Patent ID: 8453908

Claim:
A surgical stapling instrument, comprising: a first side; a second side; a longitudinal axis; a first housing member, comprising: a staple cartridge attachment portion configured to operably support a staple cartridge; and a first lock rail extending along said longitudinal axis; a second housing member, comprising: a jaw member configured to operably support an anvil configured to deform staples deployed from the staple cartridge; and a second lock rail extending along said longitudinal axis; a pusher bar configured to move a staple driver relative to said staple cartridge attachment portion and said jaw member; and an actuator configured to receive a force thereto, wherein said actuator is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein said actuator is configured to be moved along said first side when said actuator is in said first position, wherein said actuator is configured to be moved along said second side when said actuator is in said second position, and wherein said actuator further comprises at least one lock rail receiver configured to concurrently receive said first lock rail and said second lock rail, wherein said at least one lock rail receiver comprises a first bearing surface configured to engage said first lock rail and a second bearing surface configured to engage said second lock rail, and wherein said first bearing surface and said second bearing surface are configured to move said first housing member and said second housing member toward each other.