Disclosed herein is a reciprocating drive mechanism and means for either amplifying or suppressing the output of the mechanism. The mechanism includes a rotating cam adjacent to which is positioned a carriage member having a cam follower mounted thereon. The carriage member acts as a housing for a pair of racks which have interengaging teeth and are preferably mounted perpendicular to each other. The carriage is mounted for translatory movement in response to the action of the cam and cam follower and the racks are forced into relative movement with respect to the carriage by a stationary elongated member. The elongated member has a track on one face thereof, in which is engaged a roller, the roller being mounted on the surface opposite the teeth of one of the racks. When the carriage moves, the follower within the elongated member will force its associated rack to move within the carriage, which movement of the associated rack will cause the other rack to have corresponding movement. The angular orientation of the elongated member controls the amount of movement of the other rack and can be adjusted to cause the effective movement of the other rack to be amplified or suppressed.