Patent ID: 8322006

Claim:
An apparatus for applying a clip to first and second reinforcing bars, comprising: a barrel having a distal end and a clip receiving cavity; an alignment head defined on the distal end of the barrel, the alignment head having first and second pairs of notches for positioning the barrel against the first and second reinforcing bars when the bars are oriented transversely to each other, the first pair of notches being deeper than the second pair of notches; a hammer received in the barrel; a main drive, connected to the hammer, for reciprocating the hammer within the barrel; a clip track connected to the barrel, the clip track aligned with the cavity for guiding a string of frangibly connected clips into the cavity; a safety shield, connected to the barrel, including a forward portion extending distally beyond the alignment head and an actuation arm extending proximally from the forward portion, the safety shield including at least one notch aligned with the first pair of notches of the alignment head; and a trigger assembly, connected to the main drive, to actuate reciprocation of the hammer, the trigger assembly including a safety release operably associated with the actuation arm of the safety shield.