Patent ID: 8540132

Claim:
A tilt anvil assembly comprising: a center rod; a head assembly including a housing, a post, an anvil plate having staple deforming pockets, and a backup member, the head assembly being pivotally secured to the center rod and pivotal in relation to the center rod between a non-tilted position and a tilted position, wherein the backup member is movable about the post from a first position in which a portion of the backup member is positioned to prevent pivotal movement of the head assembly from the non-tilted position to the tilted position, to a second position in which the backup member is positioned to permit pivotal movement of the head assembly in relation to the center rod from the non-tilted position to the tilted position, and the head assembly further including a pivotal latch member which is urged by a biasing member into engagement with an inner peripheral surface of the backup member when the backup member is in the second position to prevent movement of the backup member from the second position to the first position.