Robotic surgical tool with pivotable transmission linkage on translating carriage

A method, comprising:

• locating a robotic surgical tool adjacent a patient, the robotic surgical tool comprising:
• a drive housing having opposing first and second ends, and a carriage mounted within the drive housing and axially translatable between the first and second ends;
• an elongate shaft extending from the carriage and penetrating the first end, the shaft having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof;
• and
• an activating mechanism secured to the carriage and including a transmission link pivotably coupled to the carriage at a pivot axis, a transmission drive gear rotatably mounted to the transmission link at the pivot axis, a drive gear rotatably mounted to the carriage and operatively coupled to the transmission drive gear, and a transmission driven gear rotatably mounted to the transmission link;
• pivoting the transmission link about the pivot axis between a first position, where the transmission driven gear is arranged to actuate the activating mechanism to perform a first function of the end effector, and a second position, where the transmission driven gear is arranged to actuate the activating mechanism to perform a second function of the end effector different from the first function;
• and
• actuating the drive gear to rotate the transmission drive gear and thereby drive the driven gear to perform the first or second function.