Patent ID: 8740035

Claim:
A surgical tool for applying staples, comprising: a body having a connection portion at one end and first and second jaws supported at an opposite other end, the first jaw having a plurality of staples arranged in rows, and the second jaw having an anvil, the first and second jaws having an open position and a closed position; a drive member supporting a cam member at a distal end, wherein the cam member is positioned to engage the second jaw, the drive member including an elongated drive beam, wherein the drive member includes a balancing flange positioned to engage the first jaw to balance clamping forces generated by the cam member as tissue is progressively clamped between the first and second jaws; and a handle assembly connectable to the connection portion, the handle assembly having a toothed actuation shaft and a pawl for engaging the actuation shaft and incrementally advancing the actuation shaft, the drive member being connected to the actuation shaft when the handle assembly is connected to the connection portion of the body.