Patent ID: 7000888

Claim:
A pump rod clamp for gripping a pump rod in an oil, gas or water well, the pump rod clamp comprising: (i) a central housing having a longitudinal bore for receiving a pump rod; (ii) a plurality of clamping members receivable within said central housing; and, (iii) one or more actuators to cause said clamping members to be moved between an activated position where they grippingly engage the exterior surface of the pump rod and a deactivated position where they are released from contact with the exterior surface of the pump rod, each of said clamping members having a leading face that includes one or more gripping inserts releasably secured thereto, said gripping inserts having outer faces that are arcuate in shape and that generally correspond to the curvature of the exterior or the pump rod, said outer faces of said gripping inserts generally aligned with the exterior surface of the pump rod and grippingly engaging the pump rod when said clamping members are in said activated position such that force exerted by each individual clamping member is concentrated and transmitted by said outer faces of said one or more gripping inserts to the pump rod.