Automatic quick clear nose for nailer

1. A fastener driving apparatus comprising:

a pneumatic motor with an output shaft configured to drive a fastener;

a nose configured to eject a fastener, the nose including a door having a closed position to guide a fastener driven by the output shaft and an open position permitting a jammed fastener to be removed from the nose;

a piston/cylinder assembly including a variable volume pneumatic pressure chamber with a port, a piston linked to the door so as to move the door into the closed position under the force of pressure in the chamber, and a spring biasing the piston against the force of pressure in the chamber;

a coupling configured to receive elevated pneumatic pressure; and

a pneumatic line communicating the coupling with the port to pressurize the chamber when the coupling receives elevated pneumatic pressure and to vent the chamber when the coupling does not receive elevated pneumatic pressure.

2. A fastener driving device as defined in claim 1 wherein the piston is linked to the door so as to move the door toward the open position under the influence of the spring.

3. A fastener driving apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the nose has a slot configured to receive fasteners advanced transversely into the nose through the slot, and the door adjoins the slot when in the closed position.

4. A fastener driving apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the nose includes a cylindrical tube, and the door includes a separate arcuate section of the cylindrical tube.

5. A fastener driving apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the pneumatic line is one of a plurality of pneumatic lines that connect the coupling with the motor and the control device in parallel.

6. A fastener driving apparatus comprising:

a pneumatic motor with an output shaft configured to drive a fastener;

a nose that is shiftable between differently configured conditions, including a first condition for guiding a fastener driven by the output shaft and a second condition for releasing a fastener that jams when the nose is in the first condition;

a control device configured to hold the nose in the first condition under the force of elevated pneumatic pressure;

wherein the control device is configured to hold the nose in the first condition while the elevated pneumatic pressure is being applied to the control device, and to release the nose from being held in the first condition when the applied pressure is relieved; and

a spring linked to the nose to shift the nose from the first condition to the second condition when the applied pressure is relieved.

7. A fastener driving apparatus comprising:

a pneumatic motor with an output shaft configured to drive a fastener;

a nose that is shiftable between differently configured conditions, including a first condition for guiding a fastener driven by the output shaft and a second condition for releasing a fastener that jams when the nose is in the first condition; and

a control device configured to hold the nose in the first condition under the force of elevated pneumatic pressure;

the control device is configured to shift the nose from the first condition to the second condition; and

wherein the control device includes a spring biasing the nose to the second condition.

8. A fastener driving apparatus comprising:

a pneumatic motor with an output shaft configured to drive a fastener;

a nose that is shiftable between differently configured conditions, including a first condition for guiding a fastener driven by the output shaft and a second condition for releasing a fastener that jams when the nose is in the first condition;

a piston arranged to shift the nose to the first condition under the influence of elevated pneumatic pressure moving the piston; and

a spring biasing the nose to the second condition.

9. A fastener driving apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the spring acts directly on the piston.