Patent ID: 7255256

Claim:
A fastener driving device for use in driving a fastener into a target location on an elongated contoured portion of a workpiece, wherein the elongated contoured portion has a surface that is contoured in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the elongated contoured portion, the fastener driving device comprising: a housing assembly having a fastener drive track defined therein; a fastener driver reciprocally mounted for movement within said drive track along a drive axis; a power operated system constructed and arranged to be actuated so as to move the fastener driver through successive operative cycles, each cycle comprising a drive stroke wherein a fastener in said drive track is driven into a workpiece, and a return stroke; and an actuating mechanism comprising a contact trip assembly and a trigger assembly constructed and arranged to actuate said power operated system in response to a predetermined cooperative movement between said contact trip assembly and said trigger assembly, wherein said contact trip assembly comprises a contact arm operatively connected with said trigger assembly and having a contoured contact foot for engaging the workpiece, said contact arm being constructed and arranged to move relative to the housing assembly when said contoured contact foot is pressed against said workpiece, said contoured contact foot having a contoured, gently curved convex engaging surface shaped to generally complement the shape of the contoured surface of the workpiece such that when the contoured contact foot is pressed against the contoured surface of the workpiece, the engagement between the gently curved convex engaging surface and the workpiece (1) generally locates the contoured contact foot relative to the workpiece in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and (2) allows the contoured contact foot to rotate about a pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, the pivot axis being spaced apart from the gently curved convex engaging surface; and wherein said gently curved convex engaging surface is aligned with the drive axis in a direction parallel to said longitudinal direction.