Abstract: A cartridge is provided for ligating and dividing organic structures such as blood vessels or a band of tissue containing a plurality of blood vessesls, nerves or the like. The cartridge operates in three stages and is adapted to associate with an instrument which provides power to the cartridge. After the structure is inserted between the jaws of the cartridge, the cartridge jaws close, a pair of pushers moves forward and ligates the structure at two spaced apart locations with a pair of surgical staples, and a knife then comes forward and divides the ligated structure at a position intermediate the pair of staples. The staple feeding arrangement comprises a pair of belts advanced by the pushers, the belts each carrying a plurality of staples. The staples are transferred from the plane of the belts to the plane of the pushers by ramp surfaces. The belts are kept from backing up during the return stroke of the pushers by a pair of detents associated with the belts.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for applying sterilized staples to the disunited skin or fascia of a patient in order to effect a joining of the skin or fascia. The instrument is adapted to associate with a staple-carrying cartridge having a plurality of staples therein. The instrument is manually powered and includes an impact mechanism for forming the staples. A nose portion is rotatably mounted in a hand-held main body portion and adapted to mount the staple-carrying cartridge so that the stapling angle can be varied without rotating the hand-held portion of the stapler. A clutch means is provided for ensuring that the staple-advancing drive means of the instrument is only activated once per stapling operation.