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A universal cradle apparatus having a pair of substantially rigid jaw structures each configured with a flange structure having a substantially planar mounting surface adapted for being secured to respective cooperating male and female portions of a spring-return clamping mechanism formed of telesco

A universal cradle apparatus having a pair of substantially rigid jaw structures each configured with a flange structure having a substantially planar mounting surface adapted for being secured to respective cooperating male and female portions of a spring-return clamping mechanism formed of telescoping male linear drive shaft and mating female linear drive channel. One of the two jaw structures is configured with an inclined interior clamping surface that is projected above the respective flange structure and in resiliently flexible relationship therewith. The jaw structures are mounted on the respective drive shaft and drive channel each having its respective interior clamping surface facing toward the clamping surface of the other jaw. A spring is coupled for biasing the male drive shaft into the mating female drive channel of the clamping mechanism, thereby driving the two jaw structures together along a linear drive axis of the clamping mechanism.

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What is claimed is: 1. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a male drive shaft and a mating female drive channel, the female drive channel further comprising a pair of spaced apart walls, and the male drive shaft further comprising a portion th

What is claimed is: 1. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a male drive shaft and a mating female drive channel, the female drive channel further comprising a pair of spaced apart walls, and the male drive shaft further comprising a portion thereof sized to be received between the spaced apart walls of the female drive channel, (ii) a biasing member between the drive shaft and the spaced apart walls of the drive channel and positioned for elastically biasing the drive shaft toward the drive channel substantially along a common axis, (iii) a discrete locking key engaged between the biasing member and the female drive channel for constraining the biasing member between the drive shaft and the drive channel, the locking key being engaged with an opening in at least one of the two spaced apart surfaces for interlocking the locking key between the two spaced apart surfaces, and (iv) one of the drive shaft and the drive channel being structured for being secured to an external mounting surface; first and second mounting surfaces each positioned on a respective one of the drive shaft and the drive channel; and a first substantially rigid jaw structure and a second resiliently flexible jaw structure, each of the first and second jaw structures being coupled to a respective one of the drive shaft and drive channel adjacent to the respective mounting surface thereof, each of the jaw structures having a respective clamping surface projected therefrom and forming mutually opposing interior clamping surfaces arranged adjacent to the mounting surfaces positioned therebetween, and the clamping surface projected from the second substantially resiliently flexible jaw structure being inclined toward the mounting surfaces. 2. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a male drive shaft and a mating female drive channel, the female drive channel further comprising two surfaces that are spaced apart to receive the male drive shaft and a biasing member therebetween, (ii) the biasing member between the drive shaft and the drive channel for elastically biasing the drive shaft toward the drive channel substantially along a common axis, (iii) a locking mechanism structured for constraining the biasing member between the drive shaft and the drive channel, the locking mechanism further comprising a locking key engaging the biasing member and being interlocked with at least one of the two spaced apart surfaces, one of the locking key and one of the spaced-apart surfaces is structured to resiliently flex for positioning the locking key between the two spaced apart surfaces and is further structured to relax for interlocking the locking key between the two spaced apart surfaces after the locking key is positioned, (iv) one of the drive shaft and the drive channel being structured for being secured to an external mounting surface; first and second mounting surfaces each positioned on a respective one of the drive shaft and the drive channel; and a first substantially rigid jaw structure and a second resiliently flexible jaw structure, each of the first and second jaw structures being coupled to a respective one of the drive shaft and drive channel adjacent to the respective mounting surface thereof, each of the jaw structures having a respective clamping surface projected therefrom and forming mutually opposing interior clamping surfaces arranged adjacent to the mounting surfaces positioned therebetween, and the clamping surface projected from the second substantially resiliently flexible jaw structure being inclined toward the mounting surfaces. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of the spaced-apart surfaces further comprises a resiliently flexible surface. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the locking key further comprises a substantially rigid body. 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the female drive channel further comprises a hollow cross-leg shaped channel, and the male drive shaft further comprises a mating cross-leg shaped portion. 6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the first and second jaw structures is further formed integrally with the respective one of the male drive shaft and the mating female drive channel. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second substantially resiliently flexible jaw structure is further inclined toward the mounting surfaces at an angle in the range between about 45 degrees and about 75 degrees. 8. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a female linear drive channel formed of a pair of spaced-apart walls having an opening therebetween at a first end thereof, at least one of the walls being resiliently flexible, and at least one of the walls having a notch formed therein adjacent to the opening, (ii) a compression spring sized to fit between the spaced apart walls of the female linear drive channel, (iii) a male drive shaft sized to slidingly fit between the spaced-apart walls, the drive shaft having a first end thereof and a second end thereof with the second end thereof being structured for engaging a first end of the spring, and (iv) a locking key having a body portion sized to fit between the spaced-apart walls, the body portion having a detent structured to substantially permanently interlock with the notch and to engage a second end of the spring; a first device mounting surface formed on an external surface of the female linear drive channel and a first jaw structure being positioned adjacent to a second end thereof opposite from the opening between the pair of spaced-apart walls; a second jaw structure having a second device mounting surface formed thereon and an interior clamping surface projected above the second device mounting surface and inclined there toward and being resiliently flexible relative to the second device mounting surface, the second jaw structure being positioned on the male drive shaft adjacent to the first end thereof with the second device mounting surface arranged substantially parallel with the first device mounting surface and the inclined interior clamping surface being arranged to cooperate with the first jaw; and a substantially rigid base plate positioned on the clamping mechanism, the base plate being structured for being coupled to an external surface. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the opening between the pair of spaced-apart walls further extends therebetween for an entire length of at least one of the walls. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the body portion and detent are further substantially rigid and inflexible; the female linear drive channel further comprises a second pair of spaced-apart walls arranged substantially crosswise to a first pair and communicating therewith, the second pair of spaced-apart walls having an opening therebetween; and the male drive shaft further comprises first and second crosswise portions sized to slidingly fit between the respective first and second pairs of spaced-apart walls. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first and second pairs of spaced-apart walls are further arranged in a substantially T-shaped formation, and the first and second crosswise portions of the male drive shaft are further arranged in a mating formation. 12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the interior clamping surface further comprises one or more individual fingers inclined toward the second device mounting surface and forming an angle therewith in the range of about forty-five degrees to about ninety degrees. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein one of the first and second device mounting surfaces further comprises a pair of outstretched arms extended on opposite sides thereof about a common operational axis of the drive channel and drive shaft. 14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first jaw is further substantially rigid. 15. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: first and second jaw structures each having a base flange formed with a substantially planar device mounting surface and an interior clamping surface projected above the device mounting surface, the interior clamping surface of one of the first and second jaw structures being resiliently flexible relative to the device mounting surface and further being inclined toward the device mounting surface at an angle between about forty-five degrees and about ninety degrees; a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a frame member forming a substantially rigid T-shaped channel having an opening thereinto formed at a first end thereof and having a substantially rigid but resiliently flexible wall structure that includes at least one notch formed therein adjacent to the opening; (ii) a substantially rigid bar having an elongated T-shaped drive shaft extending from a first end thereof, the elongated drive shaft being structured to be slidingly received into the T-shaped channel through the opening thereinto and further including a spring engagement structure formed distal from the first end of the bar, (iii) a locking key having at least one substantially rigid detent projecting from a substantially rigid body portion, the detent being structured to interlock with the notch formed in the T-shaped channel, and (iv) a compression spring that is sized to be received into the T-shaped channel through the opening thereinto and is further sized to be at least partly compressed when positioned between the locking key and the spring engagement structure of the T-shaped drive shaft; the base flange of the first jaw structure coupled to the bar adjacent to the first end thereof; and the base flange of the second jaw structure coupled to the frame member. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the wall structure of the T-shaped channel further comprises a pair of notches formed therein adjacent to the opening and at opposite sides thereof; and the locking key further comprises a pair of substantially rigid detents projecting from opposite sides of the body portion, the detents being structured to interlock with the pair of notches formed in the T-shaped channel. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the locking key further comprises a substantially rigid elongated body having a substantially rectangular cross-section, a substantially rectangular shoulder portion formed at a first end of the elongated body, and an integral tab structured to engage one end of the compression spring. 18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the elongated T-shaped drive shaft further comprises an elongated lengthwise slot formed therein and further including the spring engagement structure formed adjacent one end thereof, and the compression spring residing in the lengthwise slot and engaged with the spring engagement structure formed therein. 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the base flange of the respective first and second jaw structures each further comprise a central body with a pair of outstretched arms extended on opposite sides thereof forming the device mounting surface arranged along a common operational axis of the channel and drive shaft, a distal portion of each of the outstretched arms having an elastomeric material coupled thereto. 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the frame member further comprises a flange structure having a pair of longitudinal slots formed therethrough and arranged substantially along a common operational axis of the channel and drive shaft, and the second jaw structure being positionally adjustable along the slots. 21. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a male drive shaft and a mating female drive channel, the female drive channel further comprising a pair of spaced apart walls, and the male drive shaft further comprising a portion thereof sized to be received between the spaced apart walls of the female drive channel, (ii) a biasing member positioned between the male drive shaft and the female drive channel for elastically biasing the male drive shaft toward the female drive channel substantially along a common axis, and (iii) a discrete locking key engaged between the biasing member and a notch formed in the spaced apart walls of the female drive channel for constraining the biasing member within the female drive channel between the drive shaft and the interior portion of the female drive channel, wherein at least one of the locking key and the walls of the female drive channel further comprises a resiliently flexible portion for resiliently flexing for positioning the locking key between the two spaced apart surfaces and is further structured to relax for interlocking the locking key between the two spaced apart walls; first and second mounting surfaces each positioned on a respective one of the drive shaft and the drive channel; and a first substantially rigid jaw structure and a second resiliently flexible jaw structure, each of the first and second jaw structures being coupled to a respective one of the drive shaft and drive channel adjacent to the respective mounting surface thereof, each of the jaw structures having a respective clamping surface projected therefrom and forming mutually opposing interior clamping surfaces arranged adjacent to the mounting surfaces positioned therebetween, and the clamping surface projected from the second substantially resiliently flexible jaw structure being inclined toward the mounting surfaces.