Hand-powered tool

A hand-powered rotary tool having a housing,

• a spindle rotatably mounted within said housing at opposite ends thereof, one end of said spindle extending through said housing for rotating a tool attachment at said one end,
• a non-rotating shaft mounted at both ends in opposite sides of said housing transversely of said spindle and having an opening through which said spindle extends,
• a drive gear rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said drive gear in one direction only,
• a pair of pinion gears secured to said spindle for rotation therewith, said pinion gears being disposed on opposite sides of said shaft and movable in unison along the longitudinal axis of said spindle into alternative operating positions in which one of said pinion gears meshes with said drive gear such that when said pinion gears are moved in one direction along said axis, one of said pinion gears is shifted into meshing engagement with said drive gear at one point along its periphery for rotating said spindle in one direction while the other of said gears is disengaged from said drive gear, and when said pinion gears are moved in the other direction axially of said spindle, said one pinion gear is disengaged from said drive gear while said other pinion gear is shifted into meshing engagement with said drive gear at a point diametrically opposite said one point in order to rotate said spindle in the opposite direction, and
• means for shifting said pinion gears along said axis into and out of mesh with said drive gear and for locking them in each of said operating positions.