Patent ID: 6976288

Claim:
A rod gripper assembly comprising: an elongated rod, a compression bushing adapted to be slidably disposed for relative axial displacement along said rod, said compression bushing having a longitudinal length, a canter washer having an opening therein, said opening being sized to receive said bushing, whereby said canter washer when shifted to a tilted position imparts a compressive force onto said bushing which is transmitted to the associated rod to restrain any movement of said rod relative to said bushing without scoring, indenting or pitting the outer surface of said rod wherein said bushing includes: a plurality of segments circumferentially spaced about said rod, each of said segments including a longitudinal length and a radially outwardly extending flange defining the opposed ends of said segment forming an intermediate portion therebetween, said intermediate portion of said segments forming an annular groove between said flanges.