Patent ID: 8517242

Claim:
A surgical fastening instrument comprising: a handle portion; an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis along a length thereof; an end effector assembly including an anvil and a cartridge supported adjacent a distal end of the elongate portion, each of the anvil and the cartridge including a tissue contacting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; at least two independently movable pushers supporting at least two surgical fasteners; a thrust bar operatively coupled to the elongate portion, the thrust bar being movable over a predetermined stroke to effect sequential ejection of the at least two surgical fasteners of the plurality of surgical fasteners from the cartridge; the at least two surgical fasteners being in operative communication with the at least two independently movable pushers; and a camming member positioned between the thrust bar and the at least two independently movable pushers, the camming member having a distal end configured to contact each of the at least two independently movable pushers and a proximal end configured to contact at least a portion of the thrust bar, the camming member being pivotably connected to the end effector by way of at least one cam pin.