Position retaining mechanism

Claim 1

A mechanism for setting and retaining the position of at least a pair of members comprising: a sphere, one of said members being coupled thereto, a pair of jaw-like sections pivotally mounted with respect to each other, said jaw-like sections being disposed in a common plane and having a generally C-shaped configuration, each of said jaw-like sections having a predetermined width which is narrow relative to the length thereof, the other of said pair of members being coupled to said sections, said last mentioned sections including inner surfaces having substantially the same radius of curvature as the surface of said sphere, said sphere being contained within said jaw-like sections, such that at any given time a portion of the surface area of said sphere is covered by said sections, said predetermined width of said sections providing that the remaining surface area of said sphere not covered by said sections is substantially greater than the covered area, whereby the excursions of said members relative to each other are maximized and approach a full circle in a plane transverse to said common plane, the surface of said sphere and the inner surface of said jaw-like sections being configured in respective contiguous interlocking patterns, means for opening said jaw-like sections to permit the rotation of said sphere and the corresponding setting of said pair of members to a desired position with respect to each other, said last mentioned means including a pair of extensions affixed respectively to said jaw-like sections, said extensions being spring loaded to bias said sections to a closed position about said sphere, the exertion of a manual force on said extensions in opposition to the spring bias causing said pair of jaw-like sections to pivot to an open position and to remove the spring pressure exerted by said sections on said sphere, the subsequent termination of said manual force and the closing of said jaw-like sections on said sphere providing for the retention of said desired position as effected by said interlocking patterns.