Patent ID: 8534195

Claim:
A finger for use in a rail plate inserter machine workhead and for positioning a rail plate predisposed on a rail tie under a rail, comprising: a planar body having an upper arm with a hook-shaped end and including an opening for accommodating a spring, said end being configured for being contacted by a bar operatively associated with a finger lift assembly; a lower arm having a depending tip; and a middle portion joining said upper and lower arms to define an oblique angle, said finger is constructed and arranged for engaging an opening in the rail plate; and wherein upon said finger being associated with the finger lift assembly, during operation, the finger lift assembly lowers a plurality of plate engaging fingers against the plate, at least one of said plurality of plate engaging fingers engages the opening in the rail plate, and as the machine workhead is moved toward the rail, said engaged fingers push the plate underneath the lifted rail.