Surgical instrument handle

A hand-held surgical instrument comprising a handle and a tool with a body member having at least one articulated member thereon, the handle comprising;

• a) an elongated base having a body portion, a top surface, opposite bottom surface a first side and an opposite second side a proximal end and a distal end, and an arm upwardly projecting from the top surface of the proximal end;
• b) an elongated lever having a first surface, an opposite second surface, a front end, a rear end and an actuator arm downwardly projecting from said rear end;
• c) unitary means for connecting said arm on the rear end of said lever to the proximal end of said base and for normally biasing said lever in an open position, said unitary connecting and biasing means defining a pivot axis such that said lever horizontal pivots about said axis between an open position and a closed position, wherein said base and said lever are juxtaposed to each other along their length, with said lever extending forward from said unitary connecting and biasing means toward the distal end of said base, such that the second surface of said lever is adjacent to the top surface of said body portion and the actuator arm of said lever projects into the body portion of said base adjacent the proximal end thereof, wherein said unitary connecting and biasing means comprises a leaf spring having a preselected thickness with a first end and an opposite second end wherein the first end of said spring is connected to the first surface of said lever adjacent the proximal end thereof and the second end of said spring is connected to the upwardly projecting arm of said base, wherein said leaf spring is removably connected to said lever and said base such that said leaf spring may interchangeably be comprised of one of a plurality of leaf springs of different preselected thicknesses thereby varying the resistance of said biasing means;
• and
• d) means for actuating the articulated member of said tool connected to the actuating actuator arm of said lever, whereby movement of said lever from an open position to a closed position causes movement of the articulated member.

A hand-held surgical instrument comprising a handle and a tool with a body member having at least one articulated member thereon, the handle comprising:

• a) an elongated base having a body portion, a top surface, opposite bottom surface, a first side and an opposite second side, a proximal end and a distal end;
• b) an elongated lever having a first surface, an opposite second surface, a front end, a rear end and an actuator arm downwardly projecting from said rear end;
• c) means for connecting the rear end of said lever to the proximal end of said base to allow said lever to pivot about a horizontal axis between an open position and a closed position, wherein said base and said lever are juxtaposed to each other along their length, with said lever extending forward from said connecting means toward the distal end of said base, such that the second surface of said lever is adjacent to the top surface of said body portion and the actuator arm of said lever projects into the body portion of said base adjacent the proximal end thereof;
• d) means for normally biasing said lever in the open position;
• e) means for actuating the articulated member of said tool connected to the actuator arm of said lever, whereby movement of said lever from an open position to a closed position causes movement of the articulated member;
• and
• f) means for securing said handle lever at selected points throughout a range of motion of said handle lever defined between and including the open position and the closed position, wherein said securing means is a rachet, said rachet comprising:
• g) a pawl plate having a toothed surface thereon mounted on said base;
• h) a rachet arm having a top end and a bottom end, a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface having a plurality of rachet teeth complementary to the pawl tooth and the front surface having a notch therein located adjacent the top end, said rachet arm being pivotally mounted upon said handle lever, said rachet arm projecting downwardly such that the rear surface of said rachet arm is capable of engaging the toothed surface of said pawl plate throughout the range of motion of said handle lever;
• i) a rachet lever having a proximal end, a distal end, a top surface and an intermediate and central segment, said rachet lever being pivotally mounted on said handle lever such that said rachet lever is moveable between a rest position, wherein said rachet arm is in engagement with said pawl, and an operable position, wherein said rachet arm is disengaged from said pawl, the proximal end of said ratchet lever being complementarily to and received within the notch of said rachet arm and moveable within the notch between the rest and operable positions;
• j) means for urging said rachet arm into an engaged position with respect to said pawl when said rachet lever is in the rest position;
• and
• k) means for locking said rachet in the operable position.