Patent attributes
Systems, devices, and methods are presented for securing a railroad tie atop a support. In one implementation, a unitary length of metal rod is made into a clip that includes a vertical leg, a horizontal leg, and a resilient hook-shaped portion having a hook point. The hook-shaped portion is made so that the clip is biased toward a seated position, with the hook point positioned beneath part of the support. During installation, the vertical leg is placed through a hole in the railroad tie, driven downward until the resilient hook-shaped portion collapses into a compressed position, and driven further until the hook point moves beyond a free edge of the support and expands into the seated position. The clip secures the railroad tie without any additional parts and without requiring a worker to labor beneath the support.
