Endoscopic surgical stapler with compact profile

An endoscopic surgical stapler capable of clamping bodily tissue prior to firing staples to fasten said tissue, said stapler comprising:

• an end effector including an anvil fixed to a slot post and an elongated channel containing a staple cartridge therein, said channel having an elongated diagonal slot for receiving said slot post, and said anvil facing said channel and movable toward and away therefrom;
• wherein said anvil is moveable to first, second and third fixed positions relative to said channel, said first fixed position being a closed position wherein said anvil is in intimate contact with said staple cartridge thereby eliminating any clearance therebetween, said second fixed position being an open position wherein said anvil is spaced from said cartridge for inserting said bodily tissue therebetween, said third fixed position being a clamped position wherein said anvil is adjacent said cartridge so as to provide a tissue-clamping gap therebetween for clamping said bodily tissue, and said slot post of said anvil rides in said diagonal slot of said channel so as to move said anvil from said second to third fixed positions.