Compressible bone staple

Claim 1

A bone staple for compressibly sustaining joinder of first and second bone segments comprising: a first downwardly extending elongated staple leg having an upper end and a lower end for securely penetrating said first bone segment; a second downwardly extending elongated staple leg having an upper end and a lower end for securely penetrating said second bone segment; and ratchet means for adjustably and compressibly coupling said first and second staple legs together and for lockably positioning said staple legs a selected distance apart from one another, said ratchet means comprising a first elongated member having a relatively smooth upper surface and a lower surface, and extending at an angle from the upper end of said first staple leg in a direction toward said second staple leg and fixed to said first staple leg, said first elongated member having a plurality of spaced downwardly extending ratchet teeth on the lower surface of said first elongated member, said ratchet means further comprising a second elongated member having an elongated guide member extending at an angle from the upper end of said second staple leg and fixed thereto, said first elongated member being receivable within said guide member, said guide member having an upper wall, a bottom wall and enclosing side walls forming a guide slot through which said first elongated member extends, said ratchet means further including an elongated ratchet member having an upper surface and a lower surface receivable within said guide slot and fixedly secured within said guide slot, said ratchet member having a plurality of upwardly extending spaced ratchet teeth thereon for ratchably engaging said ratchet teeth on said first elongated member whereby the walls of said guide member encompass the engagement of the ratchet teeth of said ratchet member and said first elongated member to provide a shield to prevent fouling of the area of ratchet engagement.