BigPatents India

A surgical instrument (20) adapted for applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue, the surgical instrument comprising: an anvil (122); a cartridge housing (121) containing a plurality of surgical fasteners, the cartridge housing and anvil being relatively movable between a first spaced apart position and a second position in close approximation with one another; a firing mechanism associated with the cartridge housing for ejecting the surgical fasteners from the cartridge housing to be driven against the anvil; and a lockout mechanism (180) interacting with the cartridge housing for selective activation and deactivation; the lockout mechanism includes a lockout lever (181) rotationally mounted on a closure member of the surgical instrument, the lockout lever includes a distal end and a proximal end with a central section therebetween, the central section being pivotally mounted to the closure member allowing the lockout arm to rotate in a controlled manner. (FIG.1)