The present invention discloses a mechanical type automatic catching and laying rail device, consisting of a hook seat, a hanging seat, a guide board, a clamping arm, and a link lever, wherein the hook seat consists of a hanging lug board, an upper gear ring, a lower gear ring, a screw rod, and a T-shaped hook, wherein the clamping arm is connected with the hanging seat by an axle on the hanging seat; one end of the link lever is connected with the hook seat by the axle, while the other end is connected with the clamping arm by the axle; the link lever is connected with the clamping arm to form a four-bar linkage structure; the four link levers are driven to displace by the upward and downward movement of the hook seat so as to open or close the clamping arm and achieve the steel rail catching movement and the steel rail laying movement; the upper gear ring is fixed in the hook seat, while the lower gear ring can be rotated along with the upward movement and the downward movement of the T-shaped hook; the mechanical self-locking and unlocking is realized by the rotation of the lower gear ring and the separation and joggling of the upper gear ring. The device does not need the drive of a power source, and is not restricted by the work environment. Just by the mechanical movement, automatic rail catching and laying can be realized. The device is simple in structure, convenient in operation, practical, reliable, lower in cost, high in economy, and high in practicability.