Patent ID: 7500972

Claim:
A hand-operated medical instrument, comprising: a handle member, having a first guide defining a first line of travel, and a second guide having a surface, and defining a second line of travel substantially parallel to said first line of travel, said second guide also having a detent on said surface; a moving member held by said first guide, and movable therealong in both directions along said first line of travel with respect to said handle member, said moving member having thereon first and second pawl engagement features lying along a third line substantially parallel with said first line of travel; a driving trigger member, farther comprising a fulcrum member held by said second guide and movable therealong in both directions along said second line of travel, and adapted to be releasably engaged with said detent, wherein movement of said fulcrum member along said second line of travel is prevented when said fulcrum member is effectively engaged with said detent, and a pawl in operable proximity to said third line and adapted to be engageable with either of said first and second pawl engagement features when effectively aligned therewith, wherein said driving trigger member is movable about said fulcrum member, and said pawl is thereby movable about said fulcrum member, toward or away from said third line; a pawl actuating spring member in operable connection with said handle member and said driving trigger member adapted to cause said pawl to be urged toward engagement with either of said first or second pawl engagement features when effectively aligned therewith; a detent spring member in operable connection with said handle member and said driving trigger member adapted to cause said fulcrum member to be urged toward engagement with said detent when said fulcrum member and said detent catch are effectively aligned; a driving spring in operable connection with said handle member and said moving member so as to cause said moving member to be urged along said first line of travel; and an effector assembly having a first component connected to said handle member and a second component connected to said moving member, wherein relative movement between said first component and said second component is effected by relative movement between said handle member and said moving member.