A surgical delivery instrument for delivering a vascular hole closure device having a hole covering member. The delivery instrument comprises a housing, a plunger and an advancer movable within the housing, the advancer having a first portion and a distal portion hingedly connected to the first portion and forming a casing for supporting the hole covering member. Distal movement of the advancer pivots the casing from an angled position to a more linear position to change the orientation of the covering member from a transverse position to a more aligned position. The plunger is advanceable to advance the covering member into the vessel.