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A fastener driving device includes a nose assembly carried by a housing that has a reservoir. The nose assembly has a fastener drive track. At least a portion of the fastener drive track is defined by a movable portion of the nose assembly. A fastener driver is movably mounted in the housing and con

A fastener driving device includes a nose assembly carried by a housing that has a reservoir. The nose assembly has a fastener drive track. At least a portion of the fastener drive track is defined by a movable portion of the nose assembly. A fastener driver is movably mounted in the housing and configured to enter the drive track and drive successive leading fasteners into a workpiece. A head valve is constructed and arranged to be actuated so as to allow the pressurized gas to move the fastener driver through an operating cycle. An actuator is constructed and arranged to actuate the head valve. The actuator includes a trigger valve constructed and arranged to allow passage of the pressurized gas from the reservoir to a chamber above the head valve, and a contact valve operatively connected to the movable portion of the nose assembly.

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What is claimed is: 1. 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 be

What is claimed is: 1. 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 successive leading fasteners from a supply of fasteners contained therein 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; a head valve constructed and arranged to be actuated so as to allow the pressurized gas to move said fastener driver through an operating cycle, the 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, said actuator comprising a trigger valve constructed and arranged to allow passage of the pressurized gas from the reservoir to a chamber above the head valve; and a contact valve operatively connected to the movable portion of the nose assembly and 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, wherein when the trigger valve is actuated, the pressurized gas flows through the trigger valve to the contact valve via the passageway, and wherein the contact valve is constructed and arranged to 1) contain the pressurized gas if the body portion is in the first position and the movable portion of the nose assembly is beyond a predetermined distance relative to a fixed portion of the nose assembly, and 2) exhaust the pressurized gas from the chamber above the head valve to atmosphere if the body portion is in the second position and the movable portion of the nose assembly is not beyond the predetermined distance, thereby causing actuation of the head valve. 2. A fastener driving device according to claim 1, 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 nose portion before the leading fastener is driven by the fastener driver. 3. A fastener driving device according to claim 2, wherein the fasteners have a length of about 1.5 inches. 4. A fastener driving device according to claim 3, wherein the fasteners are configured to attach a metal connector to the workpiece. 5. A fastener driving device according to claim 1, wherein the body portion has a cam surface, and wherein the body portion is operatively connected to the movable portion of the nose assembly via a cam follower, the cam follower having a surface at one end that contacts the cam surface of the body portion such that movement of the body portion causes the cam follower to rotate and effect movement of the movable portion of the nose assembly. 6. A fastener driving device according to claim 5, wherein the contact valve further comprises: a contact valve housing configured to receive the body portion, the contact valve housing having an opening to the atmosphere; and a seal disposed around the body portion, wherein an amount of movement of the body portion and the seal within the contact valve determines whether the pressurized gas bypasses the seal and exits the opening to the atmosphere, the amount of movement being correlated to the predetermined distance and the cam surface. 7. A fastener driving device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.25 inch or less. 8. A fastener driving device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.15 inch or less. 9. A fastener driving device according to claim 1, wherein the drive track is entirely defined by the movable portion of the nose assembly. 10. A fastener driving device according to claim 1, wherein the nose assembly further includes a stop for preventing the leading fastener from moving toward the housing. 11. 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. 12. A fastener driving device according to claim 11, wherein the actuator comprises: a trigger valve constructed and arranged to allow passage of the pressurized gas from the reservoir to a chamber above the head 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, wherein when the trigger valve is actuated, the pressurized gas flows through the trigger valve to the contact valve via the passageway, and wherein the contact valve is constructed and arranged to 1) contain the pressurized gas if the body portion is in the first position and the movable portion of the nose assembly is beyond a predetermined distance relative to a fixed portion of the nose assembly, and 2) exhaust the pressurized gas from the chamber above the head valve to atmosphere if the body portion is in the second position and the movable portion of the nose assembly is not beyond the predetermined distance, thereby causing actuation of the head valve. 13. A fastener driving device according to claim 12, wherein the body portion has a cam surface, and the body portion is operatively connected to the movable portion of the nose assembly via a cam follower, the cam follower having a surface at one end that contacts the cam surface of the body portion such that movement of the body portion causes the cam follower to rotate and effect movement of the movable portion of the nose assembly. 14. A fastener driving device according to claim 13, wherein the contact valve further comprises: a contact valve housing configured to receive the body portion, the contact valve housing having an opening to the atmosphere; and a seal disposed around the body portion, wherein an amount of movement of the body portion and the seal within the contact valve determines whether the pressurized gas bypasses the seal and exits the opening to the atmosphere, the amount of movement being correlated to the predetermined distance. 15. A fastener driving device according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.25 inch or less. 16. A fastener driving device according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.15 inch or less. 17. A fastener driving device according to claim 11, wherein the nose assembly further includes a stop for preventing the leading fastener from moving toward the housing. 18. 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. 19. An actuator according to claim 18, wherein the contact valve further comprises: a contact valve housing configured to receive the body portion, the contact valve housing having an opening to the atmosphere; and a seal disposed around the body portion, wherein an amount of movement of the body portion and the seal within the contact valve housing determines whether the pressurized gas bypasses the seal and exits the opening to the atmosphere, the amount of movement being correlated to the predetermined distance. 20. An actuator according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.25 inch or less. 21. An actuator according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined distance is about 0.15 inch or less.