US28339A - Ballot-box - Google Patents

Description

To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES GILBERT L. BAILEY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BALLOT-BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 28,339, dated May Be it known that I, GILBERT L. BAILEY, of l Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ballot-Boxes, by which the votes of a deliberative assembly or of an association are registered asfast as they are given; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and-exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box with the cover standing open. Fig. 2 shows aplan, and Fig. 3 an elevation, of the operating mechanism. v

The same letters have reference to like parts. I

The nature of my invention consists in providing a box withsuitable mechanism, which being operated by the hand of the voter, or of the person holding the same, causes the number of votes yes l or no to be plainly indicated to the person carrying or holding the box.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct my box of any convenient form and of a size varying according to the number which the mechanism to be contained therein is calculated to register, which number may also vary from ten to one thousand or more.

The box Bis made of wood usually, but may be made. of other substances, and has a cover or lid N openine; on the top. Directly beneath this lid isa thin partitionXof metal dropped slightly below the top of the box and dividing the space inside horizontally. The operating mechanism consists of a vertical spindle S, carrying a dial 0 and a ratchetwheel L, the latter placed under the former, having its hearing at the top end in partition X and its lower end in the bottom of the box. Dial O has ten figures, including a cipher, placed at equal distances apart near its periphery. Another dial I, which may be larger, is placed opposite dial 0 in juxtaposition to it, and is supported on pin I, which has a head on the under side of partition X and is kept in position by a spring ll prcssi'ng on'said head. This spring also serves to prevent the too free revolution of dial P. Dial P carries onits surface near the periphery and equidistant from one another numbers from one to ten, twenty, thirty, inclusive, or more, according as the box is intended to register 100, 200, 300, or more, and between the first and last number is a blank space as large as that occupied by any one number. This blank space, when you commence to ballot, is exactly opposite the cipher on dial 0, and both are seen through an aperture in partition X, while all other parts of the dials are covered by said partition, as in Fig. 1. Dial P has gear-teeth projecting from its under side in numbercorresponding with the numbers and space on the top side. Dial O has a single spur F on its under side, so placed as to take into the teeth on dial P once in every revolution, and moves P just the distancethatits numbers areapart. Thus starting at blank and-cipher, when 0 has made one complete revolution, P will exhibit the figure 1 through the aperture, which, in connection with the cipher on O, which will then be in sight, will read 10, and at the next movement of 0 its figure 1 will be brought opposite that on P and will read 11, while at the next complete revolution of O, P will be made to exhibit the figure 2, and in connection with the cipher on O, which will again be in view, will read 20, and so to any number desired, includin g, of course, all intermediate numbers. By this arrangement the single numbers on each dial are so combined by the united action of the dials as to make double numbers when such numbers are desired.

Dial O is rotated by means of the slide or pull E, which carries pawl A, which takes on ratchet-wheel L. Pull E projects through the front'part of the box l3, and is furnished with a knob II, by which it is drawn out to a stop provided on the inside a sufficient distance to bring a number on O in view, and when let go is returned by a spring T, also on the inside the box. A light spring also keeps pawl A in contact with the ratchet-wheel, and the return of pull E carries the hooked end of the pawl beyond the teeth in the ratchet wheel, so that by means of the nut I) on the top end of spindle S dial 0 may be turned back to commence a new ballot. Spindle S volve in an" Opposite direction.

.eause a sound to be given from thebell at every pull of E, by which any person attempting to vote twice is easily detected. The strik: i-ng hammer 2 is hinged to the bottom of the box, andis-kept in position by a stop and spring.

A narroiwstrip of metal 13 is also hinged tothe bottom of the box, extending lengthwise from pull ,1) to the striking-hammer,

against which it rests-in a vertical position.

A pin projects from the side of. pull E,.-which, when said pull is let go, after having been drawn out, comesin contact with one end of the strip of metal 3, causing it to press back the hammer, andthus the bell is-struck upon Y its inner side.

There are two sets of the above-described mechanism, with the exception of the bell and hammer, contained in one box, one set to record the yeas and the other the hays,"

the internal parts of only one of which are shown in Figs. 2 and The other, whichisprecisely like the one described, is placed near the opposite end of the box, and for convenience iirplacing the pulls If is made to re- The two sets are entirely separate from. one another in their operation.

.Onone of the knobs 'l ,.or near it on thebox, is placed the monosyllable Yes," and on the other X0, and the same are placed near the corresponding apertures in partition'..\', so that a person pulling the knob marked 5 Yes will have his vote registered yes, and vice versa.

I am aware that slides to be pushed in, or keys similar to piano-forte keys, maybe substituted for the pulls; but I prefer the latter.

Some of the advantages of this improvement are, first, a great saving of time both in taking a vote and in announcingithc result,

and, seeondl y, the accuracy with which a vote can be determined, and the ready means of detecting a fraudulent-rota by the alarmbell.

I am aware that a patent was issued to one Joseph A; Hill, dated August 6, 1850, for an improvement in ballot-boxes, in which the number of votes was registered by means of a tape printed with numerals, operated by pedals which were to betrodden on by the per 'son coming up to vote, and I do'not wish to be understood as claiming any device or combi* nation specified in said Ilills patent as my invention.

I do not claim itself-registering ballot-box as new oras of my invention, neither dol claim any of the parts herein described as new in themselves;- but,

Ila-ring described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.l. The employment of dials O and P, with their numerals and blank space operating in conjunction,substantially as and torthe purpose set forth.

2. The employment of dials 0 audP, as and for the purpose set forth,-in combination with ratchet-wheel L, pawl A, and pull E, or their equivalents.

Ih'lhe combination and use of the aboveclaimed dials, ratchet-wheel, pawl, and pull,

operating" as described, with alarm-bell C, for

the purpose set forth.

at. The combination and use of the aboveelaimed dials, ratchet-wheel, pawl, and'pull,

whether wit-h or without alarnrbell G, with any suitable box, substantially as described.

5. The combination and use of an alarmbell with a self-registering ballot-box.

(5. The combination and use of two sets of registering mechanism with one ballot-box, operating substantially as and for the purpose herein setforth.

GILBERT L. BAILEY.

W'itnesses:

W. F. MASON, E. K. BOOIHBY.

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