Abstract: An electromechanical flywheel containing fastener driving tool. The tool comprises a frame supporting a housing, a guide body and a fastener containing magazine. A free floating driver within said frame. Forward and rearward flywheels are arranged in tandem within the tool frame with their peripheral surfaces opposed. A pair of beam-like arcuate load springs are located to either side of the frame. The load spring rearward ends carry bearings in which the shaft of the rearward flywheel is journaled. The load spring forward ends carry rotatable eccentric bearing housings in which the shaft of the forward flywheel is journaled. The bearing housings are rotatable to shift the forward flywheel between operative and inoperative positions wherein the opposed surfaces of the flywheels are spaced by a distance less than and a distance greater than the thickness of the driver, respectively.

Abstract: An improved clip feed system for a surgical ligating instrument of the type having first and second clip-clamping jaws at its forward end, a pair of handles to shift the jaws between open, clip-feeding and closed, clip-clamping positions, an elongated tube-like clip magazine containing a plurality of clips lying in a row, one behind the other, in the same plane and a feeder shoe to constantly urge the row of clips toward the forward end of the instrument and the forwardmost clip to a staging area in front of the magazine, a pusher track parallel to the clip magazine and extending to the forward ends of the jaws, and a pusher actuated by the handles between a retracted clip-receiving position when the handles and jaws are in their clip-clamping positions and an extended position locating a clip at the forward ends of the jaws when the handles and the jaws are in their clip-feeding positions.