Rail anchor wrench

Abstract

A wrench for applying rail anchors to the flange of a rail of a railroad track. The wrench includes an elongated handle and a shoe. The shoe is connected to the handle by a pair of links which are pivotally connected to the shoe and the handle. The shoe has a nose, a tine, a heel and a jaw opening. The jaw opening is defined between the nose and the tine and receives the hook end of a rail anchor when the hook end is placed over the flange of a rail prior to installation. The nose of the shoe rests on the flange face of the rail in contact with the hook end of the anchor when the wrench is in its anchor installing position. The first link of the pair of links is pivotally connected at one end to the handle and at its opposite end to the nose of the shoe. The first link engages the head of the rail to fix in position its pivotal connection with the handle. The second link connects the handle and the heel of the shoe. As the handle is rotated about its pivotal connection with the first link, the second link forces the shoe to rotate about its pivotal connection to the first link. Rotation of the shoe forces the anchor into engagement with the rail flange until the anchor latch is seated.