RAIL TIE GRIPPING MECHANISM HAVING GRIPPER FINGERS WITH TEETH

A gripping mechanism is provided for use with an apparatus for removing and inserting a rail tie that needs repair or replacement from a railroad track, and includes at least one gripper lever constructed and arranged to be actuated between a closed position and an open position, and a plurality of gripper fingers. Each gripper finger has a plurality of teeth disposed on a front surface of the finger for securely grasping the rail tie and is configured for being individually attachable to and removable from a corresponding one of the at least one gripper lever for grasping the rail tie. Further, a front surface of the gripper finger has a front vertical planar face positioned between a pair of inclined faces, each inclined face being horizontally angled from the planar face toward a corresponding side surface of the finger.