Patent ID: 8082645

Claim:
A clamp and quick release mechanism for clamping and releasing a cylindrical linkage to a cylindrical member comprising: said cylindrical linkage having an internal circumferential groove provided in an inner surface of the cylindrical linkage; said cylindrical member having an external circumferential groove provided on the exterior surface of said cylindrical member facing said internal circumferential groove during clamping; a locking ring located on said cylindrical member and sized to fit in said internal circumferential groove or to bridge the internal and external grooves, said locking ring being split, said locking ring having a radial anchoring extension received in a slot in said cylindrical linkage for preventing rotation of said locking ring; a clamping ring positioned in said internal circumferential groove and being concentric with said locking ring and said cylindrical member, said clamping ring having a gap opposite said recess such that limited rotation of said clamping ring does not interfere with said anchoring extension of said locking ring; the inner surface of said clamping ring and the outer surface of said locking ring configured such that rotation of the clamping ring in one direction will compress the locking ring and rotation in the other direction will allow expansion of the locking ring; and means for causing rotation of said clamping ring between clamping and unclamping positions.