Patent ID: 8257004

Claim:
A thread clamping device comprising: a) a top end housing and a bottom end housing surrounding a plurality of movable nut segments wherein each of said movable nut segments has a threaded inner surface suited for engaging a threaded rod; and wherein two load bearing planar outer segment surfaces on each of said movable nut segments, separated by a segment rib, engage two load bearing planar inner bearing surfaces of said bottom end housing; and, a-1) a planar inner sloping surface on each of said nut segments engaging a planar internal ramp in said top end housing, wherein said inner sloping surface on each of said movable nut segments is substantially parallel to said planar outer segment surfaces on each of said movable said nut segments; and b) at least one spring suited for flexibly directing said movable nut segments against said threaded rod; wherein said plurality of movable nut segments are capable of moving axially along said threaded rod in a first direction without rotation and are not capable of moving in a second opposite direction without rotation.