Abstract: A manually attachable and detachable, interchangeable magazine system for use with fastener driving tools of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by multiple blows and of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by a single blow. Each magazine contains a plurality of fasteners and a driver therefor. Each magazine is removably affixable by hand to one of the tool housing and a carrier within the tool housing. In the instance of a multiple-blow tool, the magazine is shiftable with respect to the tool housing between a normal extended position and a retracted position within the housing. In the instance of a single-blow tool, the magazine is fixed with respect to the tool housing. Each magazine can be a refillable and reusable magazine, or a single-use, disposable magazine. Magazines containing different types of fasteners are interchangeable within the system.

Abstract: A tool for driving fasteners by means of multiple impact blows. The tool comprises a body with a handle portion and a magazine portion, shiftable in directions parallel to said blows between an extended position substantially outside the body and a retracted position substantially within the body. A prime mover provides a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is operatively connected to a mechanism for translating rotary motion into reciprocating motion. The translating mechanism comprises a flywheel, an impact member having at least one impacting surface thereon and being attached to or constituting an integral, one-piece part of the flywheel, a free floating energy transfer member separate from but engageable with the impact member, a resilient bumper to arrest the energy transfer member at the termination of its drive cycle, and a fastener driver engageable by or comprising an integral, one-piece part of the energy transfer member.

Abstract: Means for associating a driver with the driver operating mechanism of a fastener driving tool, the driver constituting a part of a fastener-containing magazine manually attachable to and detachable from the tool. The fastener driving tool is of the type having a housing containing a driving element constituting a part of an operating mechanism for driving a fastener by multiple blows, or a driving element constituting a part of an operating mechanism for driving a fastener by a single blow. In the instance of a multiple-blow tool, a resilient element, attached to the tool housing adjacent the driver operating mechanism and the driver operating mechanism itself, releasably positions the upper end of the magazine driver adjacent the driving element of the tool. In the instance of a single-blow tool, the magazine driver is releasably positioned adjacent the driving element of the tool by a resilient element attached directly to the driving element of the tool.

Abstract: A surgical ligator to locate and clamp a substantially U-shaped clip about a tubular member such as a blood vessel or the like, to close off the tubular member. The ligator comprises first and second handle elements pivoted in pliers-like fashion and terminating at their forward ends in clamping jaw portions. The first handle element has a longitudinal cavity formed therein comprising a magazine for a row of clips arranged in edge-to-edge relationship. The jaw portions of the first and second handle elements each have a locator stop for the forwardmost clip of the row to properly position the forwardmost clip for use. The longitudinal magazine of the first handle element has a spring actuated shoe therein to constantly urge and advance the row of clips forwardly to position the forwardmost clip of the row against the locator stops. The first and second handle elements and their jaw portions are pivotable between a normal open position and a closed clip-clamping position.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for forming and implanting surgical staples in the tissue of a patient to close a wound or incision therein. The instrument comprises a body. A row of staples is mounted within the body. A feeder assembly is provided to constantly urge the row of staples forwardly, to locate the forwardmost staple thereof in position to be formed. A pair of staple formers are pivotally mounted on the body and are rotatable between normal retracted positions and staple forming positions wherein they form the forwardmost staple of the row and implant the staple in the tissue of the patient. A pair of levers are pivotally affixed to the body of the surgical stapling instrument to shift the formers to their forming positions and a resilient member is provided to bias the formers to their normal retracted positions.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ligating device which includes a magazine housing containing a supply of ligating clips. The device has two handles and when these handles are squeezed together they clamp a ligating clip about a vessel to be ligated. When the handles are released, a linkage between one of the handles are released, a linkage between one of the handles and the magazine, feeds a succeeding ligating clip into position for use. Thus, the feed of clips in the device is entirely independent of any effort on the part of the surgeon using the device.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for suturing tissues or organs. The instrument is of the type having a fixed anvil jaw, a movable staple cartridge-carrying jaw shiftable toward and away from the anvil jaw, and a staple driver actuator shiftable to actuate the staple driver of the staple cartridge to implant the staples of the cartridge in the tissue or organ located between the anvil jaw and the staple cartridge-carrying jaw. The instrument is provided with a clutch to control the gap between the fixed anvil jaw and the staple cartridge in response to the pressure being applied to the organ or tissue therebetween to preclude over-compression or under-compression thereof. The instrument is also provided with a latch to preclude shifting of the staple driver actuator to actuate the staple driver when the gap determined by the clutch is not within the limits of the proper working gap of the instrument required by the forming limits of the staples.

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: 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: 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: 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 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.