Abstract: A reversible drive apparatus for a flexible web, especially adapted to a reversible ribbon drive for a printing machine. A driving spur gear is arranged to be shifted between a pair of spur gears, each associated with a ribbon spool. The shifting is accomplished by mere reversal of direction of a drive motor which has a lead screw type shaft upon which the driving spur gear is mounted with mating screw threads. This allows the driving spur gear to travel laterally along the lead screw shaft between the pair of spur gears whenever the motor reverses direction.