United States Patent [19] [ii] Patent Number: 4,496,090
Crevieret al. [45] Date of Patent: Jan. 29, 1985
[54] SURGICAL STAPLER
[76] Inventors: Paul H. Crevier, 436 Melbourne Ave., Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada, H3P 1H2; Istvan Lindmayer, 4390 Gilles St., Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada, H9H 2N4
[21] Appl. No.: 356,813
[22] Filed: Mar. 10, 1982
[51] Int. CI.3 A61B 17/04
[52] U.S. CI 227/19; 227/83;
227/DIG. 1
[58] Field of Search 227/DIG. 1, 19, 83
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
2,237,438 4/1941 James 227/83
2,440,479 4/1948 Lang 227/83
3,120,230 2/1964 Skold 227/DIG. 1
3,339,265 9/1967 Powers et al 227/83 X
3,915,366 10/1975 Mitchell 227/83
4,169,476 10/1979 Hiltebrandt 227/DIG. 1
4,246,903 1/1981 Larkin 227/DIG. 1
4,304,236 12/1981 Conta et al 227/DIG. 1
4,402,444 9/1983 Green 227/19
Primary Examiner—Paul A. Bell
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Emory L. Groff, Jr.
[57] ABSTRACT
A stapler for interconnecting adjacent penetrable bodies such as vertebrae includes a barrel with a staple support and deforming anvil at one end thereof; a plunger slidably mounted in the barrel for pressing the staple against the anvil to deform and drive the staple out of the stapler into the vertebrae; a handle and trigger at the other end of the handle for driving the plunger against the anvil and out of the stapler; a helical spring for returning the plunger to the rest position; and a control sleeve and pin arrangement for placing the plunger in the "DISMANTLE", "LOAD", "SAFE" or "FIRE" position, in which the stapler can be dismantled or assembled, loaded, inserted into position or fired.
2 Claims, 25 Drawing Figures
