Fastening tools, such as nailers, are used in the construction trades. However, many fastening tools which are available do not provide an operator with fastener magazines which are capable of easily accomplished, efficient and effective use, operation and reloading. Often, available fastening tools have noses which are insufficient in design, heavy in weight, experience misfire, exhibit poor fastener positioning before firing and produce unacceptable rates of damaged fasteners when fired. Further, many available fastening tools do not adequately guard the moving parts of a nailer driving mechanism from damage.
Additional difficulties which exist regarding many available fastener magazines include difficult and inefficient fastener loading procedures. Inconvenient or problematic procedures are required to activate a fastening tool for use after fastener reloading. Reloading problems exist in magazines in which reloading requires a fastener feeder to be moved in a direction inconsistent with the loading of new fasteners and/or in which one or more internal pieces mechanically obstruct or impinge upon a fastener pathway. Many existing magazines for feeding fasteners are particularly problematic under field conditions in which fastening tools are used and in view of the number of fasteners typically fastened during the use of a fastening tool.
There is a strong need for an improved magazine for use with a fastening tool. There is also a strong need for an improved fastening tool nose. Additionally, there is a strong need for a reliable and an effective nose protection mechanism. Thus, there is a need for a fastening tool having improvements in its magazine, nose and nose protection.