US2038302A - Photographic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1936. LQNGQRIA 2,038,302

PHOTOGRAPHIG APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. an fore/0 1 022901? a ATTORNEY6 April 2]., 4 LONGORIA PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR. 4/1 fan 1'0 .4 angered BY Q96 3 v ATTORNEY6 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Antonio Longoria, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to Automatic Voting Machine Corporation, Jamestown, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 28, 1933, Serial No. 668,35!

4 Claims.

This invention relating, as indicated, to photographic apparatus, has particular reference to an apparatus of this character which is adapted to be used for photographing the indicated totals 5 on automatic voting machines and the like.

, Automatic voting machines, as at present constructed, usually have horizontal and vertical rows embodied therein in which the accumulated votes attributed to the various candidates are indicated by means of suitable totalizing mechanism. At the end of the voting day, the indicated totals, to avoid inadvertent or intentional changes therein are locked by means of a suitable locking lever, and the totals are announced to clerks who record them on return sheets which form the pennanent voting records.

The accuracy of such permanent voting records depends to a great extent on the human or personal element for if the announcers inadvertently or intentionally call the wrong totals, or the clerks make improper entries, the records are practically worthless and open the door to fraud of all kinds. Such records, moreover, can be readily changed for fraudulentpurposes by the use of erasers, ink eradicators or the like.

The present invention, accordingly has as its primary object the provision of apparatus for securing permanent voting records, whereby the human or personal element is, to a great extent,

dispensed with, and the results of elections are more likely to be in accordance with the expressed desires of the voters.

Other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus whereby a permanent photographic record of the totals may be quickly and easily obtained directly from the voting machines, without the necessity of removing the voting machine from the booth in which it is housed; to provide apparatus of the character described which may be incorporated as a part of existing voting machines without material alteration of such ma.- chines; to provide apparatus of the character described which shall be entirely automatic in its movements and actions; and to provide apparatus of the character described whereby a permanent photographic record of the vote totals may be obtained, which record is obviously of such character as to resist changes therein or mutilation thereof to a greater degree than ink records.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the -means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various structural forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. 5

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic representation of the rear portion of a voting machine of a well-known type; Fig. 2 is a viewon an enlarged scale, of an indicated total in one of the 0 rows of the machine; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary crosssectional view, taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 3-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the photographic apparatus, taken on a plane sub- 15 stantially indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

a and showing a front elevation of the photographic apparatus, aportion of 'the casing being 20 broken away to more clearly show the shutter and shutter-operating mechanism; and Fig. 6' is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 6-5 of Fig. 5, and showing the apparatus motivating 25 and film wind-up governing mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a voting machine, such as is commonly employed for indicating at any particular time the vote accumulation for the various candidates or nom- 30 inees, including a housing I, within which the totalizing mechanism generally designated 2 is supported by means of upright standards 3. v

The totalizing mechanism includes a series of spaced vertically extending rows 4, having verti- 35 cally spaced series of openings 5 in which the vote totals appear, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Secured within the housing I, adjacent the rear portion thereof is an angle frame 6, the vertical members of which serve to support a. T l, which 40 in turn, serves to support the photographic apparatus to be presently described. Mounted on the horizontally extending stem of the T I is a rack 8, which extends from one end of the T to the other. The vertical members of the frame 45 6 also support an angle 9, the vertical leg of which lies in the same plane as the flange of T I. Welded or otherwise secured to the horizontal leg of angle 9 and in spaced relation to the vertical leg thereof is a member ID, the lower edge H 50 of which is in the form of a sinuous curve, the crests Ila of which are spaced apart a distance equal to the center to center distance between the columns 4 and coincident with such centers.

The photographic apparatus proper includes a casing l2 having a removable back l3 and a front wall H. The front wall of the casing is suitably perforated at vertically spaced intervals coinciding with the openings 5 in columns 4 to receive lens holders 15, within which are secured the lenses l6 of the apparatus. Alternating with the lenses iii are incandescent bulbs, ll, which are supplied with current from a suitable source (not shown) and afiord the necessary illumination'for photographing the vote totals, as will be presently described.

Positioned within the casing 12 and in parallel spaced relation to the front wall i4 is a second wall I8 from which spaced light shields H! extend rearwardly. The wall 18 is provided with vertically spaced openings 20 which are in alignment with the lenses l6 and are normally closed by means of shutters 2|, which, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are pivotally mounted on the wall l4, as of 22. The shutters 2| have openings 23 therein adapted to register with the openings 20 at predetermined time intervals. Mounted for vertical sliding movement on the wall i8 is a shutter actuating bar 24 which has secured to the lower end thereof a bracket 25 on which is journalled a freely rotatable roller 26, which is normally maintained in engagement with the lower edge ll of the member ID by means of a spring 21 aflixed to wall 14 and bracket 25. Pivotally mounted on the bar 24 at vertically spaced points 28 are links 29, these links being also pivoted on the wall 48, as at 3B. The shutters 2| are normally maintained with their openings 23 out of registry with the openings 2|! as by meam of springs 3| which are affixed to the shutters as at 32, and to the pins to which the links are secured, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The clockwise movement of the shutters, as viewed in Fig. 5 is limited by means of pins 33 projecting from the wall H3 at vertically spaced intervals.

It will be noted that when the shutter is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the pivot point 30 is below a line joining the points 22 and 28. When, however, the bar 24 is slid downwardly as hereinafter described, the point 28 will be caused to move to such a position that the point 30 will be above a line joining 22 and 28. This action, which is in effect a toggle action, causes the shutter to be snapped by the spring 3| to the position indicated by the dotted lines in this figure. During this movement of the shutter, the opening 23 therein passes the opening 20, and during such passage, the vote totals are photographed on the film F. As shown in Fig, 4, the casing 12 is provided with spaced vertically extending reels 34, the reel immediately to the rear of the bar 24 being under the influence of a spring 3411, which causes this reel toexert a tension on the film F, whereby the film is wound .on the reel. The film in its movement from one reel to the other, passes over idler rolls 35, which serve to maintain the portion of the film which is being exposed taut and in parallelism with the wall H! of the casing regardless of the relative amounts of film on the reels.

The film is preferably of a. well-known type having marginal openings therein adapted. to re ceive the teeth of cog wheels whereby the speed of movement of the film is governed. In the present case, the speed of the iilm is adapted to be governed by means oi" a plurality such cog wheels 36 mounted on a vertically extending shaft 31.

Mounted upon and rigidly secured to the top of the casing i2 is a housing 33 withi. which is enclosed mechanism for automatically and si multaneously moving the apparatus along the supporting T 'l governing the rate of speed of the film from one reel to the other.

Such mechanism includes a motor (not shown) which is enclosed within vertical extension I! of the housing 38 and is provided with a vertically extending shaft to which is secured a worm 40. As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, worm Us in driving engagement with a worm wheel 4| keyed to a shaft 42 which is journalled in the walls of the housing 38. Shaft 42 has keyed thereto a bevel gear 43 which is in driving engagement with a similar bevel gear 44 keyed to the upper end of the cog wheel shaft 31. Shaft 42 has also keyed thereto a pinion 45 which is in driving engagement with a gear 45 mounted on a shaft 41. Shaft 41 is journalied in the walls of housing 38 and has a portion projecting from the housing to which is keyed a pinion 48 which meshes with the teeth of rack 8.

The housing is also provided with bracket extensions which support stub shafts 45 on which are journalled wheels or rollers 50. The rollers 50 rest upon the stem of T l and constitute the main supporting means for the apparatus.

Secured to the lower end of the casing i2 is an angle ill to which are secured spaced brackets 52 in which are journalled rollers 53. These rollers facilitate the movement of the apparatus and maintain the casing in proper vertical position.

The current supply to the motor as well as that required for the bulbs may be controlled by means of a single switch (not shown).

The operation of the apparatus is briefly as .1

follows:

With the apparatus positioned at one end of the voting machine, the current is switched on, thereby driving the motor, which, through the intermelfliary of the gearing hereinhefore described, causes the apparatus to automatically traverse the rack 8, the apparatus moving towards the opposite end of the machine. During such movement, the speed of the film is simultaneously automatically governed by the cog wheels 36 in such a manner that the linear speed of the film coincides approximately with the speed of movement of the apparatus.

Coinciclental with the traversing movement of the casing, the totals appearing in the rows 4 of the voting machine are. successively photographed on the moving film, the snapping action of the shutters effecting the necessary exposure of the him. This snapping action of the shutters results from the downward movement of the bar 24, which movement is caused by the down- Ward pull exerted against the roller 25 by the crests I lot-of the curved edge I l of the member I U. The tension of the spring 2] is such that as the roller moves into the successive troughs in the curved edge ll, thereby restoring the shutters to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 5. When the photographic apparatus reaches the opposite end of the machine, it strikes a limit switch 54, thereby automatically cutting oh" the current supply to the motor and light bulbs.

It will be noted that a series or bank of have been provided which arran aligned upright series, so that each lens with respect to a single horizontal r vote totals to be photographed. With e c functioning only with respect a gle hori aontal rows of the vote totals to phot and all of the functioning with it.

lenses all of the horizontal rows of vote totals, all of the vote totals will be photographed during a single traverse of the photographic apparatus across the face of the voting machine.

After all of the totals have been photographed in the manner described, the film may be removed from the casing for development and printing, or to avoid tampering with the film at the voting place, the entire apparatus, with the film intact and easing locked, may be removed to another place. It is thus seen that an apparatus has been provided whereby a. permanent photographic record of the totals may be quickly and easily obtained directly from the voting machine, without the necessity of removing the voting machine from the booth in which it is housed; which may be incorporated as a part of existing voting machines without material alteration of such machines; which is entirely automatic in its movements and actions, and which is portable in natureand of durable inexpensive construction.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a voting machine comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically extending rows containing vertically spaced vote totals; apparatus for photographing said vote totals comprising a casing supported in spaced relation to said machine and having a multiplicity of lenses spaced vertically to correspond with the spacing of said vote totals and shutters for said lenses, a movable photographically sensitive medium, means for automatically moving said apparatus so as to bring -it into alignment successively with each of said rows and in spaced relation thereto, means responsive to the movement of said apparatus for gov erning the movement of said photographically sensitive medium, and means for automatically actuating said shutters coincidently with the alignment of said apparatus with each of said rows.

2. In combination with a voting machine com-= ing acasing supported in spaced relation to said machine and having a multiplicity of lenses spaced vertically to correspond with the spacing of said vote totals and shutters for each of said lenses, a movable photographically sensitive medium, means for automatically moving said apparatus past said rows and in spaced relation thereto, means responsive to the movement of said apparatus for governing the movement of said photographically sensitive medium, and means for automatically actuating said shutters colncidently with the movement of said lenses past said rows.

3. In combination with a voting machine comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically extending rows I having vertically spaced openings in which the vote totals appear; apparatus for photographing said vote totals supported in spaced relation to said machine, said apparatus comprising a casing having a multiplicity of lenses spaced vertically to correspond with the spacing of said vote totals, shutters for each of said lenses, spaced reels and a film windable between said reels, and means for automatically moving said apparatus past said rows and in spaced relation thereto, means responsive to said movement for governingthe movement of said film from one reel to the other, and means for automatically actuating said shutters coincidently with the movement of said lenses past said rows.

4. In combination with a voting machine comprising rows containing subject matter to be recorded; photographic apparatus including a shutter, means for moving said apparatus into alignment with each of said rows and in spaced relation thereto and a member extending transversely of the voting machine and having-an edge in the form of a sinuous curve, the crests of which are in alignment with said rows, said crests forming stations for automatically actuating said shutter as the apparatus comes into alignment therewith.

ANTONIO LONGOlFtl'A

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