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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. The two jaw structures are each configured with a shallow cup-shaped clamping surface that is projected above the respective flange structure. The jaw structures are mounted on the respective drive shaft and drive channel each having its respective cup-shaped 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 at least one of the walls having an opening thereinto, an

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 at least one of the walls having an opening thereinto, 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 drive shaft and the spaced apart walls of the drive channel and elastically biasing the drive shaft toward the drive channel substantially along a common axis, (iii) a discrete key positioned between the spaced apart walls of the female drive channel and coupled into the opening into the wall, the key constraining the biasing member between the drive shaft and the drive channel, and (iv) one of the drive shaft and the drive channel being structured for being secured to an external mounting surface; and a pair of substantially rigid jaw structures each being secured to a respective one of the male and female portions of the clamping mechanism, each of the jaw structures projected from a respective one of the drive shaft and drive channel and having mutually opposing interior clamping surfaces arranged therebetween. 2. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a male drive shaft and a mating female drive channel, wherein the female linear drive channel further comprises two surfaces that are spaced apart to receive the male linear drive shaft and the biasing member therebetween; (ii) a 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, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a locking key engaging the biasing member and being interlocked with at least one of the two spaced apart surfaces, and 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, and (iv) one of the drive shaft and the drive channel being structured for being secured to an external mounting surface; and a pair of substantially rigid jaw structures each structured for being secured to a respective one of the male and female portions of the clamping mechanism, each of the jaw structures projected from a respective one of the drive shaft and drive channel and having mutually opposing interior clamping surfaces arranged therebetween. 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, further comprising adjustable mounting structure between one of the jaw structures and a respective one of the male and female portions of the clamping mechanism. 6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the female linear drive channel further comprises a hollow cross-leg shaped channel, and the male drive shaft further comprises a mating cross-leg shaped portion. 7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein one of the jaw structures further comprises a clamping surface structured to bias an object inserted between the jaw structures toward the clamping mechanism. 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, one of the walls being resiliently flexible and 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 jaw adjacent to a first end thereof and a 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 second jaw positioned on the drive channel and 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. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: a telescoping clamping mechanism, comprising: (i) a female linear drive channel formed of a pair of spaced-apart resiliently flexible walls having an opening therebetween, one of the walls being resiliently flexible and 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 jaw adjacent to a first end thereof and a 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 second jaw positioned on the drive channel and 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. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the body portion and detent are further substantially rigid and inflexible. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the female linear drive channel further comprises a second pair of spaced-apart walls arranged substantially crosswise to a first pair, 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. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 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 substantially T-shaped formation. 13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the opening between the pair of spaced-apart walls further extends therebetween for an entire length of at least one of the walls. 14. 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, one of the walls being resiliently flexible and 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 jaw adjacent to a first end thereof and a 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 second jaw positioned on the drive channel and arranged to cooperate with the first jaw, wherein one of the first jaw and the second jaw is further adjustably positionable relative the respective drive shaft and drive channel; and a substantially rigid base plate positioned on the clamping mechanism, the base plate being structured for being coupled to an external surface. 15. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: 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 elongated drive shaft; a first substantially rigid jaw structure coupled to the bar adjacent to the first end thereof; and a second substantially rigid 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. A universal cradle apparatus, comprising: 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, wherein the elongated T-shaped drive shaft further comprises an elongated lengthwise slot formed therein and a spring engagement structure formed adjacent one end thereof 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 elongated drive shaft, the compression spring residing in the lengthwise slot and engaged with the spring engagement structure formed therein; a first substantially rigid jaw structure coupled to the bar adjacent to the first end thereof; and a second substantially rigid jaw structure coupled to the frame member. 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second jaw structures further comprise respective first and second substantially cup-shaped clamping surfaces, the first and second clamping surfaces arranged in a mutual facing arrangement along a common operational axis of the channel and drive shaft. 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.