US3125288A

US3125288A - lockard

Info

Publication number: US3125288A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-17

Description

March 17, 1964 J. F. LocKARD 3,125,238

GUIDE DEVICE FOR VOTING MACHINES REPuLlcAN REPUBLICAN INVENTOR.

A rra/W99.

March 17, 1964 J. F. LocKARD 3,125,288

GUIDE DEVICE FOR VOTING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 las PUBLICA INVENTOR. Juif/f f. 0c/n4 ,Pa

March 17, 1964 J', F, LOCKARD 3,125,288

GUIDE DEVICE FOR VOTING MACHINES Filed June 23, 1958 3 Sheecs-Sheei'l 3 nEMocRA 3 x 20 2 INVENToR.

JmL-PH f.' 0c/(Aw United States Patent() 3,125,2s8 GUIDE DEVICE FR VOTING MACHINES .Ioseph F. Loclrard, 4427 Convent Lane, Philadelphia 14, Pa. Filed .Iune 23, 1958, Ser. No. 743,917

6 Claims. (Cl. 23S-51) The invention relates to guide devices for voting machines, and more particularly to guide devices of the type used individually by voters for selecting predetermined candidates.

Heretofore, devices have been provided which have been locked or fixed with the voting machine during an entire voting day or election, for the purpose of preventing the actuation of the levers by any of the Voters. Such devices condition the voting machine for certain modes of operation, and in no manner aid the voter in selecting predetermined candidates according to his choice.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which may be utilized by individual voters for indicating and selecting predetermined candidates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which may readily be modified for selecting predetermined candidates according to the desires of an individual before its use in connection with a voting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which when used in connection with the voting machine allows the operator to actuate certain levers, and prevents the actuation of other predetermined levers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which may be associated with the selector levers on voting machines for indicating in a readily visible manner certain preselected levers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which may be associated with a voting machine for automatically actuating predetermined ones of its selector levers while leaving the other levers in their original positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which may readily be adapted for use in connection with various types of voting machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved guide device for voting machines which is simple in construction, is easily manufactured, and is low in cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guide device for voting machines which may be carried by the voter to the voting machine, and used in association with the voting machine for selecting predetermined ones of the votingr levers, and then removed by the voter after making his selections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guide device for voting machines of a standard type which may readily be modified in accordance with instructions for use during particular elections to vote for predetermined candidates especially for use in connection with the voting machine to vote for predetermined selected candidates.

The above objects as well as many other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a guide device for voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the selecting levers of a voting machine. The elongated portion of the member is provided with a plurality of openings for receiving the ends of the levers of the voting machine, with predetermined ones of the openings being enlarged with respect to the other openings of the member. This allows 3,125,288 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 lCe the actuation of certain of the levers while preventing actuation of other levers.

The guide device may also comprise simply the elongated portion for being positioned proximate the selecting levers of the voting machine and indicating means such as arrow indicators positioned along the member proximate the levers of the voting machine. The device may further have an indexing means for positioning and aligning the guide device with respect to the voting machine to insure proper indication and selection of the voting levers.

The guide device for voting machines in another form may comprise a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the selecting levers of the voting machine, the longitudinal edges of the elongated portion being provided with vertical ange portions at predetermined locations for preventing the actuation of certain of the voting levers. The member may also have an indexing means for aligning the elongated portion with the voting machine for proper positioning of the vertical flange portions with the selecting levers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious when the following specification is read in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a guide device for voting machines embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating the device of FIGURE 1 as applied to a Voting machine,

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of a modified form of a guide device shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the application of the device of FIGURE 3 to a voting machine,

FIGURE 5 is a plan View illustrating a modiiied form of the device shown in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view showing the application of the device of FIGURE 5 to a voting machine,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a guide device similar to that shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view illustrating the application of the device shown in FIGURE 7 to a vertical type voting machine,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device shown in FIGURE 7, and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view illustrating the application of the device of FIGURE 9 to a voting machine.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Refer to the FIGURES 1 and 2 which show a guide device 10 for voting machines embodying the invention. The guide device 10 comprises a unitary member 12 which may be made of plastic sheet material. The member 12 has an elongated portion 14 with

longitudinal edges

16 and 18 and an indexing means 2i) at one end of the elongated portion 14. The indexing portion 20 may be provided with oppositely extending

ends

22, 24 for aligning the elongated portion 14 of the device 10 with the selecting levers oi a voting machine.

The elongated portion 14 of the member 12 is provided with a plurality 'of arrow indicating means 28 at selected locations proximate the upper and lower

longitudinal edges

16, 18.

In use, the guide member for voting machines is prepared by the user in advance to its use in conjunction with the voting machine. The voter positions the arrow indicators 28 at selected locations along the

longitudinal edges

16, 18 of the device 10 corresponding to predetermined levers or choices to be made in the voting operation. The devices 10 may be made up in advance by persons supporting certain candidates and distributed to voters who might desire to vote for such candidates, or may be preset by the individual voters from information published in newspapers, or otherwise, prior to the election. The positions of the various levers may also be indicated by numerals 30 to assist in preparing the guide device prior to its use in connection with the voting machine.

In using the device 10, it may be positioned between the rows of

levers

32, 34 of a voting machine 36 as shown in FIGURE 2. The indexing means 20 assists in aligning the device on the machine in connection with the

levers

32, 34 by being positioned on the extreme left adjacent the initial levers 38. With the guide in this position, the voter may now readily actuate the

levers

32, 34 indicated by the pointer means 28 completing the voting operation in a rapid and accurate manner. The guide device 10 may now easily be moved from its position between the

levers

32, 34 of the voting machine and removed by the voter when he leaves the voting area. Thus, the secrecy of the ballot is maintained and the machine itself is not altered in any way by the action of the individual voter. The subsequent voters may use similar guide means 10 with corresponding selected levers indicated thereon for voting in the manner which they have selected.

The guide device for voting machines, in many cases, is a necessity, to avoid confusion, because of the increased complexity of the voting machines and various candidates and questions which are determined during elections. In many instances, the voter entering the voting booth is confused and votes for candidates which he had not intended to vote for, and fails to vote for other candidates which he desires. This is especially true during primary elections, as well as when a ticket is to be split rather than voted straight. Because of the difficulty of individually selecting candidates at the voting location many voters vote straight tickets by pulling the master levers such as levers 40 rather than individually selecting the candidates voted for and thus also voting for candidates which were not desired, while failing to vote for candidates which are desired. The guide device 10 for voting machines herein provided, allows the candidates to be selected when confusion can be minimized prior to entering the voting booth, making the actual voting operation one which would be carried out with eiciency and with a minimum of delay and error.

Refer now to FIGURES 3 and 4 which disclose a` guide device 42 for voting machines comprising an elongated member 44 which may be made of plastic or other suitable sheet material. The member 44 is provided at one end with a pair of indexing arrows 46 for aligning the device in connection with the voting machine 36. The member 44 has longitudinal upper and

lower edges

48, 50, and ends 52, 54. A first row of spaced openings 56 is provided along the edge 48 of the member 44 while a second row of spaced openings 58 lies parallel to the lower edge 50 of the device 42. Score marks 60 encompass each of the

openings

56, 58 for allowing the enlargement of these openings such as the enlarged openings at 62.

With the arrow indicators 46 of the device 42 in alignment with similar arrow indicators 64 of the voting machine 36, the device 42 may be positioned with its openings 56 and S8 respectively receiving the handle ends 66 of the rows of

levers

32 and 34 as shown in FIGURE 4. Those openings which have an enlarged form 62 permit their levers to be actuated as shown at 68, while the

other openings

56, 58 of reduced size prevent the actuation of their respective selecting

levers

32, 34.

The device 42 when positioned over the handles 66 of the voting levers 32, 34 prevents the-actuation of the selecting levers which have not been previously selected for actuation, while allowing the other levers to be actuated.

In order to provide a standard guide device 42 which may be altered to correspond to the desires of the voter, score marks 60 are provided allowing the enlarged openings 62 to be provided by punching out the selected openings.

The FIGURES 7 and 8 disclose the use of the device 10 in connection with the vertical type of voting machine 70 having the voting levers arranged in vertical banks. In this case, the elongated portion 14 of the guide device 10 depends between the vertical rows of

levers

72, 74. The indexing means 20 of the device 10 has its extending

portions

22, 24 positioned above the top selecting levers 76 for properly aligning the arrow indicators 28 with the

appropriate levers

72, 74. Thus the device 10 is readily adapted for use in connection with the vertical type voting machines 70 in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with the voting machine 36 of FIGURE 2.

The FIGURES 9 and 10 disclose a guide device 78 which is a modification of the device 10. The device 78 may similarly be made of a plastic material and has an elongated portion 80 with longitudinal lianges 82 and 84 along its right and left

longitudinal edges

85, 86. The

anges

82, 84 are provided with scorings along the lines 88 providing the

flanges

82, 84 with a plurality of tab portions 90. The scorings 88 allow selected ones of the tabs 90 to be readily removed while the other tabs remain in their original positions extending from

respective edges

85, 86 of the elongated portion 80 of the device 78. The member 80 may be provided with arrow indicators 92 adjacent the tab portions 90 which are removed. The numerals 94 may be used to identify the tabs and the selecting levers of the voting machines associated with them;

The FIGURE 10 discloses the device 78 in position on the voting machine 70 having parallel vertical banks of selecting

levers

72, 74. It is noted that where the tabs 90 have been removed the

levers

72, 74 which are proximate these positions may be actuated by rotation in the counterclockwise direction. Such actuation however is prevented in the presence of a tab 90 proximate .one

ofthe selecting levers

72, 74 of the voting machine 70. For example, the presence of the tab 90 proximate the lever 93 of the right bank of levers 72, prevents rotation of this lever by engaging its extended end 94. Similarly lever 96 of the left bank levers 74 is prevented from rotation by its proximate tab 90 which engages the bottomv end 98 of the lever 96.

Thus, by use of the guide device 78 in position on and in connection with the voting machine 70, certain of the levers which may be indicated by the pointing means 92 may be actuated by rotation in the ordinary manner, While others of the levers are prevented from actuation. This provides a positive method for preventing erroneous casting of votes, while indicating those levers which should be actuated to accomplish the desired results.

The scorings 88 allow the device 78 to be provided in blank form which may be modied by removing certain of the tabs 90 corresponding to those levers which are to be actuated, while leaving the other tabs 90to prevent actuation of the remaning selector levers 72, 74 of the voting machine 70. Thus the device is seen to have all of the advantages stated in connection with the device 42.

The FIGURE 5 discloses a guide device 100 whichis in many respects similar in structure to that of the device 42; The device 100 comprises an elongated member 102 which may be made of plastic or other suitable sheet material. The device is also provided with parallel rows of spaced

openings

104, 106 proximate its

longitudinal edges

108, 110. Scorings 112 are associated with each of the

openings

104, 106 for providing an enlarged opening 114 when the enclosed material is punched out. It is noted that the device 100 differs from the guide device 42 in that the enlarged openings 114 extend the

openings

104, 106 toward the upper right direction rather than toward the lower left direction as in the device 42. The device 100 may also be provided with a handle portion 116 which extends perpendicular to the front of the device 100 at its lower edge 110.

In application the device 100 is positioned in connection with a voting machine 36 to receive the handles 66 through

respective openings

104, 106 of the device 100 as shown in FIGURE 6. As noted, certain selected ones of the

openings

104, 106 have been enlarged to form openings 114. In order to cast the desired and selected ballot, the guide member 100 is actuated by pulling downward and to the left on the extending handle 116. When this is done the

levers

32, 34 of the upper and lower rows which have their handles 66 received through the

openings

104, 106 which have not been enlarged are actuated, While the

levers

32, 34 which have their handles 66 received through the enlarged openings 114 are not actuated. The dashed line at 120 shows the relative position within the opening 114 of the handle 66 of a lever 32 which is not actuated by the device 100. It is noted that the opening 114 is sufficiently large to provide a clearance for the handle 66 of the

levers

32, 34 which are not to be actuated by the device.

The device 100 provides a means for setting and predetermining the candidates which are to be voted and allows the application of a guide device to the levers of the voting machine, which with one actuation by the voter automatically and by one action casts the ballot for the desired candidates.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may find wide application with appropriate modication to meet the individual design circumstances, but without substantial departure from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A personal guide device to be carried by a voter for use with voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the pivotal selecting levers of a voting machine, the elongated portion of said member being provided with a plurality of openings for respectively receiving therethrough the ends of said levers, predetermined ones of said openings being enlarged with respect to the other openings of said member allowing the movement Within the enlarged openings of the respective ends of the levers received therethrough while the ends or the levers respectively received through the unenlarged openings are restricted in movement with respect to said elongated portion.

2. The guide device of claim 1 in which said member includes a handle means.

3. A personal guide device to be carried by a voter for use with voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the pivotal selecting levers of a voting machine, the elongated portion of said member being provided with a plurality of openings for respectively receiving therethrough the ends of said levers and scorings adjacent said openings for enlarging selected ones of the openings of said member for allowing the movement within the enlarged openings of the respective ends of the levers received therethrough while the ends of the levers respectively received through the unenlarged openings are restricted in movement with respect to said elongated portion.

4. A personal guide device to be carried by a voter for use with voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the pivotal selecting levers of a voting machine, the elongated portion of said member being provided with a plurality of openings for respectively receiving therethrough the ends of said levers, predetermined ones of said openings being enlarged with respect to the other openings of said member for allowing the movement within the enlarged openings of the respective ends of the levers received therethrough while the ends of the levers respectively received through the unenlarged openings are restricted in movement with respect to said elongated portion, and indexing means for aligning the elongated portion or" said member with said selecting levers.

5. A guide device for voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the pivotal selecting levers of a voting machine, the elongated portion of said member being provided with a plurality of openings for respectively receiving therethrough the ends of said levers and scorings adjacent said openings for enlarging selected ones of the openings of said member for allowing the movement within the enlarged openings of the respective ends of the levers received therethrough while the ends of the levers respectively received through the unenlarged openings are restricted in movement with respect to said elongated portion, said member being provided with pointer indexing means for aligning the elongated portion of said member with said selecting levers.

6. A guide device for voting machines comprising a member with an elongated portion for being positioned proximate the pivotal selecting levers of a voting machine, the elongated portion of said member being provided with a plurality of openings for respectively receiving therethrough the ends of said levers, predetermined ones of said openings being enlarged with respect to the other openings of said member for allowing the movement within the enlarged openings of the respective ends of the levers received therethrough. while the ends of the levers respectively received through the unenlarged openings are restricted in movement with respect to` said elongated portion, and indexing means for aligning the elongated portion of said member with said selecting levers, said member including a handle means for moving said device with respect to said machine to simultaneously pivotally actuate said levers having their ends received through the unenlarged openings of said device while leaving unaffected the levers which have their ends received through said enlarged openings.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 411,142 Gathright Sept. 17, 1889 717,297 Spelling Dec. 30, 1902 1,123,439 Walstad et al. Jan. 5, 1915 1,127,953 Barrett Feb. 9, 1915 1,363,885 Lausterer Dec. 28, 1920 1,725,844 Barnes Aug. 27, 1929 2,052,442 Black Aug. 25, 1936 2,091,590 Gustavson Aug. 31, 1937 2,130,967 Ross Sept. 20, 1938 2,303,018 Bucklin Nov. 24, 1942 2,424,613 Gustavson July 29, 1947 2,537,778 McCormick `luly 9, 1951 2,677,285 Volk May 4, 1954 2,824,479 De Rosa Feb. 25, 1958

Claims

1. A PERSONAL GUIDE DEVICE TO BE CARRIED BY A VOTER FOR USE WITH VOTING MACHINES COMPRISING A MEMBER WITH AN ELONGATED PORTION FOR BEING POSITIONED PROXIMATE THE PIVOTAL SELECTING LEVERS OF A VOTING MACHINE, THE ELONGATED PORTION OF SAID MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS FOR RESPECTIVELY RECEIVING THERETHROUGH THE ENDS OF SAID LEVERS, PREDETERMINED ONES OF SAID OPENINGS BEING ENLARGED WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OPENINGS OF SAID MEMBER ALLOWING THE MOVEMENT WITHIN THE ENLARGED OPENINGS OF THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE LEVERS RECEIVED THERETHROUGH WHILE THE ENDS OF THE LEVERS RESPECTIVELY RECEIVED THROUGH THE UNENLARGED OPENINGS ARE RESTRICTED IN MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID ELONGATED PORTION.