A staple cartridge assembly adapted for use in a surgical stapler having first and second structural members each being elongate in a first direction, said first structural member having a handle part having first and second ends, said second structural member having a base portion having first and second ends, and each of said first and second structural members having a jaw part projecting from their first ends, said jaw parts having proximal ends adjacent the first ends of said structural members and distal ends spaced from said proximal ends,
- said handle part and said base portion having pivot means at said second ends adapted for free engagement and disengagement for affording, when engaged, relative pivotal movement of said structural members in said plane between a closed position with said jaw parts in closely spaced relationship, and an open position with said jaw parts spaced farther from each other than in said closed position, said handle part of said first structural member and said base portion of said second structural member in said closed position defining a space between said structural members when said structural members are in said closed position;
- an elongate locking member having first and second ends, a locking member handle part and a pivot point closely adjacent the first end of the locking member, the pivot point of said locking member being mounted on said second structural member adjacent the first end of said second structural member for pivotal movement of said locking member between a locking position generally aligned with the base portion of said second structural member, and a release position with the second end of said locking member spaced from the second end of said second structural member, said first end of said locking member and said first end of said first structural member having surfaces adapted, when said pivot means are engaged with said first and second structural members in said open position, for engagement during movement of said locking member from said release position to said locking position to forcefully move said structural members to said closed position,
- and means adapted for releasable engagement between said elongate locking member and said second structural member for holding said locking member in said locking position;
- said first structural member being adapted to receive said staple cartridge assembly and said jaw part of said second structural member being adapted to receive an anvil;
- said second structural member having a safety stop surface adjacent the proximal end of its jaw part;
- wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:
- a cartridge housing for enclosing a plurality of staples,
- a pusher for sequentially pressing said plurality of staples within said cartridge housing against said anvil to engage and close the plurality of staples in tissues between said jaw parts when said structural members are in said closed position, said pusher being movable in said first direction between a retracted position with said plurality of staples enclosed within said cartridge housing and an extended position with said plurality of staples closed within tissue,
- manually actuatable means within said space between said handle part of said first structural member and said base portion of said second structural member for moving said pusher from said retracted to said extended position, and
- a safety arm having first and second ends, said safety arm having a base portion adjacent said first end and an abutment surface adjacent said second end adapted to abut said safety stop surface,
- pivotal mounting means for mounting said first end of said safety arm on said cartridge housing for pivotal movement of said safety arm between a pre-fired position for affording movement of said structural members between said closed and open position and a fired position with said abutment surface of said safety arm adapted to be in engagement with said safety stop surface,
- biasing means for biasing said safety arm toward said fired position,
- latch means adapted for releasable engagement between said safety arm and said cartridge housing for retaining said safety arm in said pre-fired position when said pusher is in said retracted position and
- release means for releasing said latch means to afford movement of said safety arm from said pre-fired to said fired position when said pusher is moved from said retracted to said extended position,
- wherein after said pusher has been moved from said retracted to said extended position, said latch means has been released, said biasing means has moved said safety arm from said pre-fired position to said fired position, and said first and second structural members are moved from said closed to said open position, said abutment surface will be in a position to prevent said first and second members from being engaged to thereby prevent accidental tissue trauma.