Shift mechanism for typewriter

In a typewriter comprising in combination a base having a front and rear portion, a carriage assembly located within and extending across said rear portion, said carriage assembly including a platen which is adapted for movement with said carriage assembly between a first position and either a second or third position located on opposite sides of said first position, a plurality of finger actuated members located within the front portion of said frame, said finger actuated members disposed in a plurality of tiers with each said tier including a plurality of said finger actuated members, means for supporting said finger actuated members of each tier for pivotal movement between a rest and an actuated position about pivot axes disposed substantially parallel to said carriage assembly, a plurality of type bars, a plurality of carriers upon which is disposed typing indicia at locations equal in number to the positions of said carriage assembly, each carrier mounted by one of said type bars, means supporting said type bars for pivotal movement toward said platen, means connecting respective ones of said finger actuated members and type bars so that when one of said finger actuated members is pivoted to said actuated position said type bar connected thereto also is pivoted whereby typing indicia at one of said locations strikes said platen, and wherein the improvement is in means for selective shifting of said carriage assembly from said first position to either said second or third position so that said platen may be struck by typing indicia at other of said locations, said shifting means comprising

• a. mounting means, said mounting means carried on and extending upwardly of said frame within the region of said rear portion,
• b. first means adapted for shifting said carriage assembly from said first position to said second position, said first means including a first lever,
• c. means pivotally supporting said first lever between its ends on said mounting means,
• d. second means cooperable with said first means adapted for shifting said carriage assembly from said first position to said third position, said second means including a second lever,
• e. means pivotally supporting said second lever between its ends on said mounting means,
• f. track means,
• g. means mounting said carriage assembly on said track means for movement with and along said track means,
• h. means connecting said track means and said first lever adjacent one end,
• i. means connecting one of said finger actuated members to said first lever adjacent the other end so that upon movement of said finger actuated member to said actuated position said first lever pivots in one direction to move said carriage assembly to said second position,
• j. means connecting another of said finger actuated members to said second lever adjacent one end, and
• k. means connecting the other end of said second lever to said first lever so that upon movement of said lastnamed finger actuated member to said actuated position said first lever pivots in a second direction to move said carriage assembly to said third position.