fig2 laterally widens in the anvil 22 into an anvil internal track 154 that captures the top pins 110 of the e beam 102 as they distally advance during firing as depicted in fig9 u2013 10 affirmatively spacing the anvil 22 from the staple channel 18 thus with the e beam 102 retracted the surgeon is able to repeatably open and close the staple applying assembly 12 until satisfied with the placement and orientation of tissue captured therein for stapling and severing yet the e beam 102 assists in proper positioning of tissue even for a staple applying assembly 12 of reduced diameter and correspondingly reduced rigidity in fig2 u2013 3 5 u2013 6 8 u2013 14 the staple applying assembly 12 is shown with the replaceable staple cartridge 20 that includes the wedge sled 126 longitudinally aligned and parallel plurality of downwardly open wedge slots 202 fig8 receive respective wedges 204 integral to the wedge sled 126 in fig8 u2013 10 the wedge sled 126 thus cams upwardly a plurality of staple drivers 206 that are vertically slidable within staple driver recesses 208 in this illustrative version each staple driver 206 includes two vertical prongs each translating upwardly into a respective staple hole 210 to upwardly force out and deform a staple 23 resting thereupon against a staple forming surface 214 fig1.