Ligating device

Claim 2

A surgical ligator to locate and clamp a 100 substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member to close off the tubular member, said ligator comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of said clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, pivotally secured to said magazine housing, 105 said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion, means operative to clamp one of said clips in said forming portion upon actuation of said handle, and means operative upon release of said handle to push a leading clip into said forming 110 portion, to be formed upon the next actuation of said handle.

Claim 3

The structure claimed in claim 1, having a magazine housing detent means adjacent said forming portion, and means continuously urging said 115 supply of clips against detent means, the means = operative upon release of said handle serving to push a leading clip past said detent means into said . forming portion. 3. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein a 120 feeder plate is disposed in said magazine housing behind said supply of clips, and a spring is arranged behind said feeder plate to urge said supply of clips continuously toward said forming portion and against said detent, a feeding finger in said maga-125 zine housing, and a linkage between said feeding finger and at least one handle, such that said feeding finger is retracted from said forming portion when said handle is actuated, and advanced toward said forming portion when said handle is released, to 130 push a clip past said detent into said forming portion 3 GB 2 074 030 A

Claim 4

3 to be clamped on the next actuation of said handle.

Claim 5

3 to be clamped on the next actuation of said handle.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 having two handles, and wherein one of said handles constitutes a clip forming handle, and the other one of said handles 5 constitutes a clip feeding handle, said forming handle being pivotally secured to said magazine housing adjacent said forming portion for mechanical advantage, and said feeding handle being pivotally secured to said magazine housing at a point 10 farther removed from said forming handle.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 3 wherein said handle is biased against a stop, to normally occupy an open position.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 4 wherein each of said "15 handles is biased against a stop, to normally occupy an open position.

Claim 9

The structure of claim 6 wherein biasing means for said clip forming handle is stronger than the biasing means for said clip feeding handle 20 whereby upon actuation of said handles said feeding handle moves first to retract said feeding finger, and after said feeding finger is retracted said forming handle moves to clamp a clip which is in position in the forming portion of said device. 25

Claim 10

The structure of claim 1, wherein means are provided to prevent actuation of the ligator when the said supply of clips is exhausted.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 1, wherein a clip is initially disposed in position in the forming portion 30 of the ligator when the device is in the inactuated condition.

Claim 12

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member to close off the tubular member, said ligator 35 comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of said clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, pivotally secured to said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion, and means operative to sequentially clamp one of said 40 clips in said forming portion as the handle is actuated, and feed the next said clip into said forming portion upon release of the handle.

Claim 13

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member to close off the tubular member, said ligator 35 comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of said clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, pivotally secured to said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion, and means operative to sequentially clamp one of said 40 clips in said forming portion as the handle is actuated, and feed the next said clip into said forming portion upon release of the handle.

Claim 14

The structure claimed in claim 10, having a magazine housing detent means adjacent said form- 45 ing portion, and means continuously urging said supply of clips against said detent means, the means operative upon release of said handle serving to push a leading clip past said detent means into said forming portion. 50

Claim 15

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member to close off the tubular member, said ligator comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, 55 pivotally secured to said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion, means operative to clamp one of said clips in said forming portion upon actuation of said handle, and feed means for sequentially feeding said clips to said 60 forming portion to be clamped, said feed means including a feed element operatively connected to said handle and shiftable upon actuation of said handle to a ready position adjacent the next clip to be fed from said magazine, and sequentially upon 65 release of said handle to a feed position in which said next clip is positioned by said feed element in said forming portion to be clamped.

Claim 16

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member to close off the tubular member, said ligator comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, 55 pivotally secured to said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion, means operative to clamp one of said clips in said forming portion upon actuation of said handle, and feed means for sequentially feeding said clips to said 60 forming portion to be clamped, said feed means including a feed element operatively connected to said handle and shiftable upon actuation of said handle to a ready position adjacent the next clip to be fed from said magazine, and sequentially upon 65 release of said handle to a feed position in which said next clip is positioned by said feed element in said forming portion to be clamped.

Claim 17

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular 70 member to close off the tubular member, said ligator comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of said clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion having forming jaws, and means 75 operative to sequentially clamp one of said clips between said forming jaws as the handle is actuated, open said forming jaws upon initial release of the handle, and feed the next said clip into said forming portion upon further release of the handle. 80

Claim 18

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular 70 member to close off the tubular member, said ligator comprising a magazine housing containing a supply of said clips, at least one handle for actuating said ligator, said housing at its distal end terminating in a forming portion having forming jaws, and means 75 operative to sequentially clamp one of said clips between said forming jaws as the handle is actuated, open said forming jaws upon initial release of the handle, and feed the next said clip into said forming portion upon further release of the handle. 80

Claim 19

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1981. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.

Claim 20

A surgical ligatorto locate and clamp a substantially inverted U-shaped clip about a tubular member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1981. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.