Hand held surgical handle assembly, surgical adapters for use between surgical handle assembly and surgical loading units, and methods of use

An adapter assembly for selectively interconnecting a surgical loading unit and a handle assembly, the adapter assembly comprising:

• a drive coupling assembly including:
• a first drive element configured to couple to a first drive connector of the handle assembly;
• a second drive element configured to couple to a second drive connector of the handle assembly;
• and
• a third drive element configured to couple to a third drive connector of the handle assembly;
• a knob housing coupled to the drive coupling assembly and defining a central longitudinal axis, wherein the first drive element is disposed on the central longitudinal axis and offset from a plane cooperatively defined by the second and third drive elements;
• a drive nut threadably engaged with a distal portion of the first drive element;
• a distal drive member having a proximal portion disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the drive nut;
• and
• a linking assembly mechanically coupling the proximal portion of the distal drive member and the distal portion of the drive nut, wherein the linking assembly includes a first pin and a second pin, the first and second pins being disposed perpendicularly to the central longitudinal axis of the knob housing and extending partially through the proximal portion of the distal drive member and the distal portion of the drive nut.