Patent ID: 7059507

Claim:
An apparatus for driving fasteners, said apparatus comprising: a barrel; a fastener guide moveably mounted at a front end of said barrel, said fastener guide being retractable axially rearwardly relative to said barrel to a rear position to whereby permit firing of said apparatus; a safety locking element moveable between a safe position, when there is no fastener in a firing position in the fastener guide and said safety locking element prevents axial rearward movement of said fastener guide to the rear position thereby impending firing of said apparatus, and an operating position, when said safety locking element allows axial rearward movement of said fastener guide to the rear position, said safety locking element being releasable from the safe position in response to a presence of a fastener in the firing position in said fastener guide; and a safety indicator carried by said safety locking element, said safety indicator being visible from an outside of said apparatus through an aperture on a wall of said barrel when said safety locking element is in the operating position, said safety indicator being retractable radially inwardly relative to said barrel in response to said safety locking element moving from the operating position to the safe position wherein said safety locking element comprises: an upper portion having an upper end defining said safety indicator; a lower portion having a lower end engageable with the fastener in the firing position in said fastener guide; and a middle portion connecting said upper and lower portion and being engageable with said fastener guide when said safety locking element is in the safe position; said apparatus further comprising a spring biasing said safety locking element in a direction from the operating position towards the safe position.