Abstract: The ability to control butterfly valves is greatly enhanced with a geared hand wheel having concentrically contained therein a pair of flat spur gears with at least one tooth difference and a pinion gear meshing with both of these gears with the pinion carried by the hand wheel in a planetary manner about these gears whereby a mechanical advantage is achieved as the spur gears are caused to rotate relative to one another by rotation of the hand wheel to control the valve shaft of the butterfly valve.