US2238950A - Voting machine - Google Patents

Description

INVENTQR ATTORNEYS R. F. SHOUP VOTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 19-10 April 22, 1941.

Patented Apr. 22, 1941 VOTING MACHINE Ransom F. Shoup, Ardmore, Pa., assignor to The Shoup Voting Machine Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application September 5, 1940, Serial No. 355,436

2 Claims.

This invention relates to voting machines and more especially to voting machines of the type disclosed in the patent to Shoup, et al. No. 2.,- 054,102.

The patent to Shoup, No. 2,191,086 discloses the provision in such a voting machine of straight ticket mechanism capable of being conditioned to adapt the machine for use in partisan primary as well as in non-partisan voting. However, the machine equipped with such mechanism can be used only for non-partisan or only for partisan voting and a single machine cannot be used to register simultaneously both partisan and nonpartisan votes. Thus, when a partisan election and a non-partisan election are held at the same time, two machines are required and the voter has to cast his vote in the non-partisan election by use of one machine and his vote in the partisan election by use of the second machine.

An object of this invention is to improve the mechanism above referred to so as to make it possible to condition the voting machine for simultaneous use in both partisan and non-partisan elections.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary rear elevation of a voting machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the machine, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement with respect to certain parts of the voting machine structure covered by said Shoup Patent No. 2,191,086 and in so far as is possible the reference characters herein used correspond to the reference characters in said patent.

The machine is equipped with a plurality of columns of voting spindles 38 (only three columns being shown, but the machine actually having several additional columns of spindles) journalled in vertical straps 40 suspended from a cross plate 4| provided in the upper portion of the housing which encloses the voting mechanism. Each spindle 38 is provided with an arm 59' and a plate 59a is attached to each arm 59 through the intermediary of a pin 5% which passes through a slot in the plate. The plate is thus slidably and rotatably connected to the arm and is therefore capable of being adjusted to difierent positions relative to the arm. Each arm 59 is shaped to provide a finger and each plate 59a has a portion adapted in one position to extend beyond the finger of the arm 59' and in another position to overlie said finger co-extensive therewith, the adjustment of the plate between the two positions being permitted by reason of the pin and slot connection between the plate and the arm (see Patent No. 2,191,608).

An angle bar I is supported by each strap 40 for swinging movement relative thereto. Each strap 40 pivotally supports a plurality of links I9I, each of which is pivotally attached to the side section I900. of the angle bar I90 and each bar I90 is thus supported for combined vertical and horizontal movement relative to a column of spindles. A plurality of channel-shaped members I90 are supported by each angle bar section I90a for adjustment between two positions differently spaced from the row of spindles and each member is cut out to provide rungs I94 for engagement with or by the fingers extending from the arms 59 and the plates 59a.

In each section I90a are arranged dumbbell shaped slots S and the members I90 are fastened to the section I90a by bolts I90b extending through the slots and threaded into the members. Each bolt has a threaded portion of less diameter than the Width of the center portion of the slot S and a head. formed of two portions of different diameters, the larger of which exceeds the diameter of the end portions of the slot and the smaller of which snugly fits in the slot end portions but exceeds the width of the slot central portion. The smaller diameter portion of the head is located in one of the circular portions of the slot depending upon the desired adjustment of the channel member. Adjustment of a channel member I90 is effected by unscrewing each bolt sufficiently for the smaller diameter head portion to move completely out of the end portion of the slot, after which the bolt, together with the channel member is moved with the bolt threaded portion passing through the narrow part of the slot to bring the smaller diameter head portion into register with the opposite end portion of the slot. The bolt is then again screwed in.

Above each column of spindles is journalled straight ticket spindle I96 having an operating handle I95. Rotatably supported on the spindle I96 is a plate I 91 which is connected by a link I98 with the angle bar I90. In the plate I91 is provided an arcuate aperture I92 through which extends a pin I92a carried by the spindle I96. A spring I93 exerts an upward pull on the bar I90 (see Patent No. 2,191,086).

In Fig. 1, the first and second column (reading from the left) are shown as set up for combined partisan and non-partisan voting in a two party election. If more than two parties participate in the election, additional columns of spindles (not shown) will be used. All the plate 59a are arranged in extended relation to the arms 59 and the upper channel member I 90' of each of the first two bars I95! is set in its extreme left position while the next lower channel member is set in its extreme right position. The upper eleven spindles in the first column are allocated to one political party while the upper eleven spindles in the second column are allocated to a second political party. The first angle bar I90 is shown in position to lock out the party spindles while the second angle bar Hill is shown in operated position to release the party spindles of the second column. umn upper channel member underlie the fingers of the arms to prevent actuation thereof while the rungs of the second column upper channel member are out of engaging relation to the fingers of the arms Eda due to the fact that the second bar its has been swung downwardly and to the right. With either arrangement of the bars iii-ii, the rungs I94 of the lower channel members iii are out of engaging relation to the arms 59 and in so far as these channel members are concerned, any of the spindles may be actuated irrespective of the position of the bars I95.

Means are provided for effecting vertical movement of the first and second vertical bars I80 between their operated and inoperated positions. Each of these bars is provided with a roller R which cooperates with surfaces on a horizontal reciprocating primary bar P. A primary bar P is provided for each political party and the number of vertical bars I90 connected to each primary bar 1? depends upon the number of candidates of each party. The bar P is provided with a plurality of horizontal surfaces 29 with an oblique surface p leading downwardly to the right from the right end of the horizontal surface 27 to a second horizontal surface p. When the roller R is riding on a surface of the primary bar P, the bar I323 is maintained in its upper or spindle-locking position. When the primary bar P is moved to bring the surface p" into underlying relation to the roller R, the roller rolls down the surface p and the bar I9!) moves Z;-

downwardly by gravity, thereby effecting rightward movement of the bar I98 into spindle-releasing position. The roller R is detachably supported by the bar tee and each bar is equipped with means for attaching the roller thereto at any one of a number of different levels corresponding to the primary bars P and each bar P is provided with as many sets of surfaces p, p and p" as there are bars I99 to permit any vertical bar to be operatively connected to any primary bar.

As is shown in the third column of Fig. 1, the mechanism just described may also be used for straight ticket voting in which event a bar we is actuated by operation of a spindle I98 and the roller R is omitted. In this column, the plates 5911 are adjusted to have their fingers extend beyond the fingers of the arms 59' in position to be engaged by the rungs I94 of a channel member IQQ arranged in its extreme left position. In the drawing, the upper channel member of the third bar 496 is shown in its extreme left position while the next lower channel member is shown in its extreme right position and the bar I90 is shown in its actuated or straight The rungs I94 of the first 001-.

ticket voting position. The upper eleven spindles are simultaneously actuated by the rungs of the upper channel member upon downward movement of the bar I952. The rungs I94 of the lower channel member ride over the upper surface of the spindle fingers during the downward movement of the bar led and have no effect on such spindles. The passing over of the spindle fingers by the rungs I94 is effected by having the dumbbellslots S inclined upwardly from left to right so that in efiecting transverse adjustment the channel member is also raised sufficiently to provide the required clearance. In its unvoted position the bar It!) is elevated suiiiciently that the links EilI li horizontally.

It is to be understood that although the plates 59a of the spindles in columns I and 2 are shown as being in extended position, the plates 5911 are not relied upon for engagement with the rungs I34 'to lock the spindles when the bar I is in elevated position. These plates may be either in retracted or their extended position without in any way affecting the operation of the mechanism. The plates We are utilized only either to lock spindles against any movement as described in said Patent No. 2,191,086, page 2, column 1, lines 35-48, or to co-operate with the rungs it when the bar I90 is used for straight ticket voting.

ix primary bars P are shown but only two are shown as connected to vertical bars I99. Any two of these bars may be connected to the first and second column bars I90 and if more than two political parties are holding primaries additional primary bars P may be connected to the additional bars 89!) (not shown) with which the machine is equipped. The machine may be set up to meet voting conditions other than specifically described. For example, one group of spindles in a column may be allocated for straight ticket voting with the remaining spindles being allocated for use in a non-partisan election by proper arrangement of the members 593 on the bar Isl). Also the members i950 may be made 7 in a number of different lengths and mounted on the bars It'll to accommodate the machine to a large number of varying conditions with respect to the number of candidates in the partisan primary and non-partisan elections.

I claim:

1. In a voting machine, a row of voter actuatable spindles, an arm fixed to each spindle, a bar parallel to said row of spindles, a ladder-like member attached to said bar for adjustment thereon between a first position and a second position differently spaced from said row of spindles, the rungs of said ladder-like member in said first position of adjustment of said member being in engaging relation to said arms and being out of engaging relation to said arms in said second position of adjustment, means supporting said bar for longitudinal movement to remove the rungs of said member, when in its first position of adjustment, out of said engaging relation to said arms, and means for effecting longitudinal movement of said bar.

2. In a voting machine, a row of voter actuable spindles, an arm fixed to each spindle, a bar parallel to said row of spindles, a pair of dumbbell slots in each bar arranged with the ends of each slot differently spaced from said row of spindles, a ladder-1ike member, a bolt extending through each slot and threaded into said ladderlike member, each bolt having a threaded portion of less diameter than the width of the central portion of said slot and having a head with portions of two difierent diameters, the smaller of which snugly fits th end portion of the slot but exceeds the Width of the center portion of the slot, whereby said ladder-like member is adjustable between a first position in which each bolt is in one end portion of its slot with the rungs of said ladder-like member in engaging relation to said arms and a second position in which each bolt is in the remaining end portion of its slot with the rungs of said ladder-like member out of engaging relation to said arms, means supporting said bar for longitudinal movement to remove the rungs of said ladder-like member, when in its first position of adjustment, out of said engaging relation to said arms, and means for efiecting movement of said bar.

RANSOM F. SHOUP'.

Images