Surgical tools with opposing translating gears

A method of operating a surgical tool, comprising:

• positioning the surgical tool adjacent a patient for operation, the surgical tool including:
• a drive housing having a shaft extending distally therefrom;
• first and second drive members extending distally from the drive housing along the shaft;
• first and second translating gears rotationally fixed to the shaft within the drive housing and operatively coupled to the first and second drive members, respectively, the first and second translating gears being coaxially mounted to the shaft and separated from each other along an axis of the shaft;
• and
• first and second drive gears rotatably mounted within the drive housing, the first drive gear being arranged to act directly on the first translating gear, and the second drive gear being arranged to act directly on the second translating gear,
• rotating the first and second drive gears in opposite angular directions and thereby causing the first and second translating gears to move axially along the shaft in opposing directions;
• moving the first and second drive members axially along the shaft as the first and second translating gears move;
• and
• rotating the first and second drive gears in a same angular direction and thereby causing the first and second translating gears to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis.