Now you're making me feel old, Dr Bill. But seriously, I saw one as a teenager and actually used it. My father had been a journeyman carpenter and thought I should have a history lesson that day. I had probably made a smart-alecky remark about driving screws with a hammer. Must've been in the early '70s. I think that power screwdrivers have replaced the ratcheted shafts. Here's a picture I found:

http://woodbutcher.net/images/normstools/yankee-screwdriver.htm