Holding device

A holding device adapted to hold a workpiece and to permit such a workpiece to be disposed in a plurality of angular orientations and which holding device comprises:

• a base member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface;
• a fixed boss having a longitudinal axis and projecting from said base member and an annular flange provided by said boss having an inwardly and downwardly sloping surface;
• first and second mutually spaced and mutually opposed support arms mounted on said base member for conjoint rotation of 360 degrees around said boss and about said longitudinal axis thereof, generally opposed and concave rcesses being formed in said first and second support arms at positions located outwardly therealong relative to said boss;
• and opposed arcuate recesses formed in said support arms in proximity to lower ends thereof and receiving said annular flange, said arcuate recesses being formed with inwardly and downwardly sloping surfaces engaging said inwardly and downwardly sloping surface of said annular flange;
• a generally spherical movable member disposed between said support arms and partly received within said concave recesses for rotational movement therein in a first plane of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis, movement of at least 180 degrees in a second plane and lesser rotational movement in a third plane;
• biassing means interconnecting said support arms and urging said arms toward each other and into gripping engagement with both said movable member and said boss to hinder both said rotational movement of said movable member between said support arms and said conjoint rotation of said support arms about said boss as well as to retain said movable member within said concave recesses;
• clamping means interconnecting said support arms which in turn comprises a shaft extending freely through said support arms at a location between said arcuate recesses and said concave recesses therein so as to project beyond outer surfaces of said support arms, stop means on one end of said shaft engaging said outer surface of said first support arm and movable toggle means on a second end of said shaft engaging said outer surface of said second support arm, and movable between a released position and a clamping position in which said clamping means is operative to maintain said support arms in clamping engagement both with said movable member and with said boss so then to prevent both said rotational movement of said movable member between said support arms and said conjoint rotation of said support arms about said boss and said inwardly and downwardly sloping surfaces of said annular flange and of said arcuate recesses co-operating so as to urge said support arms into engagement with said base;
• and
• a workpiece-attachment member secured to said movable member and adapted to have a workpiece attached thereto.