A multi-mode indexer having a gear wheel rotatably mounted on a base; a drive bracket assembly is rotatably mounted coaxially with the wheel shaft for reciprocal movement relative to the shaft. A first pair of oppositely disposed pawls are mounted to the drive brackets to engage and drive the gear wheel during the drive stroke. (One pawl driving while the other prevents overtravel). A second pair of oppositely disposed pawls are mounted to the base to provide a positive stop action against further rotation of the gear wheel at the end of each drive cycle and to lock the gear wheel in position during recovery of the drive bracket so that the gear wheel is at all times either locked in a stationary position or positively locked to the motion of the drive bracket. Cam members are rotatably mounted on the gear wheel shaft to control the action of selected pawls and thus control the CW or CCW indexing of the gear wheel as a function of the position of each cam member.