US Patent 11191604 Surgical instrument with fastener preload lock-out

A surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft extending distally from the handle. The surgical instrument may also include a fastener deployment system for deploying fasteners from the elongated shaft including a reciprocating driveshaft disposed within the elongated shaft. The fastener deployment system may include a follower disposed within the elongated shaft for displacing one or more fasteners within the elongated shaft towards a distal fastener deployment position. The surgical instrument may include a removable preload lock-out attached to the elongated shaft to prevent the follower from applying a preload to the fasteners.