accomplished by means of a peripheral surface flat centered on the plane of the longest radii of the eccentric element  20  in cooperation with a solid flat end of the plunger  50  that cooperates with an axial bore in the shank of the connecting rod  30  and biasing belleville spring washer assembly  53 . The plunger  50  has an axial hole in its opposite end from the flat that securely cooperates with the smooth outside diameter of the threaded retaining bushing  52  and has excessive depth to allow for adequate slip cooperation between the shank of the captive adjustment screw  54  and the inside threads of the threaded retaining bushing  52  concurrently with slip cooperation between expanded threads at the tip of the shank of the captive adjustment screw  54  and the bore, a condition necessary to facilitate adjustment of the detent device. The detent device  49  can be installed or removed from the connecting rod  30  as a unit because the belleville spring washer assembly  53  on the reduced diameter shank of the captive adjustment screw  54  are held captive by the plunger&#39;s  50  threaded retaining bushing  52 . The head of the captive adjustment screw  54  is threaded to cooperate with a partially threaded section of the axial bore at the shank&#39;s end of the connecting rod  30  and the head is slotted to cooperate with a screwdriver to facilitate adjustment of the detent device&#39;s  49  belleville spring washer assembly  53 . 
     The tilt braking device  55  is housed in the connecting device&#39;s saddle  32  and functions to apply frictional drag by means to two braking pads  56  on the two outermost axial sides of the cooperating yoke-type device  10 . The braking feature is desirable to prevent inadvertent tilting of the yoke-type device due to a coupled implement&#39;s overhung load when the hinge-type device is mobilized. The amount of frictional drag is controlled by the adjustment knob  60  that functions to vary the compression of the belleville spring washer assembly  57  that cooperates with one of the two braking pads  56 . The second braking pad  56  is positioned on the same axis as the first braking pad  56  but on the opposite inner side of the (channel shaped) saddle  32  and it cooperates with the slotted adjustment screw  58  to axially position the yoke-type device  10  for clearance with the two cooperating inside surfaces of the (channel shaped) saddle  32 . 
     The safety locking device  61  functions to secure the eccentric device  17  relative to the connecting device  29  such that an inadvertent force applied to the handled activating means  71  will not be transferred to the connecting device&#39;s  29  connecting rod  30 , thus minimizing the possibility of mobilization of an immobilized hinge-type device. The safety locking device&#39;s two piece collar  62  cooperates with the reduced diameter of the eccentric device&#39;s  17  first peripheral element  18 , and cooperates on its two sides with the seal washers  70 , and cooperates with the nut bar  64  by means of two socket head screws with shanks that loosely penetrate the nut bar  64  and the half of the two piece collar  62  that is closest to the nut bar  64  and then the socket head screws are secured into the other threaded half of the two piece collar  62 , and cooperates with the shoulder bolt  66  which screws through the nut bar  64  contacting the half of the two piece collar  62  closest to it. The shoulder bolt&#39;s  66  shoulder acts as a torque-arm by loosely cooperating with a radial hole in the self-adjusting bolt-retainer  68  which cooperates with a slip-fit hole in the side of the connecting device&#39;s  29  saddle  32 , in addition, these two parts function to allow adjustment for manufacturing tolerances. The shoulder bolt&#39;s  66  head has two perpendicular through holes drilled in it, each of which cooperates with a hand inserted rod used to turn the shoulder bolt  66  and screw it into, or out of, the nut bar  64 . Screwing the shoulder bolt  66  into the nut bar  64  pushes one half of the two piece collar  62  against the reduced diameter of the eccentric device&#39;s  17  first peripheral element  18  and concurrently pulls the nut bar  64  in the opposite direction which pushes on the heads of the two socket head screws that penetrate it, thus pulling the other half of the two piece collar  62  against the reduced diameter of the eccentric device&#39;s  17  first peripheral element  18 . The pushing and pulling of the opposite halves of the two piece collar  62  clamp it around the reduced diameter of the eccentric device&#39;s  17  first peripheral element, consequently securely locking the hinge-type device. 
     The handled activating means  71  functions to accommodate hand operation of the eccentric device  17  and by rotating it approximately forty-five degrees, in either direction, the hinge-type device can be immobilized or mobilized and free to hinge through one hundred eighty degrees and fully rotate. The handled activating means  71  lever handle  74  is clamped to the diameter portion of the eccentric device&#39;s hex keying element  22  by means of a split clamping collar  72 . 
     FIGS. 3,  4 , and  9  illustrate another embodiment of the hinge-type device in which like components of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9  have been given the same reference numbers. The distinction between FIGS. 3,  4 , and  9 , and FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 , is anti-friction dual sleeve bushing assemblies  201 , each comprised of a bushing  202  and a bushing  204 , with half the number of bushings  202  individually disposed for securely cooperating with a bore of the yoke-type device. The eccentric device  17 , has first peripheral elements  18 , 19  radially centered on an axis, with all the peripheral elements individually disposed for securely cooperating with a bore of the second half of the number of bushings  204  that are individually disposed for cooperating with a bore of the first half of bushings  202 . The desired hinge-type device immobilization or mobilization characteristics are dependent on the relative thickness of bushings  202  and  204 . This is because the resulting torque on the eccentric device  17  from an applied force to the handled activating means  71  opposes friction between the cooperating elements  201 , 202  and the larger the radius of frictional engagement the greater the required break-away torque on the eccentric device  17  to overcome the friction. If it is desirable to have a hinge-type device that is somewhat self-locking, making mobilization of an immobilized hinge-type device less likely to occur by an inadvertent torquing force to the activating means  71 , bushings  202  would be thin (or nonexistent) and bushings  204  would be thick. Conversely, if less torque to the activating means  71  is desirable to mobilize an immobilized hinge-type device, bushings  202  would be thick and bushing  204  would be thin (or nonexistent). Since the activating means  71  force depends on the frictional break-away torque of the dual sleeve bushing assemblies  201 , it can be modified through the material selection of bushings  204  and/or  202 , or the yoke-type device  10  in the case of an nonexistent bushing  202 , or the first peripheral elements  18 , 19  in the case of a nonexistent bushing  204 , or through material hardening or plating. For example, selecting harder, relatively less compressible materials, such as those with a Brinnel Hardness (10-mm tungsten carbide ball, 3,000 kg. load) greater than 223 would cause the frictional break-away torque and consequently the force applied to the activating means  71  to be smaller than if softer, relatively more compressible materials were selected, such as those with a Brinnel Hardness (10-mm tungsten carbide ball, 3,000 kg. load) within the range of 165-223 or those with a non-metallic Shore Hardness greater than D60. Otherwise, the apparatus of FIGS. 3,  4 , and  9  functions in a manner similar to that of the apparatus of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 . 
     FIGS. 5,  6 , and  10  illustrate still another embodiment of the hinge-type device in which like components of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9  have been given the same reference numbers. The distinction between FIGS. 5,  6 , and  10 , and FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 , is that an eccentric device&#39;s  301  first peripheral elements  302 , 303  cooperate with the needle rollers  304  of needle bearing assemblies  305 , and that the eccentric device  301  has an offset axis which is penetrated by keying element  306  which is a round shaft secured to the first peripheral elements  302 , 303  by radial alignment retaining set-screws. The segment of keying element  306  in-between the first peripheral elements  302 , 303  functions as an eccentric peripheral element  308  which cooperates with the eye-end bore of a connecting device&#39;s  309  connecting rod  310 . The connecting device seal apparatus  311  o-rings  312  cooperate with the sides of the eye-end bore of the connecting rod  310 , the eccentric peripheral element  308  and the first peripheral elements  302 , 303 . The longer eccentric device&#39;s  301  first peripheral element  302  has a reduced diameter on its side facing the handled activating means  71  which cooperates with an axial bore of a safety locking device&#39;s  313  two piece clamping collar  314  and has a flat surface centered on the plane of its largest radii which cooperates with a detent device  315  that is screwed into a partially threaded radial bore in one piece of the two piece clamping collar  314 . The detent device  315  replaces the detent device  49  as shown in FIGS. 1,  3 ,  7 , and  9 . The detent device  315  is a flat-faced, reduced shank, sintered metal, o-ringed  316 , 318 , detent plunger  320  with a belleville spring assembly  321  bias that cooperates with the detent device&#39;s  315  cap-housing  322  and is retained on the plunger  320  by a flat socket head screw  324  with a flat washer  326 . The o-ring  316  cooperates with the cone shaped head of the flat socket head screw&#39;s  324 , and the flat washer  326 , and an axial hole through the cap end of the cap-housing  322 . The o-ring  318  cooperates with the detent device&#39;s  315  plunger  320  toward its flat-faced end, and cooperates with the end of the belleville spring assembly  321  and the radial bore of the two piece clamping collar  314 . When the detent device  315  is fully assembled, the flat socket head screw  324  is temporarily removed and the bore cavity formed by the union of the bore of the cap-housing  322  and the equivalent diameter radial bore in the two piece clamping collar  314  is filled with light weight oil which penetrates the sintered metal plunger  320  and very sparingly oils its flat faced surface that cooperates with the flat on the reduced diameter of the eccentric device&#39;s  301  first peripheral element  302 . Otherwise, the apparatus of FIGS. 5,  6 , and  10  functions in a manner similar to that of the apparatus of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate yet another embodiment of the hinge-type device in which like components of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9  have been given the same reference numbers. The distinction between FIGS. 7 and 8, and FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 , is that the eccentric device&#39;s  401  first peripheral elements  402 , 403  cooperate with the bore of the yoke-type device  10 , and that the eccentric device  401  has an offset axis which is penetrated by keying element  404  which is a hex-headed round shaft secured to the first peripheral elements  402 , 403  by radial alignment retaining set-screws. The segment of keying element  404  in-between the first peripheral elements  402 , 403  functions as an eccentric peripheral element  406  which cooperates with the eye-end bore of the connecting device&#39;s  29  connecting rod  30 . The hex-head of the keying element  404  cooperates with an activating means  408  which is a hex socket device, such as the example in FIGS. 7 and 8 of a hex socket wrench. The eccentric peripheral element  406  has a flat surface centered on the plane of the shortest radii of the eccentric device&#39;s  401  first peripheral elements  402 , 403  that cooperates with the solid flat end of the detent device&#39;s  49  plunger  50 . A safety locking device, such as  61  in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , and  313  in FIGS. 5,  6 , and  10 , is not necessary because the force necessary to brake-away from the static friction between the eccentric device&#39;s  401  first peripheral elements  402 , 403  and the bore of the yoke-type device  10  is relatively high compared to when needle bearing assemblies, such as  15  in FIGS. 1 and 2, and  305  in FIGS. 5 and 6, are installed. The material type, or material hardening or plating of the cooperating surfaces between the eccentric device&#39;s  401  first peripheral elements  402 , 403  and the yoke-type device  10  will effect their surface coefficient of friction and mutual contact static friction, consequently the hinge-type device&#39;s activating means  408  force necessary to break-away from that, self-locking, contact friction. For example, selecting softer, relatively more compressible materials, such as those with a Brinnel Hardness (10-mm tungsten carbide ball, 3,000 kg. load) within the range of 165-223 or those with a non-metallic Shore Hardness greater than D60 would cause the frictional break-away torque and consequently the force applied to the activating means  408  to be larger than if harder, relatively less compressible materials were selected, such as those with a Brinnel Hardness (10-mm tungsten carbide ball, 3,000 kg. load) greater than 223. Otherwise, the apparatus of FIGS. 7 and 8 function in a manner similar to that of the apparatus of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  9 . 
     The apparatus embodying the teachings of this invention has several advantages over the prior art. For instance, the eccentrically immobilized hinge-type device can tilt an implement coupled to it through one hundred and eighty degrees and simultaneously completely rotate the implement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of tilt and simultaneously immobilize both the tilting and rotating attributes with relatively minimal actuating means force torsionally applied to a single eccentric device. It can be comfortably, receptively, hand operated because the actuating means force, especially in the case of a rolling/needle bearing eccentric device, is minimal relative to the powerful eccentrically produced immobilization force that prevents break-away (slippage) between the yoke-type device&#39;s peripheral elements and the connecting device&#39;s abutting surfaces. It employs the eccentric device to rotate as a unit with the hinge-type device, thus assuring that a coupled implement cannot be rotated and/or tilted into a position of mutual interference with the actuating means for the eccentric device. It is a low profile design because the eccentric device is internal to the yoke-type device as opposed to it being external, which, for such a device, would necessitate additional parts/space and an overall dimension increase. It can be easily adjusted for ware between the yoke-type device and the eccentric device, and the connecting device, because a single adjustment element is intrinsic to the design of the connecting device. It is environmental contamination resistant because the eccentric device&#39;s immobilization working surfaces are internal to the yoke-type device and the connecting device. It can be easily disassembled for maintenance or repair because it can be equipped with a keying element that can be removed by removing one fastener. It employs the yoke-type device and the connecting device for instillation of a caliper-type tilt-brake. It employs the eccentric device and the connecting device for instillation of a safety lock to prevent inadvertent engagement or disengagement of the eccentric device. It is structurally and functionally heavy duty relative to the hinge-type device&#39;s size and construction materials.