Surgical ligating instrument

Claim 1

A surgical ligating instrument comprising A. a housing having I. a trigger, which can be activated by at least one thumb to cause a first force; II. a sector gear on the distal end of said trigger, at least one reduction gear which meshes with said sector gear, and a rack which meshes with said reduction gear, to effect said first force; III. a handle, which can be activated by at least one finger to cause a second force; IV. means for translating said second force from said handle to a movable pin, to effect said second force; and V. an interlock between said trigger and said handle such that said trigger is completely compressed before said handle is compressible; and B. a probe having I. means for advancing a plurality of ligating clips comprising a. a pair of aligned members, each member containing an internal slot, the proximal end of said members contained in said housing and the distal end having canted jaws, said jaws during compression of said handle having no rectilinear motion relative to said housing; b. a single clip actuator rotatably mounted adjacent the proximal end of said jaws, said actuator having a first and a second pawl in alternate relationship such that said actuator can repeatedly release the frontmost clip from said plurality of clips; c. a spring, the proximal end contained to said housing; d. a pusher at the distal end of said spring; and e. a plurality of clips, the rearmost clip adjacent said pusher and the frontmost clip contained by said actuator, said spring, pusher and clips contained by the internal slots of said aligned members; II. means for loading a ligating clip from the proximal end of said jaws comprising an injector, said injector having holding means such that said injector can be held adjacent to a single clip in said jaws, the proximal end of said injector adjacent said rack in said housing and the distal end adjacent a single clip, said injector adjoining said aligned members; and III. means for crimping a single clip in said jaws comprising a movable crimp bar, the proximal end adjacent said movable pin in said housing and the distal end adjacent said jaws.