Reversible valve assembly for a pneumatic tool

A pneumatic rotary tool comprising:

• a housing;
• an output member supported by the housing for rotational movement relative to the housing;
• a pneumatic motor disposed in the housing and operatively connected to the output member for driving rotation of the output member;
• an inlet in the housing for receiving pressurized air from a source of pressurized air to power the motor;
• passaging in the housing for directing the pressurized air from the inlet to the pneumatic motor;
• a valve having a longitudinal axis and being disposed in the passaging for rotary movement about said longitudinal axis between a first position in which pressurized air in the passaging is directed to power the pneumatic motor in a forward direction and a second position in which pressurized air in the passaging is directed to power the pneumatic motor in a reverse direction, said valve including a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member being rotatably received within the second valve member for rotational movement between the first position and the second position;
• an actuator supported on the housing for translational movement relative to the housing;
• and
• a connector interconnecting the actuator and the valve, the connector comprising a slot formed in the actuator and a tab forming a crank projecting axially from an axial face of the valve, said said tab engaging the slot for generally conjoint movement in a first direction and for relative sliding movement in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction;
• wherein the valve includes an elongate shaft operatively connecting the actuator to the first valve member, said shaft comprising a finger engageable with the first valve member so that rotation of the shaft conjointly rotates the first valve member, the finger of the shaft including an opening and the first valve member comprising an extension, the finger engaging the first valve member so that the opening receives the extension for securing the finger to the first valve;
• and
• wherein the connector imparts translational movement of the actuator to rotational movement of the shaft.