Patent ID: 7703554

Claim:
A pipe string handling apparatus for drilling or servicing rigs comprising: a plurality of pipe handling slips comprising: a slip body with a longitudinally extending groove having an upper groove opening, a front groove opening, and a back groove surface; and a die insert insertable into the longitudinally extending groove of one of the plurality of slips through the upper groove opening, the die insert comprising: a leg portion having a front face with a plurality of pipe gripping teeth for gripping a pipe string received by the apparatus, and a head portion having a back face generally parallel to the front face; wherein the head portion is received within the longitudinally extending groove and the leg portion extends through the front groove opening; wherein the back face comprises a plurality of raised lands engaging the back groove surface, and wherein the raised lands longitudinally extend along the back face generally transverse to the longitudinal length of the die insert; and wherein the slip comprises a material such that the raised lands are impressed into the back groove surface to transfer loading from the die insert to the slip to reduce the tendency of the die insert to longitudinally slide along the back groove surface.