US2550950A - Voting machine - Google Patents

Description

y 1, 1951 s. c. YOUNG 2,550,950

VOTING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS.

y 1951 s. c. YOUNG 2,550,950

VOTING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1345 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS Patented May 1, 1 951 UN I TED S TATES PATENT OFFICE VOTING MACHINE Sanford C. Young, French Creek, W. Va. Application July'2,' 1945, Serial N 0.:602319 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a voting machine, and more particularly to the compartment containing the mechanism for counting the votes and resetting the said mechanism to startin position.

Voting machines heretofore in use require varied and complicated duties on the part of the election boards and public ofiicials, including the judges and precinct workers, and. others to reset the counting devices thereon to zero, or starting position. Counting devices on the conventional type of voting machine are reset to zero separately, 01' one at a time, for which operation access to the compartment containing the counters is necessary; and, as is well known, in many instances, use of such machines encourages those in control thereof 'to commit fraud, resulting in investigations and contests over the results .of elections, and undermines the general moraleof the voting public.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a voting machine so constructed that the compartment or cabinet containing the counting devices need not be opened ;to obtain the results of an election or to reset the counting devices to zero; to provide such counter com-partment so as to be sealed, structurally, by welding, riveting, or otherwise, .and so that .movement of any part of such compartment which exposes .the dials of the counting devices to view .so that the results of an election may be determined, will, by such exposing operation, automatically lock said moving parts against any reciprocal movement to subsequently render the counting device dials invisible and lock the machine againstany operation to cast votes thereon, in such a manner that it cannot again be unlocked for the registering of votes until and unless all the .counting devices upon which votes may be registered, and the public counting device to register the number of voters using the machine, are reset to zero or starting position, and the counting device dials of all the counters upon which to register votes are again rendered invisible; to provide a counter compartment closed against all access, save one outwardly extending reset unit; to provide transparent windows through which to view the counter dials; to provide a counting mechanism have ing .a plurality of counter units; to provide for mounting such countermechanism in a cabinet which may be sealed to prevent tampering; to provide means for locking the counters for simultaneous and collective movement; to provide :a counter compartment for the counting devices of a voting machine, together with a multiple look-- ing system to insure the proper use of same,

and counter and reset mechanism, all of which may be easily formed and which is characterized by its simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, small number of parts, ease of assembly, and efiiciencyof operation.

In accomplishing these .and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved structure, the preferred :forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention with part of the housing broken away to illustrate the construction of the counter compartment housing, the lock and locking system :and the counter and resetmechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a ratchet and pawl mechanism for operating the counters.

Fig. 3 is ,a perspective view of the counter and ratchet wheel shown in disassembled relation .to the shaft p whi h the same are mounted.

Fig. 4 is a'perspective viewiof the dual disc lock which forces a reset operation after .each time the counter dials are rendered visible before the machine may again be unlocked for the .casting of votes thereon, the parts being shown in disassembled relation.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation :of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 showing position of lockingelement when counter compartment windows are open but unlockediorclosing.

Fig. 6 is a view similar :to Fig. 5, but showing position of locking .element :when counter compartment is closed.

,Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing position" of locking element after partial .move-' ment of the resetting mechanism, the compartment being :locked against closing.

Fig. .8 :is a :side view of the disc lock, with the discs assembled .on their .shaft with the spring engaged therebetween.

Referring more :in detail to the drawings:

I designates .a voting machine embodying the features of myinvention-which comprises a housing ;or ,cabinet 2, an inside transparent section or panel 3, and an inside non-transparent .slidablepanel :4. -In housin 2, I provide windows 5 through which the counting device .dials may be visible, and corresponding windows 5A in s1idable panel .4 so positioned that when panel .4 ;is lowered, the windows 5A in :said .panel 4 register with windows 5 in housing ;2, and when sliding panel .4 is :raised, windows 5A will be closed. I provide a key operated lock 6 :to lock sliding panel ,4 in raised position and an extens'ion ortlug .El-on panell itoenablethe same to be locked in lowered position in a manner here'indesired number of units may be mounted upon a single shaft II in a position to register with windows 5. I provide a gear pinion l and ratchet wheel I6, mounted upon shaft II, and an intermediate pinion l1, to transmit rotary movement of shaft II, to any number of addi-.

tional shafts H to correspond with the desired number of rows of counting devices.

Pivotally mounted on the bracket 9 of the housing 2 is an arm l8 having a notched end I}! to engage teeth 28 of ratchet wheel l6 which is rigidly secured to shaft II, to prevent reverse rotation of shaft Tension is applied to arm H! by a spring 2| havin one end secured to arm l8 and its opposite end secured to a lug 22 carried by the housing, so that end I9 of arm IE will remain in engagement with ratchet wheel IS.

The lug 1 of panel 4 is staggered so as to align with shaft H, and the conventional look when locks'the machine and vote registering mechanism against operation by means such as shown in Shoup et al., Patent No. 2,054,102 to prevent casting votes thereon, has an extension 23, and when panel 4 is lowered to open the windows 5, lug 1 will rest upon extension 23 of said lock in such a manner that said lock is retained in machine locking position preventing voting; however, when lug 1 is again raised, extension 23 will be free and operation of the lock to unlock the machine for voting will turn its point upward in a position to prevent lowering of lug 1 and panel 4 until said conventional lockis again operated to lock the machine against voting. The obvious result of this is that the machine can beunlocke'd for the casting of votes only when windows 5 are closed, and windows 5 can be. opened'only when the machine is locked against voting, as extension 23 makes this look contraventional between operating mechanism of the voting machine and panel 4.

Directly above lug 1 mounted upon shaft I provide a double disc lock, as detailed in Figs. 4,, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The purpose of this double disc lock is to force the turning of knob l2 to reset the counting devices to zero or starting position each time after panel 4 is lowered to open windows 5, beforesaid panel 4'may again be raised, or the machine unlocked for the casting'of votes thereon. This double disc lock consists of a disc '24 having a recess 25 and a disc. 26 having a recess-21 broader'than the recess 25 in disc 24, and between said discs is carried a spring 28 with a hook on eachend thereof, and 'discs"24' and 26 haVeopenings' 29 and '38, respectively, to receive the respective ends of the spring 28. I provide a yoke 3| having arms 32 and33, the end of'arm 33 being turned so as to engage a lug 34 on disc.26. Disc 24, spring 28, disc 26 and yoke 3| are mounted upon the shaft II in the order shown in disassembled relation in Fig. 4. Tension is applied to yoke 3| by a spring 35 having one end attached to arm 32. and its opposite end attached to.:.a lug'36 carried by the bracket 9, as shown' in Fig. 1. Disc 24 allows the raising of panel 4 only when its recess is in position to receive lug 1; and, likewise, disc 28 allows such operation only when its recess 21 is so positioned. Fig. 5 shows discs 24 and 26 so positioned that lug I may enter the recesses 25 and 21. Fig. 6 shows them so positioned with lug 1 in the recesses 25 and 21. Fig. 7 shows recesses 25 and 21 in the discs so positioned that lug 1 is locked out of said recesses.

Disc 24 is rigidly secured to shaft H and disc 26 is rotatably mounted upon said shaft ll; therefore when shaft II is rotated by the handle |2 to reset the counting devices to zero, disc 24 will rotate with shaft II and disc 26 will be carried along in a trailing position by action of spring 28 until the lug 34 on disc 26 engages the hooked end 34' of arm 33 of yoke 3|, as shown in Fig. 5; and this action will stop the rotationvof disc 25 just as the first part of recess 21 has reached a position that will allow lug 1 on panel 4 to enter recess 21, and as disc 24 continues to rotate to bring the recess 25 in alignment with lug 1, tension will be applied to disc 26 by spring 28. When lug 1 is raised to enter recesses 25 and 21, as shown in Fig. 6, lug 1 will contact arm 32 of yoke 3| and raise the hooked end 34' of arm 33 free from lug 34 on disc 26 and free disc 26, and the tension of spring 28, as aforesaid, will rotate disc 26 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 6 where the wall of recess 21 will engage lug 1, and at this point spring 28 will retain enough tension to further rotate disc 26 sufiiciently to bring the recess 21 past the position of alignment with lug 1 whenlug 1 is withdrawn to open windows 5, and thereby lock lug 1 in lowered position until such time as shaft II is again rotated as aforesaid. The relative positions of the recesses 25 and 21 when the spring is not under tension is shown in Fig. '7.

The construction of a voting machine having a permanently closed counter compartment, as herein described, calls for counting devices which may be collectively reset to zero, or starting position, by the operation of a single reset member extending from the counter compartment. Many plans have been developed and patented for this purpose, any one of which might be suitable for voting machines. However, I provide a reset mechanism more simple, havin fewer working parts, and, therefore, more economical for assembly in large numbers in a row, and a large number of rows, such as a voting machine wherein hundreds of counting units are required.

I mount upon the shaft any desired number of counter wheels l4 with integral ratchet 31 as shown in Fig. 3. The counter wheel I4 is provided with reset pawl 38 actuated by a spring 39, said pawl 38 being adapted to engage the longitudinal shoulder 48 on shaft so that any partial revolution which the counter wheel |'4 may have made in the tabulating process will be completed by the rotation of one revolution of shaft H, thus always bringing the indicia on counter wheel M to zero upon the completion of one revolution of shaft The conventional type actuating pawl 4| with staggered teeth 42 and spring 43 may be used to actuate wheels l4 in the tabulation process. Pawl 4| may be connected to the operating mechanism of the machine as at 44 shown herein as serving as a means of' holding a set of counter wheels l4 in position on shaft' so that they will register with windows 5. ..Mounted upon brackets 9 or egcsopuo supported by brackets 9, or in any suitable manner, I provide a spring tension pawl 45. The counter wheels 14 may be held in position on shaft H by washers or collars 45, shown in Fig. l. The end 41 of spring pawl 45- is so shaped as to curve between the teeth of ratchet 3! to serve as a centering medium for counter wheels I4, both in tabulation and in reset operations,

and may be 50 positioned in relation to actuat ing pawl 4| that the end 41 will rest in carryover recess 48, and thus, by the action of hundreds of counter wheels I4, transmit the "Zero feel to reset knob 12. All parts which are to be mounted upon shaft l-l may be placed over the end thereof as it is progressively passed through the housing walls and brackets 9 in process of assembly.

The operation of a voting machine constructedand assembled as described herein will be ap parent from the foregoing specification. However, when the last voter in anyelection has finished with the machine, an election oflicial will lock the machine against further voting by operating the conventional lock for that purpose, which will operate extension 23 of such lock. This will permit panel 4 to be lowered when lock 6 is unlocked; then the lowering of sliding panel 4 will expose the counter dials to view through Windows extension 23 will be locked by panel 4 against unlocking the machine for voting again; extension lug 1 will be withdrawn from the recesses 25 and 21 in looking discs 24 and 26, whereupon disc 26 will lock the sliding panel 4 against being raised until such time as lock [3 in reset knob I2 is unlocked, when said knob l2 may be rotated to reset counting devices to zero. The relative position of the discs 24 and 26 after partial rotation of knob I2 is illustrated in Fig. '7, and completion of the rotation will again align the recesses in the disc lock so that the sliding panel 4 may be closed to render the counting device dials invisible and lock extension 23 can now operate when machine isv unlocked for voting to lock panel 4 againstoperation, and thus a new cycle may be started. It is a forced operation all the way, and all counters will register zero when the voting at-an election begins.

It-will be obvious, from the foregoing, that I have provided an improved voting machine;

having a compartment or cabinet, in which the counting devices may be completely, structurally and permanently closed against all access, to-

gether with means to compel the counting de- 7 vices to be invisible during the vote casting period, having means to compel all counting devices to register zero at the start of voting, have provided'a multiple locking system in which each operation is interdependent upon the proper operation of the proper lock, or parts, in'the' proper order, and have provided improved counting units, simply and economically suited for assembly and operation in large numbers, and which may be collectively and simultaneously reset to zero.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A voting machine comprising, a housing including window openings and a sliding panel in thehousing for closing said openings, a transparent panel carried by said housing and covering said window openings, means locking: said panel in window closing position during. voting operations, said housing being sealed to-prevent access; to the interior" thereof, a shaft having a?- shoulder extending longitudinally thereof su pported in the housing and" rotatable in: one direction only, a plurality ofcounter units in the housing in registry with the window openings and carried by said shaft, said units being rotatableonly'in the same direction as theshaftand including a plurality of numeral wheels having ratchet wheels thereon, means supported by'said housingand engaging the ratchet wheels for consecutively advancing said numeral wheels in response to voting operations, means on the counter units engageable with the shoulder of the shaft whereby rotation of said shaft rotate the counter units to'reset same; discs having recesses in a side thereof mounted on said shaft, one of' saidi discs being fixed to the shaft, the other disc having an outwardly extending. lug thereon, means for resiliently connecting said discs whereby relative movement of said discs applies pressure tending to rotate said discs to position the recesses out of alignment,- means adapted to engage said lug when the shaft is rotated for resetting said counter units to align the recessesin the disc in a predetermined position permit ting the panels to be moved to window closing position, and means operable by movement of said panel to Window closing position for disengaging said lug and for engaging the recesses thereinout of alignment with the locking meansand said disc preventing movement of the panel until the shaft is rotated to reset the counter units.

2. In a voting machine having voting mechanism and a lock controlling operation thereof, a sealed housing enclosing the voting mechanism and having an opening covered by a-transparent panel, a sliding panel adapted to close said opening during voting operations, means operable by the voting mechanism lock for preventing. movement of the panel to uncover the opening during. voting operations, brackets carried by the housing, a shaft supported by the brackets and having one end extending through one end of said housing, said shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally'thereof', counter units in the housing and carried by said shaf-t including ratchet wheels, said counter units being advanced in response to voting operations, pawlscarried by said counter units adapted forengagement with the shoulder of said shaft for rotating the counter units to reset same, a lug on said sliding panel, discs on the shaft engaging said lug to prevent movement of the slidingpanel until the counter units have been reset, saiddiscshaving recesses for receiving the lug when the panel is moved to close the openings for'locking said shaft against rotation during voting operation,v and means. for limiting. rotation of said shaft to one complete revolution for resetting the counter units to starting position.

3; In a voting machine having voting mecha nism and a lock controlling operation thereof, a housing enclosing the voting mechanism and having an opening therein, a transparent panel closing said opening, a-sliding panel in the housing for closing said opening during voting opera tions, means operable by release of the voting mechanism lock for preventing movement of the panel to uncover the openings during voting" assessor.

operations, a shaft supported by the housing, said shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally thereof, counter units in the housing rotatably mounted on said shaft including ratchet wheels, said counter units being advanced in response to voting operations, spring tensioned pawls carried by said counter units adapted for engagement with the shoulder of said shaft for rotating the counter units to reset same, a lug on said sliding panel, and means on the shaft engaging said lug to prevent movement of the sliding panel until the counter units are reset, said means having a recess for releasing the lug when the panel is moved to close the openings for locking said shaft against rotation during voting operations.

4. In a voting machine having a voting mechanism and a lock controlling operation thereof, a-sealed housing, a plurality of counter units in said housing including ratchet wheels rigidly secured to one side thereof and adapted to be rotated in response to voting operations, a slidable panel inside of and carried by said housing, said panel having opening therein, windows in said housing aligning with the counter units,

a-transparent panel between the windows in the housing and the slidable panel, means for moving said slidable panel for positioning the openings therein out of alignment with the windows in the housing during voting operations, said movement being possible only when the counter units'are at zero, means operable by the release of the voting mechanism lock for retaining the panel in position with the openings out of alignment during voting operations and for releasing said panel for movement to make the counter units visible through said windows when the voting mechanism is locked against operation, a shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally thereof, spring tensioned means carried by said counter units for engaging the shoulder of said shaft when the shaft is rotated in one direction and permitting free movement of the Wheels in'the same direction, means carried by said shaft and said slidable panel adapted for interengagement upon movement of said slidable panel out of alignment with the windows in the housing for locking said shaft against rotation during voting operations, and means for rotating said shaft for resetting said counter units to zero upon release of said locking means.

5. In a voting machine having a voting mechanism and a lock controlling operation thereof, a sealed housing, a plurality of counter units in said housing including ratchet wheels rigidly secured thereto and adapted to be rotated by voting operations, a slidable panel inside of and carried by said housing, said, sliding panel having openings therein, windows in said housing aligning with the counter units, a transparent panel between the windows in the housing and the sliding panel, means for moving said slidable panel to position the openings therein out of alignment with the windows in the housing during voting operations, said movement being possible only when the counter units are at zero, means operable by the release of the voting mechanism lock for retaining the panel in position with the openings out of alignment during voting operations and for releasing said panel for movement to make the counter units visible through said windows when the voting mechanism is locked against operation, a shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally thereof, spring tensioned mean carried by said counter units for engaging the shoulder of said shaft for effecting rotation of the wheels when the shaft dows in the housing for locking said shaft against rotation during voting operations, means for rotating said shaft for resetting said counter units to zero upon release of said locking means, and means for preventing reverse turning of said counting units during voting operations.

6. A voting machine comprising, a housing including window openings, a sliding panel in the housing for closing said openings, means looking said panel in window closing position during voting operations, said housing being sealed to prevent access to the interior thereof, a shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally thereof supported in the housing and rotatable in one direction only, a plurality of counter units in the housing in registry with the window openings and carried by said shaft, said units being rotatable only in the same direction as the shaft and including a plurality of numeral wheels having the numerals zero to nine around their outer circumference and having ratchet wheels thereon, means supported by said housing and engaging the ratchet wheels for consecutively advancing said numeral wheels in response to voting operations, means on the counter units engageable with the shoulder of the shaft whereby rotation of said shaft rotates the counter units to reset same, discs having recesses in a side thereof mounted on said shaft, one of said discs being rigid with the shaft, the other of said discs having an outwardly extending lug thereon, means for resiliently connecting said discs whereby relative movement of said discs applies pressure tending to rotate said discs to position the recesses out of alignment, a yoke pivotally supported by said housing and operable by movement of the sliding panel, said yoke including a pair of arms, one of said arms being adapted to engage said lug on said disc when the shaft is rotated for resetting the counter units to align the recesses in the discs in a predetermined position permitting the panel to be moved to window closing position, means operable by movement of the panel to window closing position for engaging th recesse in the discs for locking said discs against rotation during voting operations, said movement of the panel operating the yoke to disengage the arm from the lug, movement of the panel to open the windows releasing said locking means from the discs whereby the resilient means rotates said other disc to move the recess therein out of alignment with the locking means and said disc preventing movement of the panel until the shaft is rotated to reset the counter units, and means for rotating the shaft for simultaneously and collectively resetting said numeral wheels to zero.

7. A voting machine comprising, a housing including window openings, a sliding panel in the housing for closing said opening, means looking said panel in window closing position during voting operations, said housing being sealed to prevent access to the interior thereof, a shaft having a shoulder extending longitudinally thereof supported in the housing and rotatable in one direction only, a plurality of counter units in the housing in registry with the Window openings and carried by said shaft and adapted to be rotated in response to voting operations,

means on the counter units engageable with the shoulder of the shaft whereby rotation of said shaft rotates the counter units to reset same, discs having recesses in a side thereof mounted on said shaft, one of said discs being fixed to the shaft, the other disc having an outwardly extending lug thereon, a spring having its respective ends engaging said disc and carried therebetween for resiliently connecting said discs whereby relative movement of said discs applies pressure tending to rotate said discs to position the recesses out of alignment, a yoke pivotally supported by said housing, said yoke including a pair of arms, one of said arms being adapted to engage said lug on said disc when resetting the counter units, means operable by movement of the panel to window closing position for engaging the recesses in the discs for locking said discs against rotation during voting operations, said movement of th panel operating the yoke to disengage the arm from the lug, movement of the panel to open the windows releasing said locking means from the discs whereby the resilient means rotates said other disc to move the recess therein out of alignment with the locking means and said disc preventing movement of the panel until the shaft is rotated to reset the counter units, and means for rotating the shaft for simultaneously and collectively resetting said numeral wheels to zero.

8. In a voting machine having a voting mechanism and a lock controlling operation thereof, a housing including window openings, a sliding panel in the housing for closing said openings, a transparent panel in said housing covering the window openings, means operable by the release of the voting mechanism lock for locking said sliding panel in window closing position during voting operations and for releasing said panel for movement to open the windows when the voting mechanism is locked against operation, said housing being sealed to prevent access to the interior thereof, a shaft having a shoulder extended longitudinally thereof supported in the housing and rotatable in one direction only, a plurality of counter units in the housing in registry with the window openings and carried by said shaft, said units being rotatable only in the same direction as the shaft and including a plurality of numeral wheels and having ratchet wheels rigidly secured to the sides of said numeral wheels, means supported by said housing and engaging the ratchet wheels for consecutively advancing said numeral wheels in response to voting operations, means on the counter units engageable with the shoulder of the shaft whereby rotation of said shaft rotates the counter units to reset same, discs having recesses in a side thereof mounted on said shaft, one of said disc being fixed to the shaft, the other disc having a lug extending outwardly from the periphery of said disc opposite said recess, means for resiliently connecting said discs whereby relative movement of said discs applies pressure tending to rotate said discs to position the recesses out of alignment, a yoke pivotally supported by said housing, said yoke including a pair of arms, one of said arms being adapted to engage said lug when the shaft is rotated for resetting said counter units, means operable by movement of said panel to window closing position for engaging the recesses in the discs for locking said discs against rotation during voting operations, said movement of the panel operating the yoke to disengage the arm from the lug, movement of the panel to open the windows releasing said locking means from the discs whereby the resilient means rotates said other disc to move the recess therein out of alignment with the locking means and said disc preventing movement of the panel until the shaft is rotated to reset the counter units, and means for rotating the shaft for simultaneously and collectively resetting said numeral wheels to zero.

SANFORD C. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ,566,628 Stosick Dec. 22, 1925 2,054,102 Shoup et al Sept. 15, 19 36 2,140,336 Shoup Dec. 13, 1938 2,216,458 Shoup Oct. 1, 1940 2,271,958 Shoup Feb. 3, 1942 2,272,417 Marvel Feb. 10, 1942

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