How does the Hurst shifter work?

Boy, that's kinda' tough to explain. I understand it perfectly, but don't know how I'd explain it by typing without wearing my fingers out!

Easiest way I know of to understand one is to just take one apart & look at it. It's pretty simple. I had to take mine apart to fix it in 1975 IIRC. After that there wasn't any mystery to them.