Patent ID: 8092451

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a housing supporting at least one actuator thereon, the at least one actuator adapted for manipulation by a user to control the instrument; an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing; a first jaw member pivotally coupled to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the first jaw member operatively associated with the at least one actuator such that manipulation of the at least one actuator induces pivotal movement of the first jaw member with respect to the distal end of the elongated shaft; a second jaw member pivotally coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft; a locking mechanism operatively associated with the second jaw member, the locking member selectively movable between a first position wherein the second jaw member is maintained at one of a plurality of orientations with respect to the distal end of the elongated shaft such that manipulation of the at least one actuator induces pivotal movement of the first jaw member with respect to the second jaw member, and a second position to wherein the second jaw member is free to pivot with respect to the distal end of the elongated shaft; and a biasing member operatively associated with the second jaw member to bias the second jaw member toward the first jaw member when the locking member is in the second position, wherein the second jaw member is operatively associated with the first jaw member such that pivotal movement of the first jaw member induces the first jaw member to engage the second jaw member and to push the second jaw member against the bias of the biasing member to induce pivotal movement of the second jaw member to one of the plurality of orientations with respect to the distal end of the elongated shaft when the locking member is in the second position.