Hello, Mike . Thanks for looking, I looked at close to a couple hundred. I wish that I could make out the date on the frame, but it is too worn. I see a few of these on ebay, etsy, and Worthpoint. Those folks posted patent dates in the listings which are not valid dates. The guy that I bought it from said it was a spike puller, rail lifter, and tie lifter. I can't prove, or, disprove that description, so for right now I am going to call the tool Railroad Rail Lifting Tongs. I'm waiting for skipskip to chime in, I bet he has a couple of these, too.
Take care, stay safe, Lou