Rear load magazine assembly

Abstract

A housing structure including a manually engageable handle for enabling a user to portably operate the device and a nosepiece portion disposed forwardly thereof. Extending rearwardly from the nosepiece portion is a magazine assembly which together with the nosepiece define a drive track therebetween. A fastener driving element is slidably mounted in the drive track. Power operated means for moving the fastener driving element are provided within the drive track moving the fastener driving element through successive operative cycles each including a drive stroke in one direction and a return stroke in an opposite direction. The magazine assembly includes a fastener stick receiving feed track and means for biasing a stick of fasteners in the feed track to move a leading fastener of the stick into the drive track to be driven therefrom during the drive stroke of the fastener driving element into a workpiece. Means are provided for mounting the magazine assembly with respect to the housing structure in an operative position with respect to the nosepiece portion and for movement away from and toward the operative position. The magazine assembly is biased into the operative position which allows the magazine assembly to be moved through a first range of movement wherein resilient movement of the magazine assembly away from the nosepiece portion will take place during an unwanted fastener deformation to allow the deformed fastener to self clear after which the magazine assembly is returned to the operative position.