Fastener driver with safety device

A driver for a series of fasteners, comprising

• a. a housing having a handle and a fastener exit,
• b. a guide mounted in the housing presenting the fasteners seriatim to the said fastener exit,
• c. means mounted in the housing for driving a fastener through the exit, the said means including a spring-loaded hammer with a driver blade slidable toward and away from the exit and a lever provided to lift the hammer and then release it for the driving operation, the driver blade being provided with a median slot, and
• d. a safety device mounted on the housing and normally inhibiting the driving of a fastener but allowing it when the exit is pressed against a surface, the safety device including a finger extending away from the housing adjacent the exit and movable by movement of the housing toward and away from the surface, the finger being biased by a spring into a normally-extended position where it inhibits the driving of a fastener, but can be moved into a retracted position by contact with the surface, in which position it allows the driving of the fastener, the safety device having an abutment that extends through the driver blade slot for engagement in the inhibiting position with the leading end of the series of fasteners, the slot being of sufficient size that the abutment does not interfere with the movement of the hammer and the driving blade.