US440547A - Mechanical ballot and ballot-holder - Google Patents

Description

- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

l K. DeUeAN. MECHANICAL BALLOT AND BALLOT HOLDER.

1Y0/440,54?. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

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(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

K. DOUGAN. MECHANICAL BALLOT AND. BALLOT HOLDER.

No. 440,547. y Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

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KENNEDY DOUGAN, OF MISSOULA, MONTANA.

MECHANICAL BALLOT AND BALLOT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,547', dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed January 9, 1890. Serial Nol 336,372. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNEDY DOUGAN, of Missoula, in the county of Missoula and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Mechanical Ballots and Ballot-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mechanical ballots and ballot-holders; and its object is to provide a mechanical ballot which is provided with endwisemoving plates, rods, or slides, which are moved endwise by means of direct power applied thereto in any suitable manner, and which slides, rods, or plat-es correspond in number to the greatest number of candidates to be voted for, and which ballot may either be purely amechanical one to be mechanically registered in a suitable inachine prepared therefor, or which may also, While being a mechanical ballot-holder, contain a paper ballot, which can be used afterward to verify the count of the vote-recordin g machine.

Figure l is a plan View of a ballot which embodies my invention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the ballot open. Fig. i is a detail view of one of the catches for holding the plates, rods, or slides in position whether forced in or out. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a machine in which the votes are registered.

A represents a suitable frame, which may be made of either metal or wood, and which is provided with a handle B at one end. This frame A is divided into two parts, the lowerl one C being secured rigidly to the handle B and having no movement of its own, while the upper one D is hinged to the'handle at its inner end and can be opened or closed, so as to receive paper ballots, should it be desired to use them in connection with this mechanical ballot for the purpose of verifying the count of the mechanical vote-registering machine. This lower portion of the ballot or frame C is made just sutliciently deep to receive a paper or other ballot, which will be held in position so that it can have no movement whatever after the upper portion D is closed down upon it. If it is not desired to use a paper or other ballot in connection with this mechanical one, the upper portion D will be closed and kept so, as there will be no necessit-y for moving it.

Upon the top of the upper portion D will be marked, printed, written, 0r painted the names of the different candidates to be voted for, and under each name there is formed a recess in the under side of the top portion D to receive an endwise-moving plate, slide, or rod F, which is only intended to be moved in either direction when direct pressure is applied to one of its ends for that purpose. 0 pposite either the outer or inner end of each of these plates, slides, or rods is an opening G, through which the tapering needle, rod, or other device H is to be forced when the plate or slide under or opposite the name of the candidate to be voted for is to be moved. As shown, the outer end of each of the plates or slides F is beveled and rounded or notched out above and below, so as to allow the point of the needle or punch H to pass freely down or up past it, as shown in Fig. 2. As the punch is forced down or up through the plate, a plate or slide F is forced backward into the position shown in Fig. 2, where the plate or slide is automatically locked, so as to prevent any possibility of the vote being tampered with. If a paper ballot is placed inside of the mechanical ballot, it will be perforated each time the needle is forced through one of the perforations G. It is immaterial whether these perforations are arranged at the out-er or inner ends of the slides or plates, for this is a mere matter of choice.

Pivoted in the upper portion atany suitable points are the two locking-plates I, which have springs J applied to their outer free edges for the purpose of holding these plates Iforccd downward, so as to be ready to lock the plates or slides F either in or out. In the under side of each of the plates I is formed a groove K, which extends from one end of the plate to the other and in which groove catch the notched edges of the plates, slides, or rods F for the purpose of locking them in position after they have been moved end- IOO wise. The innersurface ofthe plate I is beveled away from each edge of the groove II, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the notched ends of the slide or plates F and the operating-rods L will raise the plates I against the pressure of the springs J, which are preferably applied to opposite ends. As each plate or slide F is forced backward by means of the needle or punch H, its inner end raises the lockingplate I until it slips into the groove K, and then the plate I holds the plate or slide F, so that it cannot be tampered with from the outside. Placed in or upon this top portion D are the two rods L, which are loosely connected to the upper portion D by means of the links N, as shown. These rods L have through the links N both an endwise and a forward and backward movement for the purpose of being moved toward or away from the ends of the slides or plates F. The rods L can only be moved back by the slides F, which are forced against them by the perforating-instrument lvl in its passage through the ballot, and rods L can only be moved out against the inner ends of the slides F by the projection Q, which is automatically locked in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l by the spring-catch Q in Figs. l and 2, and is unlocked before being placed in the vote-recording machine by the person operating it.

The object of automatically locking the projection Q is to prevent a voter with fraudulent or mischievous intent from operating it to throw the slides F forward so as to conceal perforations made in the paper ballot. Tere this projection Q not locked,a voter could perforate the paper ballot and then throw the slides F over the perforations, so that the votereeording machine would record no Votes on that ballot, thus causing the paper ballots, if counted after the closing of the polls, to show more votes than would be shown by the recording-machine.

When the judge or inspector of election unlocks the projection Q, the rods L can be moved outward so as to return all of the plates or slides F which have been moved back to theirnormalposition. Each one of these rods L is provided with a projection O,and placed inside of the upper portion D is a plate or slide P, which is provided with a projection Q, which extends any suitable distance above the top of the part D so as to engage with and be operated by the catch R in Fig. 5, of any suitable kind, placed inside of the voterecording machine for the purpose of moving the slide toward the outer end of the ballot or frameAas the frameorballot is drawn eutot the vote-recording machine. The movement of this slide P toward the outer end of the frame or ballot causes the rods L to be moved endwise and toward the ends of the plates or slides F, so as to move them back to their normal position as the ballot is withdrawn from the vote-recording machine, and thus destroy the mechanical ballot. If this mechanical ballot were inspected immediately after being withdrawn from the v0te-record ing machine, it would show nothing to indicate how the voter had voted.

Placed upon the top of the part D and bottom of the part C, either along their outer edges or near the centers, as may be pre ferred, are the perforated movable slides R, and which have an opening corresponding to each name of the candidate to be voted for. These slides R may either be moved endwise by means of a spring, which is applied to their inner ends, or they may be connected to the two portions C D by means of links S, as may be preferred. These slides R are moved simultaneously by means of a spring actuated thumb-piece T, which is connected at each oit its ends to the slides R.

When the voter wishes to vote for any one or more candidates,he moves thespring-actuated thumbepiece T so as to move the slides R. If the slides R are made to move endwise, they are provided with perforations to correspond with the perforations G; but if slides are used which are connected by means ot' the linksSthe slides are not provided with perfor-ations, but simply cover the perforations G for the purpose of hiding the vote.

When a voter wishes to vote lor any one or more candidates, he operates the spring-actuated thumb-piece T so as to force the slides R from over the perforations G, and then he forces the needle or punch Il through the perforation G opposite the names of the candidates for whom he wishes to vote. "When he releases the thumb-piece T, the slides R move back over the perforation G, so as to hide the vote from the judges or inspectors ot election, who have to take the ballot and insertit in the vote-recording machine for the purpose of having the vote registered.

Upon the slides R, near their ends, are formed suitable projections U, which strike against corresponding rods G inside oi the vote-recording machine, and thus cause the slides R to move from over and under the pertoratious G, and thus allow the verticallymoving rods in the voterecording machine to pass through the perforations to record the vote.

From the above it will be seen that a purely mechanical ballot is formed and which, when inserted into the vote-recording machine, allows the vote for every different candidate to be registered. XVhere no vote has been given for any of the candidates, the plates or slides F have not been moved so as to uncover the perforations G, and hence no verticallyfmoving rods in the vote-recording machine can pass through the perforations G, because they are covered by the ends of the plates or slides F. In case a voter is not able to read or to make out the names of the dierent candidates he has but to apply to the judges or inspectors oi' election for information as to where the names of the diiferent ones are located upon the ballot, and then he moves the IOO IIO

slide R, so as to expose all of the perforations G, and then forces the needle or punch through the perforations opposite the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote. There will be any desired number of these ballots at each voting precinct, so that any number of voters can be secretly preparing their bal lots at the same time, and after a voter has prepared his ballot the slides R cover the perforations G, so that the judges of election -cannot see who have been voted for as the ballot is handed to them to be inserted into the vote-recording machine.

In order to prevent t-he necessity of the illiterate voters having to call upon the judges or inspectors of election for information, the different political parties may use different colors to indicate their various candidates, and thus an illiterate voter wishing to vote for the candidates of any one party has but to follow the color of that party to do so.

If it is not desired to use the slides or plates F, small endwise-moving rods will be used, and which will be inserted through opposite edges of the ballot or frame A, and which by being forced inward or drawn outward will expose the corresponding perforations G or form openings, through which the verticallymoving rods of the vote-recording machine will pass.

Each one of the mechanical ballots will be sufficiently long to allow the names of all of the candidates nominated to be placed upon it, and opposite each candidates name will be a perforation G, as already described. The bottom of the lower portion of the frame or ballot is composed of open-work, and when a printed ballot .is to be voted it is placed face downward in this lower portion of the frame or ballot, so that by turning the frame or mechanical ballot over the printed names upon the paper can be'seen. The voter then perforates the printed ballot by thrusting the needle through the perforations G from this lower side. As shown, the perforated slides R under the lower side of the ballot correspond to those upon the upper side, and the pairs of slides are connected so as to4 move simultaneously and cover the perforations both above and below the ballot, so that no one can see for whom the voter has voted should the ballot be turned upside down. The lower slides are connected at their inner ends by the cross-bar S', and connected to this bar S is a turned-up rod T, which extends through an opening in the handle and connects with the thumb-piece. Vhen the thumb-piece is drawn backward to operate the slides upon the top of the ballot, the slides underneath are operated at the Sametime. When the thumb-piece is moved, all of the perforations are uncovered or covered at the same time. When the thumb-piece is forced forward by its spring, the upper portion of the ballot can be freely raised, as shown in Fig. 3; but when the thumb-piece is drawn backward the upper slides R extend across the hinge, and

hence this upper part will be locked in place while the openings are uncovered for the purpose of allowing the needle to be forced through them. If so desired, a lock may be applied to this ballot, so as to lock this upper portion down in place after the ballot has once been inserted.

In Fig. 5 is shown a machine in which this mechanical ballot and ballot-holder are used. ln this machine are a number of verticallymoving rods C', which correspond in number to the perforations G, so that when the mechanical ballot and ballot-holder are inserted into the machine through a suitable slot or slots prepared therefor, and when the rods C are allowed to drop or descend from their own gravity when the crank-shaft D is operated, those rods C which are above those perforations G through which the needle has been thrust will pass through the mechanical ballot, as shown, for the purpose of operating corresponding registering mechanisms, while those rods which are just above the holes G through which the needle has not been thrust remain up, as shown. Those rods which do not pass through strike on the tops of the ends of the plates F, which cover the perforations, and hence can descend no farther. If a blank or printed ballot is to be voted, there will be no necessity for using the plates F; but the concealing-slides R will be used. Vhere the ballot has not been perforated, the rods C will rest upon its top, while those rods above the perforations will pass through. No recording mechanisms and no complete vote-recording machine are here shown, because they form subjects of other applications, and hence need not be more fully described in this application.

When the mechanical ballot or ballot-holder is forced into the machine, as shown in Fig. 5, the projections U strike against rods G before the ballot is fully inserted, and then the continued movement of the ballot causes these projections U to force the concealingslides R backward and sidewise into the position shown in dotted lines, as shown in Fig. l, thus exposing all of the perforations G. When the crank-shaft D is turned, after the rods C G have been allowed to descend for the purpose of recording the vote, they will all be raised to their full height when the crank is turned up, and when the rods G are raised from in front of the projections U the spring-actuated thumb-piece T instantly returns the concealing-slides R to position over the perforations G, so that if the crank is again operated the rods will only descend upon the tops of the slides R and projections U, and thus no vote can be recorded more than once withoutfirst withdrawing the ballot and ballot-holder from the machine to a greater or less distance, and this would require preconcerted fraud upon the parts of the judges or inspectors of election.

The slot in the end of the machine is sufficiently wide to allow the mechanical ballot or IOO IIO

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ballot-holder to have a slight vertical movement. WVhen the ballot is inserted into the machine, the projection Q strikes against the latch or strip and raises it; but when the ballot is being withdrawn this projection Q strikes the inner side ot' the stop or latch, and as the outward movement of the ballot continues the slide P is moved, through its projections Q, sufiiciently far to draw the end- Wise-movin g rods or slides L endwise and sidewise, so as to force all of the slides F back into position over the projections G, and thus leave the ballot in position, ready for another voter.

Each of the perforations G in the ballot, and each of the rods C in the machine are given a corresponding number, so that when any one of the rods operates a registering mechanism it is at once known for whom the votes were cast when the election is over and the vote-recording machine is opened.

Should any one voter wish to vote for any person whose name does not appear upon the ballot, he can have the judges of election write that name upon all of the ballots, and hence every vote cast for this person will be duly recorded.

For the purpose of inserting names of: all candidates forwhom voters may wish to vote and who were nominated on the day of election or after the ballots were all prepared, there areleft blank spaces upon the ballot, and in which spaces the names of these candidates can be written.

In order to count the blank perforated ballots which have been cast at an election for any purpose, each paper ballot has two perforations forced through it by pointed rods placed in the machine for this purpose, and which rods also operate registering mechanisms of their own for the purpose of counting the whole number of ballots cast. These two punched holes serve as a starting-point in counting the votes for the different candidates. In counting the ballots the blank perforated pieces of paper are laid alongside of. the mechanical ballot or ballot-holder, andthe perforations in the paper ballot will then correspond with the names upon the mechanical ballot in which the ballot was when it was perforated.

For the purpose of making absolutely sure in regard to the accurate count of the ballots cast, the ballot-holder will be passed into two separate ballot-recording machines, and if both of these machines tally it will be seen that the count is absolutely correct. If two machines are used, the catch R in Fig. 5 maybe left otl" of the first machine. There are no slides used in connection with the two holes or perforations which are used as startingpoints in counting the votes for the different candidates, as above described, and through which the perforating-rods in the vote-recording machine are made to pass.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A mechanical ballot or ballot-holder having a series ot' perforations, in combination with a corresponding series of slides for covering the perforations, and a needle or rod for forcing the ends of the slides back from over the perforations, substantially as specified.

2. A mechanical ballot or ballot-holder having a series of perforations, in combination with a corresponding series of slides, a needle or rod for moving the slides endwise away from the perforations, and movable rods for moving the slides back over the perforations, substantially as shown.

3. A mechanical ballot or ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations, in combination with a corresponding series of slides for covering the perforations, a needle or rod for forcing the slides away from the perforations, movable rodsfor returning the slides to position, anda slide for engaging the rods and moving them as the ballot is withdrawn from the vote-recording machine, substantially as described.

4. rlhe combination, in a mechanical ballotl or ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations, of a pin or rod for passing through said perforations, concealing-slides for exposing or concealing the perforations, and an automatically-acting thumb-piece connected tothe slides, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a mechanical ballot or ballot-holder provided with a series of perfoi-ations, and automatically-acting slides for covering the perforations and provided with projections U, with a vote-recording machine provided with vertically-moving rods G for engaging with the projections and moving the slides l'rom over the perforations, substantially as shown.

G. The combination of a mechanical ballot or ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations, slides for covering the perforations, locking-plates for holding the slides when moved back, sliding rods for raising the locking-plates and moving the slides back over the perforations, and a needle or rod for passing through the perforations, substantially as described.

7. The combination ol' the mechanical ballot or ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations, slides for covering the perforations, locking-plates for holding the slides when moved back, sliding rods for operating both the locking-plates and the slides, the slide P, provided with a projection Q,a voterecording machine provided with verticallymoving rods for passing through the perforations, and a catch to engage with the projection Q, as the ballot is withdrawn, substantially as specified.

8, The combination, in a mechanical ballot or ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations, of the concealing-slides applied to both sides of the ballot, suitable connections for causing them all to move simultaneously, and a spring-actuated thu mb-piece for operating them, substantially as shown.

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- perforations and adapted to receive an im-` perforate ballot, whereby the ballot is perfoiated through the said perforations, substantially as described.

l0. A ballot-holder provided with a series of perforations and spaces for the names of candidates opposite the said perforations, the said holder adapted to receive an iinperforate ballot, whereby the ballot can be perforated through the said perforations, substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination, with a ballot-holder provided with perforations and adapted to receive an imperforate ballot, of an imperforate ballot placed in the said holder and provided with spaces for the names of candidates opposite the said perforations in the holder, whereby the ballot can be perforated through the said perforations in the ballotholder and opposite the said names, substantially as set forth.

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l2. A ballot-holder provided with perforations and formed of two parts, whereby it is adapted to receive an imperforate ballot, and whereby the ballot can be perforated through the said perforations, substantially as specified.

13. A ballot-holder composed of two parts and adapted to receive an imperforate ballot betweenthem, each part of the said holder being provided with perforations, whereby the ballot can be perforated through` the said perforations from either side of the ballotholder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

K. DOUGrAN.

Witnesses:

F. A. LEHMANN, J. M. NEsBrr.

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