US502743A - Balloting device - Google Patents

Description

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J. MGTAMMANY. BALLOTING DEVICE.

No. 502,743. Patented Aug. 8, 189.3.

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J. MOTAMMANY. BALLOTING DEVICE.

No. 502,743. Patentedl Aug. 8, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCTAMMANY, OF SPENCER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BALLOTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,743, dated August 8, 1893.

Serial No. 448,011. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN MCTAMMANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county of IVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes or Balloting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the followin g to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The chief object of this invention is to dispense with the necessity of distributing ballots and thereby avoid not only the expense of their production in great quantities but also the incidental risk of irregular and fraudulent voting.

The said improvement is intended more especially for use with the Australian system of voting, so called, which has now been adopted in many States of the Union; but it may be used in or with other systems or methods also.

To effect the above object I make use of only one ballot or series of ballots for each booth or voting place, representing the candidates and especial questions on which a vote is to be taken and arrange the same in line with slots which are over a belt of paper or other material adapted to be marked on, in order that the voter may apply his pencil or other marker to said material through the said slots by way of indicating his vote.

My invention consists in the combination of the slotted plate or piece with the ballots thus arranged and means for feeding the tally sheet or material to be marked on; also in devices whereby this feeding is effected whenever a voter removes the cover of the ballot box, as he must do before voting; and finally in certain additional improvements in construction and combination hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l represents a plan view of a ballot box or balloting machine embodying my invention, the cover having been removed. Fig. 2 represents a detail perspective view of the said cover and the devices attached thereto taken from below. Fig. 3 representsaverticallongitudinal section through the said box on the line xof Fig. 1. Fig. 4c represents a transverse vertical section of the same on the line y--y of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 represents a part of the tally sheet.

A designates the exterior casing of the body of the boX, or balloting machine provided on top at the sides with guide-ways a a for a sliding cover B.

C designates a stout open metallic frame within the said casing, which serves for the attachment and support of the mechanism. The top of this frame is provided with a series of parallel transverse tables or platforms D extending across from front to rear, with narrow intervals CZ between them. These tables or platforms correspond in position and size to the ballots E which are glued or otherwise fastened to athin metallic strip or plate F which rests on the said tables or platforms and covers the interior of the frame. In the narrow spaces between the said ballots and over the openings d this plate is provided with short slots f, one of these being arranged opposite the name of each candidate or each question and answer. These slots may be arranged in line and opposite the ballot of an entire party-ticket so that a stroke of the pencil will vote for all the candidates of that party at once if desired; or they may be arranged in two alternating lines to compel an individual choice for each candidate, in which case the corresponding ballot ticket or list will give the candidates of all parties not classified politically. rlhe former plan is preferred in New York for example; the latter in Massachusetts. Both are illustrated in Fig. l, `the former in the two right-hand ballots and rows of slots, the latter in the left-hand ones.

The arrangement of the slots in the stag- 'l gered left hand rows is new in this art and has the advantage of increasing the difficulty of detecting the individual voter. When the straight rows are used it is possible to identify a mans vote, by counting voters as they go in and afterward counting the rows of marks on the sheet. But the staggered rows will confuse any such calculator.

G designates a tally-sheet which is attached at its ends to rolls G G2 journaled in said frame, and passes from thelatter to the former, that is to say, from left to right being guided in its course by rolls g g arranged alternatelyin the upper and the lower part of the frame, so that it has as a whole a zigzag line IOO ' too long and cumbrous.

of travel, securing greater space for impressions than would be possible if the travel were in a direct line. Each of the upper rolls g turns in one of the openings d and immediately under a line of slots f, so that the paper of the tally sheet is held against the plate F under the said slots, although allowed to move freely. The lower rolls g', in co-operation with the upper rolls g determine the parts or lengths of the tally-sheet which shall respectively receive the votes corresponding to the several lists and the sheet is thus in effect divided into several portions, each appropriated to the voting on one list. In each instance the interval is that between two of the upper rolls, measured not directly but by the path of the sheet, and the intervening lower roll g of course determines this path. There would not. be room enough if it followed a straight line unless the machine were made To provide for feeding the said sheet, the winding` roll G is provided with two ratchet wheels H, engaged by pawls Ithat are carried by arms .I pivoted to the frame C. These pawls are connected by a rod or bar K extending across the frame and having a perforated guide block L attached to it near the middle, which slides up and down on a fixed Verticalguide rod and bracing rod M. A replacing spring m surrounds this rod and bears up against this guide block. A horizontal lever N is pivoted in the rear part of the top of the said frame, and provided with a downwardly facing cam fn whichbears on the said block, also with an upwardly facing cam N', arranged to be struck by a pivoted trip O having the form of a bell-crank lever attached to the said sliding cover. A stud on the latterprevents the said trip from turning beyond a certain point when the cover is moved back to open the ballot box. But when the cover is drawn forward the said trip turns without depressing the cam N or lever N.

P designates a bell or gong attached tothe frame C and arranged to be struck by the hammer q on a hammer lever Q which is pivoted at one end to the said frame. This lever has on its upper face or edge a dog Q', constructed with a beveled face, which is in position to be struck by the teeth of one of the ratchet-wheels aforesaid. Every impulse thus given forces the said hammer away from the said bell, against the resistance of a spring R attached to the said lever and to the frame C. NVhen the ratchet tooth passes the dog, the spring is free to exert its tension and ring the bell. It is obvious that by this construction an alarm will be sounded only when the tally-sheet is fed. A bell operated directly by the cover would not effect this result.

Opposite two of the lists of candidates arranged under the names of their respective parties and in close proximity to the lines of slots f are beads, ribs or raised guides T which serve to direct the voters pencil along the said lines in voting a straight ticket.

There is one of these guides to each line of slots.

The plate or inner cover F is fastened to the frame only by screws f so that it may easily be removed for access to the interior of the balloting machine. This machine is set, as usual with ballot boxes under the Australian system, on a desk or support within a booth S.

The operation is as follows: Each voter when lie enters the booth, slides back the cover of the balloting machine before voting; and thus, through the connections stated, advances the tally-sheet a distance corresponding to one ratchet tooth, presenting thereby a fresh portion of the sheet under each row of slots, to be marked on. The same action, rings the bell through the connections described. lle then marks with his pencil, or otherwise, on the said sheet through the slots which he chooses to indicate his vote. After his withdrawal, the cover is drawn back to `its former position either by himself or by an attendant.

In referring to the materials used for the different parts and devices, I do not wish to exclude any others of suitable nature. Of course the construction may also be varied in other 'ways without departing from my invention.

A blank sheet may be used to receive the marks which are made through the slots; but it is preferable to employ a tally-sheet such as that shown, in part, in Fig. 5, headed and ruled to exhibit at a glance the votes for each candidate for each office. Nothing more is necessary than to count the marks in each column and set down the totals.

I-Iaviug thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

l. In voting' mechanism, a fixed part provided with a list of candidates and having slots arranged opposite these names, but not in a continuous line with each other, in order that the voters marks made through them on the tally sheet may be at different points longitudinally of the latter, to prevent detection of voters substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a tally sheet and means for automatically feeding the same, a slotted plate above the said sheet, having its slots arranged in two or more rows, but not in a continuous line with each other in order that the voters marks made through them on the tally sheet may be at different points longitudinally of the latter and corresponding in position to the names of the candidates on two or more lists, and supporting rolls over which the said tally-sheet passes in a zigzag path, one of these rolls being arranged under each row of slots substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a tally-sheet and its winding and rewinding rolls, a fixed part of the machine above the said sheet, having slots arranged in two or more rows but not in a continuous line with each other in order IOO IIO

that the voters marks made through them on the tally sheet may be at different points longitudinally of the latter and corresponding to the names of the candidates on two or more lists, rolls over which the said sheet passes in a zigzag path, one roll being under each row of slots, a movable cover and feeding devices between the said cover and winding roll, in order that the moving of the cover may operate the said roll substantially as set forth.

4. In a balloting machine, the combination of the tally-sheet and its winding and unwinding rolls and feeding devices, with upper rolls arranged to support the said sheet in position to be written on from above, lower rolls arranged to divide the sheet into portions corresponding to the lists of candidates, a fixed plate above said sheet, having slots arranged in two or more rows, but not in a continuous line with each other, in order that the voters marks made through them on the tally-sheet may be at different points longitudinally of the latter, and mechanism for actuating the feeding devices arranged to be operated by the voter before he can vote substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with a ballot-box having its top provided with lists of candidates and series of slots individually corresponding thereto, a tally-sheet running under the said slots, a winding roll for the said sheet, ratchet-wheel or ratchet-wheels on the said winding roll one or more pawls acting on the said ratchet-wheels, a shaft or rod connecting these pawls, a cam-faced lever arranged to depress the said shaft and a sliding cover provided with a device which depresses the said lever when the cover is moved back to open the box substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a ballot-box having its top provided with lists of candidates and series of slots individually corresponding thereto, a tally sheet running under the said slots, a winding-roll for the said tally-sheet, a ratchet-wheel carried by the said roll, a feeding pawl engaging the said ratchet-wheel, a pivoted arm to which the said pawl is attached, a cam-faced lever operating the said arm, a replacing spring for the said lever, and a sliding cover carrying a pivoted trip which acts on the cam-face of the said lever to operate the said pawl and ratchet in opening the ballot boX for voting substantially as set forth.

7. In voting mechanism, the combination of a traveling tally-sheet, its winding roll and a pair of ratchet-wheels on the ends of the said roll, with pawls which engage the said ratchet-wheels, pivoted arms carrying the said pawls, a rod or bar connecting these arms to each other, a perforated guide-block attached to this bar, a guide-rod on which the said block slides up and down, a replacing spring which bears against this guideblock, a lever having acam-face which bears on the said block and also an upwardly presented cam face, a sliding cover for the tally sheet, and a pivoted trip attached to this cover and arranged for contact with the said upwardly presented cam substantially as set forth.

S. In voting mechanism, the combination of a tally-sheet its winding roll and pawl, and ratchet devices for turning the latter and feeding the said sheet, a sliding block and connections for actuating the said devices, a replacing spring acting on the said block, a sliding cover and a lever provided with two cam faces, one of which is acted on by an attachment of the said sliding cover, the other cam-face acting on the said block to feed the said sheet through the intervening devices substantially as above set forth.

9. In combination with a ballot box having its top provided with lists of candidates and a series of slots individually corresponding thereto, a tally-sheet arranged to pass under the lists and rows of slots, feeding devices for the said tally sheet, a sliding cover, means for operating the said feeding devices by the sliding of the cover, the winding and rewindin g rolls of the said tally-sheet, a ratchetwheel carried by the said winding roll, and a bell arranged to be operated by the said ratchet wheel when the said tally sheet is wound forward thereon substantially as set forth.

lO. In aballotingmachine, the combination of a traveling tally-sheet with its winding and rewinding rolls, a ratchet-wheel turning with one of the said rolls, a pawl engaging the said ratchet wheel, a movable lid or cover, a cam faced lever arranged to operate said ratchet wheel, a pivoted strip mounted in said cover so as to engage said cam lever, and a bellhammer lever provided with a dog and arranged to be struck by the said ratchet-wheel, when the said cover is opened substantially as set forth.

1l. In a balloting machine the combination of a tally-sheet and means for feeding the same with a plate or piece arranged over the same and provided with a series of slots corresponding to the names of the candidates on a ticket and a raised rib or guide parallel to and near the said series of slots in orderthat a pencil may be guided by it down the line of the latter substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MCTAMMANY.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. CRAIG, A. W. CURTrs.

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