Patent ID: 8061920

Claim:
An articulating joint for joining a first element to a second element, the articulating joint comprising: a housing for attaching the articulating joint to the first element; a substantially spherical ball for attaching to the second element; four constraints mounted to the housing, and in contact with the substantially spherical ball, for restraining the substantially spherical ball while allowing the ball to rotate around three axes relative to the housing; wherein at least one of the four constraints further comprises an adjuster for adjusting pressure on at least one of the four constraints to the substantially spherical ball, wherein the constraints may be left slightly loose for very free movement, tightened for controlled drag, and tightened additionally to lock the substantially spherical ball in a position, wherein the adjuster comprises one of a threaded rod, lever, and arm to apply selective pressure to the at least one of the four constraints, and wherein the adjuster comprises a first control shaft and a second control shaft mounted to a common lever arm to tighten and adjust the at least one of the four constraints, wherein the first control shaft controls a clamping pressure and the second control shaft controls a level of drag.