Patent ID: 8534974

Claim:
A ratcheting thread clamping device comprising: a) a top housing and an 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 single-threaded rod; and wherein the outer bearing surface of each of said movable nut segments engages the inner surface of said end housing along at least one substantially planar surface; and b) at least one spring flexibly directing said movable nut segments against said single-threaded rod; wherein said ratcheting thread clamping device moves axially along said single-threaded rod in a first direction without rotation and does not so move in a second opposite direction without rotation; and c) wherein said threaded inner surface of at least one of said movable nut segments has a double thread structure wherein each of the two interleaved threads comprising said double thread structure has substantially the same helix angle as the threads of said single-threaded rod, thereby reducing the locking distance of said ratcheting thread clamping device when engaged with said single-threaded rod.