Patent ID: 8905288

Claim:
A surgical fastener applying apparatus, comprising: a cartridge assembly including a plurality of fasteners, and a plurality of fastener pushers positioned beneath the fasteners, each of the fastener pushers defining an equivalent height; an anvil assembly movably connected to the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly being configured and dimensioned to form the fasteners upon ejection from the cartridge assembly; first and second cam bars movable through the cartridge assembly to facilitate displacement of the fastener pushers and ejection of the fasteners from the cartridge assembly; and a supporting member fixedly positioned within the cartridge assembly beneath the first and second cam bars, the first cam bar being slidable along a first surface of the supporting member, and the second cam bar being slidable along a second surface of the supporting member, the first and second surfaces of the supporting member being positioned at different heights, wherein prior to firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus, the fastener pushers are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces of the supporting member to facilitate engagement with the first and second cam bars.