A surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described. The device can be used with both articulating and non-articulating disposable loading units and has a sensing mechanism for sensing the type of disposable loading unit secured to the device.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a surgical device for joining a first and a second vessel together and creating a passageway therebetween. The device includes an implement which has proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The implement has a bottom member and a top member which are substantially coextensive. The top and bottom members are pivoted together at the proximal end so that a wall of each of the first and second vessels can be ...

Staples are delivered to guides in a vertical column by a plurality of slides which move out of the way after the delivery. A boot or shoe and a heel to be stapled is fitted upside down over a heel-shaped last at the top of the column. A pneumatic cylinder and hammers force the staples through the guides and into the shoe and heel thereby attaching them together.

A surgical device is disclosed which includes a handle portion, a central body portion and a SULU. The SULU includes a proximal body portion, an intermediate pivot member and a tool assembly. The intermediate pivot member is pivotally secured to the proximal body portion about a first pivot axis and the tool assembly is pivotally secured to the intermediate pivot member about a second pivot axis which is orthogonal to the first pivot axis. The SULU includes a plurality of articulation links whic...

An endoscopic surgical apparatus is provided for placing lateral lines of surgical fasteners into body tissue. The apparatus includes a frame portion, an elongated portion extending from the frame portion, and an articulating fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end of the elongated portion. The fastener applying assembly includes a base portion, a staple cartridge housing, and an anvil member which has a forming surface thereon against which surgical fasteners are driven as they ...

An electrically operated stapling device is disclosed. Staples are driven into the article to be stapled by a simple driver blade which is powered by a current actuated solenoid. In the preferred embodiment, the solenoid is provided with a plurality of pulses which are derived from alternate half-cycles of an AC power source which powers the stapling device. The circuit produces two pulses by defining a window in each of the successive output cycles of the power source. The current then initiate...

A stapling device including a staple driver for inserting a staple into sheets and a clincher for bending the staple piercing through the sheets, which are opposed to each other astride a sheet passage, is provided with shifting means for bringing the staple driver and clincher close to each other in stapling operation, and widely separating said staple driver from said clincher in standing ready for stapling. The sheet passage is widely secured between the staple driver and the clincher on stan...

In a stapling device capable of automatically inserting one or more staples into piled sheets discharged from an image producing device or the like to bind the sheets, a staple driver unit for inserting the staple into the sheet and a clinching unit for bending the leg parts of the staple piercing the sheets are opposed to each other astride a sheet passage and operated to perform stapling by a simple stapling drive having a single power source. By operating the staple driver unit and the clinch...

A finisher comprising a non-sort tray disposed at an uppermost location, a stacking tray for stapling disposed at an intermediate location, and a large-capacity storing tray disposed at a lower location. In a non-sort mode, sheets discharged from a copying machine are first stored in the non-sort tray and, when the non-sort tray is occupied full, subsequent incoming sheets are stored in the storing tray. In a stapling mode, sheets are collected on the stacking tray and, after a stapling operatio...

A stapling machine for automatically clamping a locking staple around a pair of rods. A pair of gripping jaws each have a first point pivotally fixed to the machine. A driver arm operates to close the jaws at different rates of speed, securing the staple around the rods. A finger is connected to the driver arm for positioning the staple adjacent the rods upon closure of the jaws. A solenoid which actuates the driver arm also spring loads a mechanism. The spring loaded mechanism opens the jaws af...