Surgical stapling instrument having a single lockout mechanism for prevention of firing

A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

• an elongate channel extending from said surgical stapling instrument;
• a cartridge supported in said elongate channel and containing plurality of staples A wedge member, said wedge member moveable longitudinally within said cartridge to eject said staples from said cartridge;
• a firing bar cooperatively engagable with said wedge member and longitudinally moveable in a distal direction to eject said staples;
• and
• a locking mechanism for locking said firing bar to said elongate channel by preventing distal movement of said firing bar after at least one of said staples has been ejected and said firing bar has been moved proximally a predetermined distance, wherein said wedge member biases said firing bar into an unlocked position prior to said staples being deployed and wherein said wedge member and said firing bar are not cooperatively engage when said instrument is in a locked position;
• and
• a biasing feature which operably engages with said elongate channel to bias said firing bar in an unlocked position prior to said firing bar engaging said wedge member.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

• a cartridge containing a plurality of staples and wedge member, said wedge member moveable longitudinally within said cartridge to eject said staples from said cartridge;
• firing bar cooperatively engagable with said wedge member and longitudinally moveable in distal direction to eject said staples;
• and
• a locking mechanism for preventing distal movement of said firing bar after at least one said staples has been ejected and said firing bar has been moved proximally a predetermined distance, wherein said wedge member biases said firing bar into an unlocked position prior to said staples being deployed and wherein said wedge member and said firing bar are not cooperatively engaged when said instrument is in locked position, a firing trigger operably coupled to said locking mechanism and said firing bar, said firing trigger capable of at least one actuation to move said firing bar distally;
• and
• a biasing feature which biases said firing bar in an unlocked position prior to said firing bar engaging said wedge member.