Patent ID: 8608043

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle portion; a body portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; a movable handle disposed on the handle portion and in mechanical cooperation with a drive member; a tool assembly including an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface, the tool assembly being supported adjacent a distal end of the body portion; a drive beam including a plurality of layers, at least one layer having a proximal engagement portion disposed adjacent a proximal end thereof and being configured to engage a portion of the drive member; a closure apparatus disposed adjacent a distal end of the drive beam being configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly, whereby at least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly; and wherein at least one of the plurality of layers of the drive beam is affixed to an adjacent layer of the drive beam via at least one spot weld, and wherein the drive beam includes two outer layers and at least two inner layers, the two outer layers being affixed to the closure apparatus in at least one location.