Patent ID: 7001399

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an elongated tubular outer shaft having a distal portion and a proximate portion; an elongated tubular inner shaft slideable inside the outer shaft and having a distal portion adjacent to the outer shaft distal portion and a proximate portion adjacent to the outer shaft proximate portion, the distal portion of the inner shaft forming an elongated cavity; a clip slideably received in the cavity and having opposing jaws biased toward each other, the clip having a leading end facing the distal end of the inner shaft, the clip having a trailing end remote from the distal end of the inner shaft; a pusher member slideably received in the inner shaft and having a distal portion fitted in the distal portion of the inner shaft and positioned to be proximate to the trailing end of the clip received in the cavity, the pusher member including a proximate portion extending to the proximate portion of the inner shaft, the pusher member being moveable lengthwise distally of the inner shaft for sliding the clip within the cavity; and a clip opening component at the distal end of the inner shaft and adjacent to the distal end of the outer shaft, the opening component having at least one clip-wedging side piece with at least one wedge surface angled outward and in the path of the leading end of a clip for engagement between the jaws of the clip as the clip is moved distally by the pusher member so as to spread apart the jaws in opposition to force tending to bias the jaws of the clip toward each other, for moving the clip to and holding the clip in a loaded position in which the jaws project from the distal end of the outer shaft, the inner and outer shafts and the clip being constructed and arranged relatively to eject a clip distally from the loaded position by relative movement of the inner and outer shafts to free the clip from the opening component and apply a clamping force by inherent biasing of the clip jaws toward each other, and the inner and outer shafts being constructed and arranged to allow rotational movement of the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft for positioning of a clip received within the inner shaft.