Patent ID: 7637438

Claim:
A friction-fit elastic rail fastener for track systems, comprising a tensioning element made of an elastic material, that in the assembled state is fixed in place between a retaining plate provided on a sleeper and a fastening anchor such that the tensioning element exerts a retention force on the foot of a rail in order to hold the rail in position, the tensioning element being symmetrically aligned with respect to a vertical plane of symmetry that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail, wherein the tensioning element has two torsion legs that in the assembled state are at least substantially engaged between the retaining plate and the fastening anchor, the two torsion legs being connected to one another on the side facing away from the rail by means of a connecting section, a loop-shaped clamping section is provided on each end of the torsion leg facing the rail, the clamping section first extends essentially perpendicularly to the vertical plane of symmetry, and then extends in a looped manner until the ends of the clamping section reach the vicinity of the ends of the torsion legs, where they form a support surface on the rail foot, in the non-tensioned state of the tensioning element the torsion legs together with the connecting section lying essentially in a first horizontal plane, and at least a portion of the loop-shaped clamping sections lying in a second horizontal plane, whereby the second horizontal plane is rotated about an axis in relation to the first horizontal plane, the axis extending parallel to the sectional axis of the vertical plane of symmetry containing the first horizontal plane.