Abstract: A tissue thickness measuring instrument for surgical purposes comprising a pair of opposed tissue engaging jaws. Manually graspable actuating means operatively connected to the jaws for shifting the jaws away from each other. A resilient means urges the jaws toward each other with a substantially constant predetermined force over a predetermined working range of separation distance between the jaws. At least one scale with cooperating indicator is provided in association with the jaw actuating means giving a direct reading of the thickness of the tissue being measured. The instrument may be provided with another scale by which the diameter of tubular body elements in the flaccid state can be determined.

Abstract: A control arrangement for an electro-mechanical tool is disclosed. The tool may, for example, be a nailer or stapler, and is provided with an impact member which is frictionally moved in a working stroke by means of an electrically driven flywheel, which presses the impact member against the support element, which may be a counter-rotating flywheel. A solenoid is provided to move the impact member into the bite between the flywheel and support element. A trigger actuated switch and a safety switch actuated by contact of the tool with the workpiece must both be actuated in order to energize the solenoid. Circuitry is disclosed which makes possible the energization of the solenoid by closing both switches in any order, or in a desired particular order, and makes possible the provision of a time delay safety.

Abstract: An impact member for driven flywheel impact devices, such as nailers and staplers, is disclosed which may be configured to tailor the normal force as a function of ram position. A basic configuration is a constant taper, which, as soon as the impact member is actuated by a flywheel, assists in maintaining driving friction on the impact member. The taper may be linear, stepped or curved, and symmetric or asymmetric about the longitudinal axis of the ram, whereby to tailor the impact member speed for different purposes.

Abstract: A backup washer for the cylindrical scalpel of an intraluminal surgical stapling instrument of the type used to join tubular body organs. The washer comprises an annular member of semi-rigid material having an annular groove formed therein extending from the distal surface of the washer inwardly toward the proximal surface of the washer facing the scalpel. As a result, the washer comprises two spaced annular walls joined at their proximal ends by a thin web providing a backup surface for the scalpel. When the scalpel is advanced by the surgical stapling instrument it will abut and cut through the thin web of the backup washer. When the scalpel cuts through the backup washer web the force required to further advance the scalpel abruptly and noticeably diminishes giving the surgeon clear tactile indication that the surgical staples have been implanted and clinched in the tissue of the tubular body organs being joined and that the scalpel has completely severed the excess tissue.

Abstract: A surgical staple for use in suturing the skin or fascia of a patient. The surgical staple has an elongated, substantially horizontal crown portion terminating in downwardly depending leg portions having points formed at their free ends. The staple, together with a plurality of identical surgical staples, is adapted to straddle and to be fed along a guide means of a surgical stapling instrument to the anvil thereof. The crown of the surgical staple is formed about the anvil by the surgical stapling instrument former which bends end portions of the surgical staple crown downwardly so that the staple leg portions are substantially coaxial with their points approaching each other. The surgical staple has a first pair of diametrically opposed flats extending respectively along the front and rear of the crown and leg portions. The surgical staple has a second pair of diametrically opposed flats, disposed at 90.degree. to the first pair of flats.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for the joining together of tubular body organs. The instrument comprises an elongated cylindrical body supporting at its distal end a staple carrier containing at least one annular array of staples, a staple driver for each array and a cylindrical scalpel. A conical anvil is located beyond the staple carrier at the distal end of the instrument body and carries an annular anvil plate for clinching the staples of the one or more arrays thereof. The anvil has an elongated shank extending within the instrument body. The anvil and its shank are shiftable axially of the instrument body by an anvil drive screw at the proximal end of the instrument between a position wherein the anvil plate is adjacent the staple carrier and a position wherein the anvil plate is spaced from the staple carrier.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for forming and implanting a staple in the skin or fascia of a patient to close a wound or incision therein. The surgical stapling instrument is intended to be used with a staple carrying cartridge of the type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,504 and characterized by a staple feeding track containing a stack of staples, a parallel staple forming tack, a longitudinally shiftable feeder actuator operative to cause the bottommost staple of the stack to be shifted from the staple feeding track to the staple forming track and a longitudinally shiftable staple former to implant the staple and form it about an anvil mounted on the instrument. The surgical stapling instrument has a handle portion and a nose portion rotatively mounted in the handle portion and capable of being set and remaining in any rotative position with respect to the handle portion. The nose portion carries the instrument anvil and releasably supports the surgical staple carrying cartridge.

Abstract: A firing safety for a pneumatic nailer or stapler is disclosed. The tool has an inlet or firing valve for pressurized air, and a trigger valve which, upon actuation, connects said inlet valve with the pressurized air through a passageway. The passageway has a opening or port leading to atmosphere, and a manually operable flap valve is provided to close said opening. Thus, when said flap valve is open actuation of the trigger valve and/or a nose-piece sensor safety will not cause the nailer to fire, unless the manually operable flap valve is also operated to close said opening.

Abstract: An impact device, useful for driving nails, staples and other fastening elements. The driving member is driven by frictional engagement with a rotating high speed flywheel. The device has a safety provision whereby it cannot be actuated until the nose of the device is pressed against a work piece. This action also produces a movement of a support means, such as a roller, towards the rotating flywheel. It should be pointed out that the tool could be designed, in the alternative, with a fixed support means and movable flywheel. Actuation of the trigger moves the driving member into engagement between the support and the rotating flywheel, and the flywheel propels the driving element in a fastener driving direction. The support means is provided with a leaf spring permitting it to yield so that the driving member can pass between the flywheel and the support means while maintaining frictional engagement between the flywheel and the driving member.

Abstract: An anvil attachment for the nose portion of a surgical stapling instrument of the type utilizing a replaceable cartridge of surgical staples. The anvil attachment is generally "L-shaped". A first leg of the anvil attachment is adapted to lie along and to be affixed to the nose portion of the surgical instrument with the second leg of the anvil attachment extending laterally of the surgical instrument nose portion. Near the juncture of the first and second anvil attachment legs, the second anvil attachment leg is provided on its upper surface with an upstanding wedge-shaped lug which, in cooperation with an adjacent relief on the first anvil attachment leg, engages and maintains the lower end of the staple cartridge in proper position against the nose portion of the surgical stapling instrument. The second anvil attachment leg has a first anvil portion adjacent the wedge-shaped lug and providing a first anvil surface adapted to abut and support the crown of a staple during a staple forming operation.

Abstract: A disposable surgical stapling instrument for forming and implanting surgical staples in the skin or fascia of a patient to close a wound or incision. The instrument comprises an elongated body having a forward portion and a rearward portion serving as a handle portion. The forward portion of instrument body houses a staple driver attached to a staple driver actuator and a return spring for the staple driver actuator. A surgical staple magazine assembly is affixed to the lower edges of the instrument body forward portion. An anvil plate, supporting a tow of surgical staples, is located within the magazine assembly. The anvil plate terminates at its forward end in a coextensive anvil surface. The magazine assembly contains a feeder assembly to constantly urge the row of staples toward the anvil surface to locate the forwardmost staple of the row thereon to be implanted and formed thereabout by the driver and to disengage a formed staple therefrom.

Abstract: A pneumatic tool for driving clamp nails, having a single nose piece making possible the driving of clamp nails into the outside corner of a miter joint, or the inside corner of a miter joint, and having a plate which may be adjusted to position the nose piece at any angle from 45.degree. to 30.degree. off the vertical centerline of the tool. When set at the 30.degree. angle, the nose piece is in the optimum position to drive a clamp nail into an inside right angled butt joint. A safety is provided having a configuration like the nose piece. The tool is provided with a magazine for a stick of clamp nails, and an adjustable rail in the magazine makes it adaptable to clamp nails of different sizes. The guide body through which the clamp nails are fed into position below the drive is provided with a configuration which makes it impossible to feed clamp nails if the stick is inserted into the magazine upside down.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical impact device, useful for driving nails, staples and other fastening elements. The driving member is driven by frictional engagement between a pair of counter-rotating high speed flywheels. The device has a safety provision whereby it cannot be actuated until the nose of the device is pressed against a work piece. This action also produces a movement of one of the flywheels toward the other. Actuation of the trigger moves the driving member into engagement between the counter-rotating flywheels, and these propel the driving element in a fastener driving direction. The inertia of the movable flywheel aids in efficient engagement of the flywheels with the driving member, and the movable flywheel is provided with a leaf spring permitting it to yield so that the driving member can pass between the flywheels while maintaining frictional engagement between the flywheels and the driving member.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for forming and implanting a staple in the skin or fascia of a patient to close a wound or incision therein. The instrument comprises a handle portion and a nose portion. The nose portion houses a staple driver operable by an actuator pivotally associated with the handle portion. An anvil plate is affixed to the bottom of the nose portion. A plurality of staples are supported by the anvil plate and means are provided to advance the staples along the anvil plate toward the forward end thereof about which each staple is formed by the staple driver. The nose portion is also provided with a staple retaining surface spaced above the forward end of the anvil plate to minimize bending of the staple crown during the staple forming operation.

Abstract: A clamp nail for joining two wood members tightly together by driving the nail endwise into the two members across the joint. The major length of the nail is in the form of a channel having a web and parallel upstanding flanges along both sides of the web. The web has at least two holes, leaving a central column member. The channel has a tapered transition section which may commence at the leading edge of the nail in the driving direction, or it may join a shorter channel portion at the leading edge, having a wider web and parallel upstanding flanges, to the major channel portion having a narrower web. The web is preferably bowed inwardly to bring the column member more nearly to the center of the flange height.

Abstract: A staple cartridge and feed means for use with a surgical stapling instrument of the type having an anvil about which a staple is formed during emplacement thereof in the skin or fascia of a patient. The cartridge comprises a body having a vertical staple feeding track adapted to hold a stack of staples and a separate vertical staple forming track with a staple former reciprocable therein by the surgical stapling instrument. The staple forming track and the staple feeding track are in parallel relationship separated by a divider wall. A window, defined by the cartridge body and the divider wall, provides a horizontal path between the staple feeding track and the staple forming track and is so sized as to permit the passage therethrough of a single staple from the bottom of the staple stack. Horizontal feeder means normally prevent passage of the bottommost staple from the stack through the window into the staple driving track.

Abstract: A pneumatic fastener driving tool in which a piston-driver assembly is moved in opposed working and return strokes within a cylinder. Vent passage means of a predetermined area are provided adjacent the lower end of the cylinder to permit greatly increased velocity on the working stroke. Valve means may be provided for the vent passage to enable the use of air under pressure to drive the piston in a return stroke.The cylinder may be defined by an axially movable sleeve, which cooperates with sealing means to provide one or more valving functions.

Abstract: A manually operated surgical staple extractor comprising a pliers-like tool having first and second handle elements pivotally joined together and swingable between open and closed positions. The first handle element terminates at its forward end in a pair of elongated anvils in parallel spaced relationship. The forward ends of the anvils are angled toward each with their front-most tips substantially contiguous. The rearward ends of said anvils are provided with aligned notches, the first handle element providing a steep upwardly and rearwardly sloping surface adjacent each of the notches. The second handle element is operatively connected to a thin blade means shorter than the anvils. When the first and second handle elements are in their open position, the lower edge of the blade means lies above the anvils. When the handle elements are shifted to their closed position, the blade is pivoted downwardly such that its lower edge passes between the anvils to a position therebelow.

Abstract: A surgical staple for use in joining the skin or fascia of a patient. The staple is adapted to be formed about an anvil during emplacement. The staple has points formed by diagonal cuts across the ends, and its configuration prior to emplacement is such, that the diagonal cuts are perpendicular to the upper surface of the anvil and the skin or fascia, whereby the staple penetrates the skin or fascia without the tendency to slide therealong. The configuration is such that at initial contact of the staple points with the skin or fascia, the points lie substantially in the plane of the forming corners of the anvil, thereby affording greater skin gathering during emplacement. The configuration disclosed facilitates stacking of the staples for use in a cartridge, and provides for an improvement in the space factor within the cartridge over staples of conventional shape.

Abstract: In a fluid operated tool of the type having firing control means comprising two separate and independent triggering means shiftable independently and in any order between normal and firing positions and requiring both triggering means to be concurrently in their firing positions to actuate the tool, safety means introducing into the firing sequence of the firing control means a time limit within which both triggering means must achieve their firing positions. If both triggering means do not achieve their firing positions within the time limit, the firing sequence must be reinitiated with a selected one or both of the triggering means initially in their normal positions.