Patent ID: 8353961

Claim:
An apparatus for spinal surgery, comprising: a first supporting member configured to engage tissue; a second supporting member configured to engage tissue and operatively associated with the first supporting member, wherein the first and second supporting members are movable relative to each other; and a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism including: a camming member rotatable about a pivot pin between a locked condition, wherein the camming member engages at least one of the first and second supporting members to maintain the first and second supporting members in a fixed relative position, and an unlocked condition, wherein the camming member is rotated out of engagement with the at least one of the first and second supporting members to permit movement of the first and second supporting members relative to one another; a biasing member configured to bias the camming member towards the locked condition; and a fastener operably positioned relative to the camming member, the fastener movable between a first position, wherein the fastener is spaced-apart from the camming member allowing the biasing member to bias the camming member towards the locked condition, and a second position, wherein the fastener is in contact with and urges the camming member against the bias of the biasing member towards the unlocked condition, the fastener threadingly engaged within a threaded opening such that rotation of the fastener in a first direction moves the fastener towards the first position and such that rotation of the fastener in a second, opposite direction moves the fastener towards the second position.