US3011708A

US3011708A - Reset unit for voting machines

Info

Publication number: US3011708A
Application number: US617135A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard A Reed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-10-19
Filing date: 1956-10-19
Publication date: 1961-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 H. A. REED RESET UNIT FOR VOTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1956 9M 9M R m n X z A m m Cm mm M 7 k N t 1 v E. V a p 0 W 5 a H u 5 M i 6 2 H z W m 3 E M a W #3 w W 9 62.104 5- U2C|O 4 A 1 w l E 0 5 d1 United States Patent 3,011,708 RESET UNIT FOR VOTING MACHINES Howard A. Reed, 1801 Shaftshury Road, Dayton, Ohio Filed Oct. 19, 1956, Ser. No. 617,135 3 Claims. (61. 235-444) This invention relates to a reset unit for voting machines or the like and, more particularly, provides improved apparatus facilitating and expediting the simultaneous reset of all counters on an automatic voting machine in a quick and positive manner.

Following election activities it is essential that each voting machine employed must have each of the numerous counters therein returned to its zero position in anticipation of further use of the machine. The practice has been to provide a reset tool with each voting machine which consists only of a thin wooden board or the like having a narrow operating edge. In accordance with the prior art, the custodian of the machine removes the back plate of the voting machine to expose the counter wheels therein. He then takes the board in his hand and places the operating edge thereof against one or more counter wheels at a time and repeatedly rubs the operating edge of the board downwardly relative thereto to rotate them in reverse until the counters on which he is operating are returned to a zero position. This procedure must be repeated a great number of times on an average voting machine to return each individual counter to a zero condition. Often one or more of the counters are not fully returned to zero, resulting in inaccuracies in the machines readings.

The present invention was developed to eliminate all this time consuming and laborious procedure required in resetting voting machines in accordance with the prior art. The voting machine manufactured by the Automatic Voting Machine Corporation of Jamestown, New York is illustrative of the prior art unit to which the invention apparatus can be applied. The apparatus afforded by the invention includes a plate which can be installed on the back of the voting machine covering the counter-mechanisms therein. Parallel rows of free wheeling operating discs are mounted in this plate and arranged in accordance with the number and arrangement of the counter wheels in the voting machine to which it is to be applied. On installation of the invention apparatus on the back of a voting machine these operating discs will respectively engage the counter Wheels therein. Means are provided to drive these discs in simultaneous fashion so that all of the counter wheels in the voting machine are simultaneously operated on, and returned to a zero position. Friction clutch means are provided to permit the discs to free wheel upon returning the respective engaged counter wheels to their zero positions while other wheels are being returned to zero. The invention accordingly saves a considerable amount of labor, while being more accurate and dependable in use.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation reset units forvoting machines, whereby such units may. not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efiicient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair. I

' Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reset apparatus for voting machines and the like which will simultaneously operate on and return all counter elements therein to a zero position.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved reset apparatus particularly applicable. to voting machines which may be installed on the back thereof so as to simultaneously operate frictionally on the counter wheels therein and simultaneously return the counter wheels to a zero position.

3,011,708 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved reset unit for voting machines incorporating parallel rows of free wheeling plastic discs which are driven through clutch mechanisms simultaneously, the discs operating simultaneously on the counter wheels of the voting machines to return them to a zero position in a single application of the reset unit to the voting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic reset unit for voting machines and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reset unit for a voting machine possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 illustrates a section of the reset unit for voting machines as provided by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the section shown in 1G. 1 shown in application to the counters of a voting machine, the counters being illustrated in schematic fashmm;

FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of the clutch cap employed in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the counter drive elements provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the element of FIG. 5 taken on lines 66 thereof.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The invention can best be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a section of the unit constituting the subject invention. Since the entire unit of the preferred embodiment of the invention provides merely an extension and duplication of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further expanded illustration thereof would not appear to be necessary.

Thereset unit consists of apparatus mounted on a rectangular plate 1 having flange elements 2 projecting perpendicularly therefrom about the periphery thereof. The mounting plate is thus adapted to be mounted on the back of a voting machine and to be placed adjacent to the counter wheels of the machine. Parallel bar or plate members 3 are arranged vertically of the plate 1 on one face thereof to project perpendicularly therefrom. Each of the bar members 3 has spaced rectangular base plates projecting laterally therefrom in identical fashion to overliethe plate 1 in abutment thereto and be fixed thereto by welding or other connecting means. The bar memhere 3 are thus rigidly established in their parallel relation to project from the cover plate lin its mounted position.

Each of the bar or plate members Shave similarly spaced apertures therein. Respective apertures of the plates 3 are transversely aligned to rotatably accommodate shafts 5 transversely of the plate 1. The shafts are thus mounted in transverse parallel fashion, spaced vertically of the cover plate 1 so as to have their respective extremities projecting from the vertical plate elements 3 adjacent the lateral extremities of the cover plate.

. ing brackets 7 are mounted to the cover plate adjacent these projecting extremities of the shafts in vertical spaced relation. A main drive shaft 9' extends through and is supported in these bearing brackets 7. Bevel gears 10 are keyed to the main drive shaft 9 at spaced positions thereon to respectively mesh with a bevel gear 6 on a projecting end of a shaft 5 transversely of the cover plate. A motor 11 is mounted on the cover plate 1 between the upper pair of parallel drive shafts 5. The

motor drive shaft 12 projects therefrom to a point adjacent the main drive shaft 9 and has a bevel gear 6 on the outer extremity thereof which is keyed thereto and engaged in meshing relation to a bevel gear 10 keyed to .the main drive shaft 9. Thus, on energization of the motor 11 by any suitable means, the main drive shaft 9 is driven through the

bevel gears

6 and 10, and the transverse shafts 5 are thus simultaneously driven through the bevel gears 10 on the main drive shaft.

Mounted about the shafts 5 intermediate each successive pair of spaced plates 3 are free wheelingdiscelements 14. Each of the shafts 5 are provided with a flat thereon extending longitudinally thereof. The discs 14 each comprise of a cylindrical metal sleeve 15 defining the inner periphery thereof. The outer periphery of the wheel-14 consists of a layer of rubberlike plastic 16 while the intermediate portion of the disc 14 between the outer layer and the inner sleeve 15 consists of a hard plastic annular section 17. I

Sleeves 18 are provided about the shafts 5 to be respectively interposed between one face of each of the discs 14 and the adjacent face of a plate member: 3 to alford spacer sleeves thereby. A metal cap or washer 19 having a flatted aperture similar in configuration to the configuration of the cross-section of the fiatted shafts 5.

This engagement is the reason for the section 17 being formed of a hard plastic material. the spacer sleeves 18'are of the same dimension as the cylindrical elements 15 of the disc 14 to afford a firm bearing relation between the end faces thereof. The disc- It is also noted that elements 14 are thus balanced between the sleeves 18 and the associated clutch caps 19;

In the operation of the apparatus, it, is generally necessary'only to remove the back cover plate of a voting machine and substitute the cover plate 1 therefor. The discs Mare so arranged on the cover plate 1 that they will respectively engage a counter wheel of a counter unit mounted in the voting machine in the processof applying the cover plate L This, is illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. As thernotor 11 is energized the main. shaft 9 will be driven to simultaneously drive the shafts 5.. Due to the normal clutching relation of the caps 19, as elfected by the coil springs 29, to the respective discs 14, the discs are maintained in bearing relationto the respectivesp'acer sleeves 18. Since each of thecaps 19"are connected by their mounting to the shafts 5, 'adi'rect power-drive of each of the discs 14 is effected andthesoft plastic peripherythereof'wil'l respectively cause the rotation of the engaged counter wheels of the counter units in. the voting machine to rapidliyreverse them to their respective zero positions. In the eventfthat an engaged counter unit shall zero dur-' 'ing' this operation the' cap clutch will slip relative the engaged disc 14 which disc will free wheel relative the shaft 5 to whichit is mounted. In this way no damage initiated. The slip clutcharrangement of the caps 19 and discs 14 affords a safety feature, the advantages of which have been pointed out. The composition of the disc 14 insures a long life and efiicient operation thereof due to the fact that its clutching surface is relatively hard while its operating surface is relatively soft.

While the invention has been particularly described with reference to application to the counter units of voting machines, it may be readily applied to any apparatus affording banks of recording or tabulating mechanisms which can be similarly operated on for reset thereof.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its ad vantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect. 7 Y n Having thus described my 'invention,'I claim;

1. A unit to be substituted as a temporary back on voting and like machines to returnthe numeral wheels to a starting position, including a plate constructed for mounting on a voting machine and having exterior and interior sides withrespect to its mounting on the machine, power means mounted on said plate, a plurality of shafts on the exterior side of said plate, means establishing a rotary driving connection from said power means to said shafts, a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart numeral wheel engageable discs relatively rotatably mounted on each of said. shafts, said discs extending through said plate to project to and beyond the interior side thereof, bar members on said plate extending transversely between said discs and having said shafts passed there-' through,.an antifriction spacer sleeve on one side of each of said discs, a clutch member on the other side of each of, said discs connected to a respective shaft for unison rotary and relative longitudinal'motion, and compression spring means urging said clutch member against the disc, an assembly comprisinga disc, spacer sleeve, clutch memher and spring means being interposed between an adjahaving shafts rotatably mounted thereon, a common drive meansfor said shafts mounted to said plate, wheel-elementsmounted to saidshafts at spaced intervals so as to ,be confined against axial movement .relative'thereto, said wheel elements being rotatable relative said shafts, each of said wheel elements having a central section of hard plastic and a periphery of soft rubber like plastic, springbiased cup-shaped clutch elements'about said shafts respectively adjacent each of said wheel elements and biased to normally frictionally engage said wheel elements, said cup-shaped clutch elements being connected to said shafts for rotation therewith with their open faces in engaged relation to the relatively hard central sections of each adjacent wheel element whereby, on simultaneous application of said wheel elements in operative engagement to the counter elements of the voting machine to which it is applied and energization of said common drive means, all of said wheel elements will be frictionally driven to return said counter elements to zero position in substantially simultaneous fashion and, on each of said counter elements being returned, said Wheel elements will free Wheel on said shafts.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,683 Williams Jan. 20, 1914