Abstract: A power tong apparatus provides a housing having a vertical U-shaped slot allowing a vertically supported length of drill pipe to be inserted into the slot coincident with a provided vertical axis of the slot. An upper and lower jaw assembly is provided in its respective jaw assembly carriage. The jaw assemblies are rotationally mounted within the respective jaw carriages and are powered by hydraulic cylinders. Four laterally extending chambers are provided which allow the hydraulic cylinders to be moved between left and right positions which combined with an inverting of the respective jaw assembly different rotational directions to each jaw assembly. Thus, the same jaw assemblies can be used to make up or disassemble pipe joints together. Openings are provided in the housing for the insertion of hydraulic lines into the housing for connection to the respective hydraulic cylinders.