Gimbal knob assemblies for clamping on non-parallel surfaces

A clamping assembly, comprising:

• a clamp mount including an attachment mechanism to provide secure attachment of the clamp mount to a mounting surface, the clamp mount including a threaded bolt extending in a direction orthogonal to the mounting surface;
• and
• a gimbal knob including a turnable knob portion and a knob bottom, the gimbal knob further including a gimbal joint having a threaded receptacle for receiving the threaded bolt of the clamp mount, the gimbal joint including a plurality of ball bearings around a circumference of the gimbal joint that are able to be received by inner recesses of the turnable knob portion in order to allow the gimbal joint to pivot with respect to an axis of rotation of the gimbal knob but prevent independent rotation of the gimbal joint within the gimbal knob,
• wherein an object to be clamped to the mounting surface is able to have the threaded bolt inserted through an opening in the object that is received by the threaded receptacle of the gimbal knob, the gimbal joint able to pivot to receive the threaded bolt at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation, and
• wherein the object is able to be clamped to the mounting surface in response to the gimbal knob being rotated in a tightening direction to cause the threaded bolt to be drawn into the threaded receptacle of the gimbal knob, the knob bottom being brought into secure contact with the object in an orientation that is at an angle with respect to the mounting surface.