A surgical stapling device comprising: an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the elongate body including a pusher drive member and a knife carrier pusher ; a reload assembly including a housing including an inner housing portion defining a housing through bore , a staple cartridge supporting a plurality of staples , a pusher assembly movably supported within the housing between a retracted position and an advanced position to eject the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge, and a knife carrier supporting a knife , the knife carrier including a first engagement structure ; wherein the knife carrier pusher includes a second engagement structure that is configured to releasably engage the first engagement structure of the knife carrier to couple the knife carrier pusher to the knife carrier, the first engagement structure being movable from a first position in which the first engagement structure is engaged with the second engagement structure, to a second position in which the first engagement structure is disengaged from the second engagement structure; and a reload member supported on the housing, the reload member having a first cylindrical portion configured to prevent movement of the first engagement structure from the first position to the second position when the first cylindrical portion is positioned adjacent to the interface between the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure; characterised in that the reload member further comprises a second tapered portion tapering from the first cylindrical portion towards a longitudinal axis of the reload member in a proximal direction, the second tapered portion configured to accommodate movement of the first engagement structure from the first position to the second position when the second tapered portion is positioned adjacent to the interface between the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure. an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the elongate body including a pusher drive member and a knife carrier pusher ; a reload assembly including a housing including an inner housing portion defining a housing through bore , a staple cartridge supporting a plurality of staples , a pusher assembly movably supported within the housing between a retracted position and an advanced position to eject the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge, and a knife carrier supporting a knife , the knife carrier including a first engagement structure ; wherein the knife carrier pusher includes a second engagement structure that is configured to releasably engage the first engagement structure of the knife carrier to couple the knife carrier pusher to the knife carrier, the first engagement structure being movable from a first position in which the first engagement structure is engaged with the second engagement structure, to a second position in which the first engagement structure is disengaged from the second engagement structure; and a reload member supported on the housing, the reload member having a first cylindrical portion configured to prevent movement of the first engagement structure from the first position to the second position when the first cylindrical portion is positioned adjacent to the interface between the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure; characterised in that the reload member further comprises a second tapered portion tapering from the first cylindrical portion towards a longitudinal axis of the reload member in a proximal direction, the second tapered portion configured to accommodate movement of the first engagement structure from the first position to the second position when the second tapered portion is positioned adjacent to the interface between the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure. <EOS>