A rotational spinning apparatus including an open container; a pivotally-leveraged drive with a manually-operable handle on its top and pivotable between down and extended positions and a rotating drive at its bottom and drivably connected to the handle; and a rotating member formed to sit rotatably within the container and drivably connect to the rotating drive. The rotating member defines an axis of rotation when in the container that runs centrally through the top and bottom of the container. When the pivotally-leveraged drive is placed over the container and the rotating drive is connected to the rotating member, the handle is pivotable along a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation; and when so arranged and the handle is in the down position, both ends of the handle are intersected by a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

A rotational spinning apparatus including an open container; a pivotally-leveraged drive with a manually-operable handle on its top and pivotable between down and extended positions and a rotating drive at its bottom and drivably connected to the handle; and a rotating member formed to sit rotatably within the container and drivably connect to the rotating drive. The rotating member defines an axis of rotation when in the container that runs centrally through the top and bottom of the container. When the pivotally-leveraged drive is placed over the container and the rotating drive is connected to the rotating member, the handle is pivotable along a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation; and when so arranged and the handle is in the down position, both ends of the handle are intersected by a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

A device and method for manually controlling a system including a first lever movable between multiple positions and a movable component. The method including: activating a manual engagement device; engaging a manual control to couple a first lever and a movable component; disengaging an automatic control coupling the first lever and the movable component; and moving the movable component by moving the first lever.

A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation; c) a handle pivotally attached to the housing and oriented to move in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotation wheel; and d) gears connecting the handle to the rotation wheel. Also disclosed are an automatic clutch that engages the rotation wheel only when the handle is moved in one direction, and a braking mechanism that includes a disk having a diameter substantially smaller than the rotation wheel.

A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation; c) a handle pivotally attached to the housing and oriented to move in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotation wheel; and d) gears connecting the handle to the rotation wheel. Also disclosed are an automatic clutch that engages the rotation wheel only when the handle is moved in one direction, and a braking mechanism that includes a disk having a diameter substantially smaller than the rotation wheel.