Patent ID: 8257353

Claim:
A locking universal joint hinge having a first and a second orthogonally oriented pivot axes, the universal joint hinge comprising: a first-axis clevis connector having a first arm and a second arm; a second-axis clevis connector having a first arm and a second arm extending from a base portion, the base portion of the second-axis clevis connection defining a threaded hole that extends through the second-axis clevis connector, the threaded hole defining an axis that is perpendicular to a pivot axis of the second-axis clevis connector; a cross-shaft member positioned between the two arms of each clevis connectors; a first-axis clevis pin pivotally connecting the two arms of the first-axis clevis connector to the cross-shaft member and defining the first pivot axis; and a second-axis clevis pin pivotally connecting the two arms of the second-axis clevis connector to the cross-shaft member and defining the second pivot axis, wherein the first-axis clevis pin extends from the first arm to the second arm of the first-axis clevis connector and through the cross-shaft member, wherein the first-axis clevis pin is configured and adapted to lock the first pivot axis by urging the cross-shaft member against one of the two arms of the first-axis clevis connector causing a surface of the cross-shaft member to contact a surface of the one of the two arms of the first-axis clevis connector and generating a frictional or mechanical interference between the two contacting surfaces, and wherein the threaded hole defined by the second-axis clevis is configured to receive a locking screw for locking the second-axis clevis due to frictional interference between an end of the locking screw and a surface of the cross-shaft member.