Fastener driving device

A fastener driving device comprising:

• a housing having a reservoir therein, the reservoir being configured to receive a pressurized gas;
• a nose assembly carried by the housing, said nose assembly having a fastener drive track, at least a portion of the fastener drive track being defined by a movable portion of the nose assembly;
• a magazine assembly constructed and arranged to feed only one length of successive leading fasteners from a supply of fasteners contained therein along into said drive track;
• a fastener driver movably mounted in said housing and configured to enter said drive track and drive the successive leading fasteners into a workpiece;
• and
• a head valve constructed and arranged to be actuated so as to allow the pressurized gas to move said fastener driver through successive operating cycles, each cycle including a drive stroke wherein the leading fastener is driven into the workpiece, and a return stroke;
• and
• an actuator constructed and arranged to actuate said head valve,
• wherein the fasteners have a length of about 1.5 inches and are configured to attach a metal connector to the workpiece, and
• wherein the magazine is configured to position the leading fastener in the drive track such that a tip of the leading fastener extends outward and away from the movable portion of the nose assembly before the leading fastener is driven by the fastener driver.

An actuator for a fastener driving device, the actuator comprising:

• a trigger valve;
• and
• a contact valve operatively connected to the trigger valve via a passageway, the contact valve comprising a body portion constructed and arranged to move at least between a first position and a second position.
• the trigger valve being configured to 1) communicate a pressurized gas from a reservoir associated with the fastener driving device to a chamber above a head valve disposed within the fastener driving device, and 2) communicate the pressurized gas from the head valve to the contact valve via the passageway,
• the contact valve being configured to 1) contain the pressurized gas from the chamber if the body portion is in the first position and the fastener driving device is not located within a predetermined distance of a workpiece, and 2) communicate the pressurized gas from the chamber to atmosphere if the body portion is in the second position and the fastener driving device is located within the predetermined distance, thereby causing actuation of the head valve.