US3000554A - shoup - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1961 I R. F. SHOUP 3,000,554

VOTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FAA/$0M E SHOUP I gzww Sept. 19, 1961 R. F. SHOUP 3,000,554

VOTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. AMA $0M f Alf/00,

R. F. SHOUP VOTING MACHINE Sept. 19, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 10, 1957 INVENTOR.

FAA/50M f. JV/OUP BY 2 i W AlTafiA fz Sept. 19, 1961 R. F. SHOUP 3,000,554

VOTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 REPUBLICAN JOHN SMITH III] TOM BROWN DAN BLACK B03 WHITE B KE; El El-l:l

HARRY WEBB TOM GREEN III BILL JONES EDWARD DOE I:

INVENTOR. 164 11 50/ 4 x? Jf/OZ/P United States Patent O 3,000,554 VOTING MACHINE Ransom F. Shoup, Bryn Mawr, Pa., assignor to The Shoup Voting Machine Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 10, 1957, Ser. No. 658,445 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-54) My invention relates to a voting machine of the type disclosed in prior Shoup Patent No. 2,054,102 of Sep tember 15, 1936, and in my Patent No. 2,826,350, issued March 11, 1958, entitled Voting Machine Having Primary Far]: Voting Mechanism and Enforced Vote Casting Interoc s.

Voting machines of the type shown in Patent No. 2,05 4,- 102, are provided with vertical columns of vote counters and actuating means which the voters can selectively manipulate to record their votes, either for individuals or for parties.

In order to hide the vote counters until the voting is completed and the election oflicers are ready to take off the totals, shutters are provided. These shutters are movable to, and are locked in, a lower, vote counter covering position during the voting and are movable to, and locked 1n, anupper, vote counter exposing position after the voting is completed. In order to prevent fraudulent voting, and as set forth in my Patent No. 2,826,350 aforesaid, the means for moving and for locking the shutters is so arranged that, when the shutters are moved to vote counter exposingposition, the voting machine is locked in the sense that no vote can be cast, and vice versa.

The voting machine to which the present invention relates also includes individual paper ballots which bear the names of the candidates to be voted on and which are placed in close association with the voting columns assigned to such candidates. These paper ballots are placed in front of the above mentioned shutters and are protected by individual glass plates which cover the paper ballots and the associated vote counters. These glass ballot covers must be securely locked in position while the voting is in progress to prevent tampering with the parts and they must be'removable at the end of the voting to permit removal of the paper ballots and resetting of the machine for use during a subsequent election.

One object of the present invention is to produce improved means for facilitating the insertion of the ballot cover plates into ballot protecting position, for locking them in said position, and for permitting removal of the covers at the close of the voting. 1 V

A still further object of the invention is to produce improved means for locking the ballot covers in ballot covering position whereby they cannot be removed unless the voting machine itself is first locked to prevent casting additional votes and to prevent tampering with the vote already cast and recorded.

A still further object is to accomplish the foregoing objects by a simple, inexpensive mechanism and with minimum interference with the structure and operation of the machine.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing only such parts of the voting machine disclosed in my co-pending application aforesaid as are necessary for understanding of the present invention, said parts being shown in the position they assume when the voting machine is open or available for use by the voters.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view looking in the direction of line 22 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view looking in the direction of 1ine3-3 on FIG. 1.

Patented Sept. 19, 1961 FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view looking in the direction of line 4-4 on FIG. 1 or on FIG. 2, showing the position of the parts when the ballot covers are locked in ballot covering position.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but showing the parts in the position in which the ballot covers may be removed.

FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view showing details of construction of the ballot covers locking and releasing mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 77 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is an enlargement of the bracketed portion near the top of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a portion of one of the paper ballots.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the lower left hand portion of FIG. 1 showing the position of the parts when the voting machine is locked.

In order to restrict the present disclosure to the ballot covers locking and releasing mechanism, and in order not to encumber the application with a large number of drawings, only so much of the structure of the voting machine is shown as is absolutely necessary to bring out the relation between the ballot covers locking and releasing mechanism and the mechanism which locks and opens the voting machine itself. In describing the presesnt disclosure, limited reference will be had to my Patents 2,054,102 and 2,862,350.

In FIGS. 3, 4, 9 and 10 of my Patent 2,826,350 I show shutters 68 which are carried by a plate 70 which is connected for vertical and lateral movement relative to the upper wall 74 of a Z-shaped member which forms no part of the present invention. It is enough to say that, by the structure described in said Patent No. 2,826,350, the shutters are moved to a lower vote counter covering position or to an upper vote counter exposing position. In FIGS. 5, 6 and 11 of my said Patent No. 2,826,350, I show a plunger54 whichis normally biased to the right by a spring 58, but which can be moved to the left against the action of said spring and the arrangement is such that, when plunger 54 is in its right hand position, the shutters are in, or can be moved to, vote counter covering position and the voting machine is open, or can be used. Con versely, when plunger 54 is moved to the left so that enlarged boss 60 thereof engages opening 62 in plate 64 and end 52 thereof engages opening 50 in angle 30, the shutters are, or can be moved to their upper vote counter exposing position, and the voting machine is locked. The complete structure of these parts and the manner in which they operate is fully set forth in my said Patent No. 2,826,350, and, in order to identify these parts in the present disclosure with those in the Patent No. 2,826,350, they are designated by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of the present invention, it isenough to say that, when plunger 54 is moved to the left, the voting machine is locked and cannot be used.

The voting machine includes individual paper ballots 90, one of which is placed over each voting column, and each of which is protected by 'an individual transparent plate 92. Each ballot carries the names of the candidates to be voted on and each ballot has holes 93, through which X, or some other symbol, appears when a vote is cast for a candidate and a larger opening 94 through which the total number of votes cast for said candidate can be read at the close of the voting.

As will be seen from FIG. 3 of the present disclosure, the lower end of each ballot cover 92 is confined between fixed rollers 94 and 96 which prevent lateral movement of the cover. But, as will also be seen from FIG. 3, if the ballot cover 92 is moved upwardly until its bottom edge 97 clears rollers 94 and 96, the cover can be moved horizontally to the right or to the left, until one of its vertical edges E abuts the right or left vertical columns of shafts 98 which carry voting keys 100. This permits the right, or the left, hand edge of the ballot cover to clear the opposite, overhanging edge102 of adjacent metal strip 104. For example, and as bestshown in'FIG. 7, "movementof a ballot cover 92. to theleft, allows the right. hand edge E thereof to clear the overhanging left hand edge 102 of the metal strip to the rightand vice versa. a

I provide a locking mechanism Whichis Op rable-(0.1 1event upward movement of the ballot glass coverf92 aslong as the machine is open, or available for use, by the voters,

said locking mechanism'being also operable to permit upr ward movement of said ballot covers and, hence, their removal from'the machine only when'the votingnrachine is locked and no votes canbe cast, L' a As bestshown in FIGS; 4, 5, 6 and 8, the mechanism referred to includes an upper, elongated plate 112, an intermediate elongated plate 114 and a Z-shaped member formed of vertical wall 116, horizontal wall 118 and pendantwall 120. Wall 120 of theZ-shaped member forms'no part of the invention and will not be further re ferred to. V s

Asbest shown in FIG. 6, upper plate 112 is provided withlongitudinal slots 122and angular slots 124; intermediate plate 114 is provided with transverse slots 126 andwith pins 12,8, and wall 118 of the Z-shaped member:

is provided with pins 130. When the parts are assembled in superimposed relation, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 8, pins 128 engage slots 124 and pins 130 engage slots 126- and 122. [From this arrangement it follows that if plate 112 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6, plate 114 will be moved in the direction of arrows 132 and 133 or from the position of FIG. 4 inwhich the front edge 115 of plate 114 overlies the upper edges 91 ofthe ballot covers 92, to theposi-tion of FIG. in which plate 114 is retracted until its rear edge 1 17 abuts vertical wall 116 of the Z-shaped member and itsfront edge 115 is out of registration with the upper edges 91 ofthe ballot covers. In this position of plate 114, the ballot covers can be moved upwardly in FIG. 3 until their lower edges 97 clear rollers 94 and 96 for the purpose aboveset forth.

In order to move plate 112 and, hence, plate 114, to,

the position of FIGL'4 oro'f'FIG. 5, I provide plate 112 with a" pin 134,- the rear end' 135 of'which projects through a guide slot136 which-is formed in plate 138. Plate 138 is fixedly carried byashaft1'4'0 whichisjournalled in the frame of the machine and the square endof'which is attached to be engagedby may, not shown, whereby the plate may be rotated about the axis of said shaft. By inspection of FIGS. 2 and 4 it can be seen that, if plate 138 is rotated in counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 2, plate 112 will moveto the left as viewed in FIGS.

4, 5 and6 and vice versa In order to prevent rotation of plate 138, except when the voting machineis locked, I provide a vertical bar 141' which has a pin 142 which projects through a slot 144 in plate 138 movably to connectbar 141 to the plate 138.

Bar'141'is guided in its vertical movement by pins 146 which are carried by the frame of themachine and which engage slots148formed lathe-bar. At its lower end,

bar 141 is provided with a lateral extension 150 which has an opening 152 adapted to be engaged by the right hand end of boss60 of plunger 54 whenever'said plunger is in its extreme right hand'position' as viewed in FIG. 1. As

previously stated, in this position of plunger 54, the voting machine is open, but because boss 60 engages opening 152, -bar :141 cannot bexmovedi upwardly and, therefore,

plate'138 cannot h e-rotated and plates 112 and 114 cannot be moved from the position'ofFlG f4 to'the position of FIG. 5. Since, in this position of the parts, the front edge 115 of the plate 114 overlies the upper, edges 91 of the ballot covers 92, it follows that the ballot covers cannot be raised and, therefore, they cannot be. removed from the voting machine. Conversely, when plunger 54 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1,,boss 60 will en- 4i gage opening 62 in plate 64 and its end 52 will engage opening 50 in angle 30 to lock the voting machine. But, this movement of plunger 54 disengages the right hand end of boss 60 from opening 152 in extension 150 of bar 141 and permits upward movement of bar 141 to permit counterclockwise rotation of plate 138 and movement of plate 114 from the position of FIG. 4 to'the position of FIG. 5 in the manner above set forth. It will also be noted that, unless extension 150 is in its lower position, opening 152 therein will be out of registration with boss 60 and therefore plunger 54 cannot be moved to the right to unlock the voting machine until plate 138 is rotated inclockwise direction in FIG'. 2,and--plates .112 and'114 are restoredtothe position of FIG. '4 in which theballot covers 92 are locked in position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention is carried out by merely adding plates 112 and 114 .and their adjuncts; by adding bar 141, plate 138 and their ad juncts and by interlocking bar 141 .and hence, plate 138 with plunger 54 which locks and unlocks the voting machine.

' 'What I claim is:

1. In a voting machine of the type which includes a column of voting counters, a first locking mechanism movable to a first position in which said voting machine is locked against use and to a second position in which said voting machine is released for use, a removable, transparent cover for said column, .a second locking mechanism movable to a first position in which it engages said cover and prevents removal thereof and to a second position in which it is out of engagement with said cover and permits removal thereof, and means operatively connecting said firstrand second locking mechanisms and operative toprevent movement of said second locking mechanism to its second position unless said first locking mechanism has been moved to its first position, said means ineluding a plunger carried by, said first locking mechanism and an apertured member carried by said second locking mechanism and engageable with said plunger when said first locking mechanism ,is moved to its second position to prevent movement of said second locking mechanism to its second position and vice versa. s

' 2. In a voting machine of the type which includes a front wall, a column of vote counters carried by said front wall, a first rigid member disposed'to one side of said column with its central portion abutting said front wall and its marginal portions spaced from said front wall, a second, identical, rigid member similarly related to said front 'wall but disposed to the other side of said column, a transparent cover for saidcolumn, the width of said cover being greater thanthe distance between the juxtaposed edges of said members but less than the distance between the central portions whereby, when said coveris centered between said rigid members, its opposite vertical edges will underlie the corresponding marginal portions of said rigid member's, and whereby lateral movement of said cover in the direction of the central portion of one of said members will permit the opposite'vertioal {edge of said cover to clear the corresponding edge of-the other of said rigid members to permit removal of saidcover.

3.' The structure recited in claim 2 and 'stop ssriu gly engaging the opposite vertical edges of said cover near one end thereof, to prevent lateral movement of said cover unless said cover is moved in the direction of its longitudinal axis until said one end thereof clearssaid stops. 4.1 In a voting machine of the type which includes a front wall, a column of vote counters carried by said front wall, a first rigid member disposed to one side-of said column with its central; portion abutting said. wall with its marginalportions spaced from said wall, .-a.second;.

tral portions of said members whereby, when said cover is centered relative to said members its opposite vertical edges will underlie the corresponding marginal portions of said rigid member, and whereby lateral movement of said cover in the direction of the central portion of one of said members will permit the opposite vertical edge of said cover to clear the corresponding edge of the other of said rigid members to permit removal of said cover, stops snugly engaging the opposite vertical edges of the lower end of said cover to prevent lateral movement thereof unless said cover is moved upwardly until its lower end clears said stops, and locking means movable to a first position to prevent upward movement of said cover and to a second position to permit upward movement of said cover.

5. The structure recited in claim 4 and a locking mechanism movable to a first position in which said vote counters are locked, and to a second position in which said vote counters are released, and means operatively connecting said locking mechanism to said locking means 20 2,054,102

6 whereby said locking means cannot be moved to its second position until said locking mechanism has been moved to its first position, and vice versa.

6. The structure recited in claim 5 in which said locking means includes a bar, which in the first position of said locking means, overlies the upper edge of the cover and which, in the second of said locking means is out of alignment with the upper edge of said cover, a locking mechanism movable to a first position in which said vote counters are locked and to a second position in which said vote counters are released, actuating means for moving said bar to either of its positions, and means interconnecting said actuating means and said locking mechanism to prevent movement of said actuating means until said locking mechanism is moved to its first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Shoup et a1. Sept. 15, 1936

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