On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:29:31 -0700, wrote:

Take a look at some camera tripods with quick release mounts. The one
that I am thinking of is a cross between a dovetail and a double hung
window lock.


I was thinking of something like this:
http://pages.cthome.net/fcf/clamp.gif

Kinda tough to machine without a tilting rotary table, though.

"A" is a bracket that attaches to each machine.
It has four pins on its underside that drop through
holes in "B", and into the slots of "C".

"B" is attached to "D" with countersunk machine screws,
trapping "C" between them. "C" can rotate by means of its
(potentially removable) handle.

"D" is attached to the bench with countersunk machine screws
and nuts.

"B", "C", and "D" remain on the bench as a unit. Tools are
mounted by pushing the locking handle and dropping the
tool with its "A" bracket into the bench unit. The handle is
pulled to lock the tool into place.

"C" is by far the hardest part to make, as it needs not only
the radiused slots, but the slots also need to be sloped to
provide a pull-down clamping action. It should also be case
hardened to prevent wear.


P.S. I quickly drew this sketch because it was easier than
explaining the idea in writing alone. It is sloppy and just
presents the basic idea. The pins descending from "A", for
example, shouldn't really have tapered heads. I was thinking
"slope" when I drew them.