US502744A - Vote-recording machine - Google Patents

Description

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J. McTAMMANY. VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

No. 502,744. Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

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J. MGTAMMANY. VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

No.502,744. I Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

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VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

' No. 502,744. Patented Aug. 8, 1893. k

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JOHN MCTAMMANY, OF SPENCER, MASSACHUSETTS.

VOTE-RECORDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,744, dated August 8, 1893.

Application filed October 31, 1892. Serial No. 450,570. (No model.)

Toall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN MOTAMMANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes and Voting Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following 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.

This invention relates to ballot boxes and voting mechanism provided with a fixed ballot or list of candidates and a traveling tallysheet on which indications are made through slots corresponding in position to the names of the candidates, the feeding of the said sheet being eifected by opening the cover of the ballot-box. Devices of this sort are shown for example in my application for patent, Serial No. 448,011, filed October (5, 1892. The present invention is an improvement thereon; and has for itschief objects to provide for feed ing the tally-sheet by raising ahinged cover instead of moving back a sliding one; to allow the reversal of the feeding, for confusing the identity of voters and preventing detection; to enable the official in charge to feed the sheeta predetermined distance independently of the cover; to supply means for writing a I name on a correspondingly arranged supplemental sheet in cases where no mark on the main tally sheet opposite any name regularly in nomination will express his choice;

and to puncture the paper instead of marking it superficially, as in the aforesaid application.

My invention consists in the devices hereinafter described and claimed for eifecting these results and in certain additional features of construction and combination, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective View of myiinproved ballot box or voting machine arranged within a voting booth. Figs. 2 and 3 represent vertical sections through said machine from front to rear on the lines x0c and y-y of Fig. 4 but looking in opposite directions. Fig. 4 represents a plan View of the same, and Figs. 5 to 10 represent detail views.

A designates the strong metallic frame and case of the machine. The top of the said case is provided with slots a, through which the names and residences of the candidates are seen, as well as abbreviations indicating the political parties to which they respectively belong, and the titles of the offices which they seek or any other relevant matter. These names and items are printed on strips of paper which are glued to the under side of a plate forming part of the said top, the slots and the intervening metal making openwork above them, and the whole constituting in effect afixed list of candidates with the information necessary to a choice. Some of the slots a have no names or strips below them, in order that a supplemental tally sheet or voting sheet hereinafter described may be reached through themfor writing thereon the name of a person chosen for any office by an individual voter, although not regularly in nomination. There should be one of these blank spaces under the head of each ofiice. The top of the said ballot box is also provided with a line of small slots or openings A arranged opposite the various names and other words. Through each of these openings A a punching blade B works, and also through a guide casing C under the said top, it being provided with a push button C to allow thumb-pressure and with a spring C beneath the said button. For convenience and to avoid all risk of pressing the wrong button or two buttons at a time, these buttons are arranged alternately at different heights. The slots and buttons may also be arranged to alternate in lateral position, every second slot being set out so as to form a second line or row as indicated in Fig. 5, these blades or sliding stems B working in slots B in a plate below the tally sheet hereinafter described. Instead of these buttons and punches, a single punching key D Fig. 7 may be used, which will pass through any of the holes or slots A": Additional holes A A are provided at the ends of the line of said slots, beingpreferably of different form. These are adapted to receive a punching implement D carried or kept by the officer in charge of the voting booths, the use of which is to indicate a challenged vote when pressed through opening A and the tally sheet below, or a canceled vote when pressed likewise through opening A Thus if the voter makes a mistake in voting and desires to cancel his vote, the said implement D through opening or slot A will effect this result for him. To separate the spaces appropriated to the candidates for each office and prevent a voter from punching opposite the title thereof by mistake, I make use of small metallic plugs, one of which, marked E, is shown in Fig. 8. These have short fiat stems which fit into the slots thus to be filled and are shifted from one to another according to the requirements of space for the number of candidates in any election.

To facilitate choice, each button 0 has the initial marked on it of the party to which the candidate belongs whose name is opposite; as D. for Democratic, R. for Republican. But since the position of such names must vary in successive elections, it being common to arrange them alphabetically under each title heading, it becomes desirable to make the said buttons interchangeable on their shanks or blades. This is effected by screwing the button on a stem 0 at the upper end of its shank or blade as shown in section in Fig. 9, so that for example a button marked D may be detached and moved to the stem of a shank which has borne some other initial, all the stems and screw-threads corresponding, or any other method of attachment allowinginterchangeability may be employed.

The top of the case A consists of plates of metal or other strong material individually fastened to the remainder of the body thereof. The middle plate contains the slots to and has the ballot strips or strips making up the list of candidates fastened to it, so as to be removable therewith. The removal of a list after election is efiected by unfasteniug this plate and then detaching the list therefrom in any convenient manner.

F designates the cover of the ballot-box or balloting machine, which is hinged or pivoted in bearingsf on the top of the said case A near the rear thereof, and closes forward and downward so as to cover the slots A and the push buttons 0' and prevent voting until raised. It consists, as shown, of a U-shaped rod or bar G, having attached to it a flat plate G, whereby the slots and buttons are covered. The said rod near its bent pivoted ends is provided with two inwardly extending studs g and g. The stud gof one side of the frame enters a perforation h in the upper end of a link bar H, the lower end of which is attached to the rear end of a lever I that is pivoted by its middle to the inside of case A and is provided with two impeliing pawls JJattached to it one on each side of its pivotal point, these pawls being-arranged to operate in opposite directions in order-thatthetally-sheet may be fed either forward or backward at will. For effecting this, one pawl is moved into position for engagement with the ratchet-wheel on which it operates and the other pawl is turned back out of position of engagement with the ratchetwheel which it operates, the relative positions of these pawls being reversed when the tallysheet is to move the other way. There are two of these ratchet wheels K and K engaging respectively with these pawls, as their letters indicate, and mounted on the shafts Z l of the winding rolls L L to which the ends of the main tally-sheet M are attached. To prevent slipping and insure that the sheet shall move only as far as desired, friction springs m are employed between the ends of the rolls and the frame or casing A. A spring m at one end of each roll will suffice as shown. These springs surround the shafts but do not impede them. Whenever the said cover is raised, the link-bar H, lever I and one of the said pawls and ratchet-wheels will automatically feed the tally-sheet M in one direction or the other, according to which of the pawls is then in use, the feed-motion being far enough to move the indications made by the voter last preceding below the solid part of the case-top and present a fresh portion of the said sheet below the slots A and the key or punchers. The slotted plate or frame B hereinbefore alluded to extends transversely across the interior of the said case A being rigidly attached thereto at its ends, and has its upper face raised above the level of the said winding rolls so as to hold taut the tallysheet passing over it, and present this immediately below the punchers orpunching blades of the said push buttons, the slots B formed in the said plate co-operating in the cutting action. This action is the same when the detached key already described is used instead.

The advantage of being able to feed alternately in opposite directions is that the detection of the vote of any one voter may therer by be made nearly impossible, the votes of different men being so mixed that one cannot be distinguished from the other. Thus the officers in charge may feed the sheet in one direction so as to leave a considerable blank space before voting again occurs, and at any time thereafter turn back to this space and arrange the pawls for the sheet to be fed in the opposite direction; repeating such changes as often as may be thought best. The same result of confused identities may be offected by other shiftings and arrangements.

The lever I is provided with a lateral handle l for lifting it by hand at will, in order that the officer in charge may be able to space the tally-sheet by movingit forward a precise predetermined distance depending on the limit of upward motion of the said lever, this being effected without touching the cover F or incidentally raising it far enough to ring the bell. Such motion leaves whenever desired a space of imperforate paper on the tallysheet between the votes of two men. Repeated liftings of the said handle will make this space sufficient for the reversing and confusing action above described.

0 designates a bell attached to the inner face of one side of the frame or casing A. It is struck by a hammer P that is pivoted to the said frame. To this hammer a hook-bar R is pivoted at its lower end, a retracting spring Q being attached to the middle part of the said hook-bar at its upper end and to the said frame at its lower end. The upper end of the said bar R projects through a slot r in the top of the casing and is provided with a hook R which extends over the stud g aforesaid, so that the raising of the cover F lifts this hook-bar and hammer against the resistance of the said spring, until the said stud slips from the said hook owing to the curvilinear path which it describes in rising. The said spring then operates the hammer to strike the bell. As this must be done whenever the cover is raised to feed the sheet, repeating is prevented.

S designates an additional or supplemental sheet of paper similar to the main tally sheet but running over a fixed platform T under the slots 0, so that it may be written on with a pencil or otherwise through the slots left uncovered by slips as already stated. This sheet is mounted on winding rolls U V and has its ends attached thereto. It is wound from the former to the latter by means of a crank handle W freely mounted on the shaft 1) of the winding roll and carrying a pawl to which engages a ratchet wheel X turning with said shaft and roll. WVhen a voter appears who cannot find a name to please him in the list of regular candidates for any particular office he writes any name which he may prefer on this auxiliary sheet in the space appropriated to such use as aforesaid. Afterward the officer in charge turns the said crank arm so as to advance the said sheet far enough for the next voter to do the same, if he should so desire.

The general operation is as follows: The ballot-box or balloting machine being set up in the polling booth, marked Z, the voter enters and is given the puncturing key instead of a ballot, or if the push-buttons are used he is given nothing. Then he raises the cover F and in so doing by the connections stated causes the bell to ring and the main tally sheet to be fed forward far enough to present a space for receivinghis vote. He then selects the names of his preference and punctures the sheet in the proper places by the means described; or if so inclined writes a name or names on the auxiliary sheet, closes the cover, and Withdraws. The tally sheet and list of candidates are very securely protected by the casing A against all intermeddling. The machine is strongly built and noteasily put out of order. Of course several lists of candidates and offices may be used instead of one only and the arrangement of the names as well as the construction of details of mechanism may be very different from what has been shown. The tally-sheet may be similar to that shown in my application before mentioned or varied in any effective way. But it is preferably so ruled and headed that simple addition may suffice to give the vote; and the names on the auxiliary sheet are so arranged with relation to the spaces for different offices on the list and to the corresponding punctures on the main-sheet that they are easily added to the count.

In some places forms of ballots or candidate-lists are used which will make it impossible to use the auxiliary sheet as shown, without modification. In such circumstances it may be necessary to change the form or arrangement of the sheet or to employ several sheets instead of one for this auxiliary service. Thus Fig. 10 illustrates, in plan,a series of four small auxiliary sheets arranged and operating crosswise to be used with the Cambridge ballot and the tally sheet appropriate thereto. Four sets of slotted plates must be employed with the latter.

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

1. In a balloting machine, the combination of an operating lever attached to a fixed part, a winding roll provided with means engaged by an attachment of said lever, a tally sheet wound on the said roll, an apertured plate arranged below the said tally sheet and constituting a bed therefor, a guide plate located above the said sheet and bed and having apertures coinciding with apertures in the lower plate, a puncturing device adapted to pass through the said apertures and the tally sheet and a list of candidates located in proximity to the said lower plate and having its names arranged to correspond with the apertures therein substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a tally sheet and a pair of rolls on which it is wound, a lever and connections for operating the said rolls and sheet, a movable cover provided with means for actuating the said lever, and a handle attached to the said lever for adapting it to be operated also by hand substantially as set forth.

3. A tally sheet and rolls upon which it is mounted, in combination with wheels turning with the said rolls, devices arranged to turn one or the other of said wheels as they are thrown into or out of engagement therewith, and operating in reverse directions, a movable cover, and connections between the said cover and the said devices, in order that they may be actuated by moving the said cover from over the said sheet substantially as set forth.

i. A tally-sheet and rolls upon which it is mounted in combination with ratchet wheels turning with the said rolls, a lever carrying pawls which are arranged to engage at will the said ratchet wheels and to operate in opposite directions for reversing motion, a hinged cover, and a link bar connecting the said cover to the said lever in order that the raising of the former may feed the tally-sheet substantially as set forth.

5. A tally sheet and rolls on which it is mounted in combination with a cover the raising of which allows access to the said tally sheet for puncturing it, a hook bar engaging with a stud on the said cover, a bell-hammer lever attached to the said hook bar, and a spring connected to the said lever for operating the bell when the hook slips off from the said stud substantially as set forth.

6. In a balloting machine the combination of a movable cover, with a list of candidates arranged below the said cover, on the top of the box, a rib or guide casing having holes or slots corresponding with the names on the said slip and extending within the said casing,aplate provided with apertures arranged respectively below the holes orslots in the said guide casing, a tally sheet which passes between these parts, and punching devices operated through the said holes or slots to perforate the said sheet substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with a tally sheet and a fixed list of candidates or objects to be voted for in proximity thereto, a series of punching stems or blades provided with interchangeable push-buttons which are marked with initials indicating the respective parties in contest substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with a fixed list of candidates provided with open spaces at intervals, a main tally sheet an auxiliary tally sheet, means for feeding the said tally sheet under these openings in order that they may be written on substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the main tally sheet and feeding and marking mechanism therefor, an auxiliary tally sheet or voting sheet arranged in line therewith and a plate or top piece above the same provided with slots or openings over each of these sheets, the openings over the supplemental tally sheet being of such size as to allow names to be written on it through them, and arranged opposite some of the slots in the series above the main tally sheet substantially as set forth.

10. In combination with a slotted plate having some of its slots left open and the others occupied by the names of a list of candidates or objects to be voted for, a table arranged under the said sheet to allow it to be written on through the open slots, and means for feedin g the said sheet substantially as set forth.

11. In a voting machine the combination of a traveling tally-sheet and rolls on which it is wound in either direction with two fixed parts of the machine which leave a narrow passage or guideway between them, a ticket or list of candidates attached to a fixed part of the machine, a series of punches or cutting blades corresponding in number and position to the candidates on the said list and arranged to operate through the passages aforesaid substantially as set forth.

12. In a voting machine the combination of a traveling tally sheet and rolls on which it is wound in either direction with feeding devices for the said rolls and sheet, two fixed part s of the machine through which the sheet passes, a list of candidates arranged on the said machine, and a series of hand operated punches or cutting blades corresponding in number and position to the candidates on the said list and operating through passages in one of the said two parts to perforate the said sheet, the feeding of the latter being unaffected by the action of the said punches but proceeding substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In combination with a tally sheet and a pair of rolls on which it is wound,a lever and connections for operating the said rolls and sheet, a movable part provided with means for actuating the said lever,and a handle attached to the said lever for adapting it to be operated also by hand substantially as set forth.

14. In voting mechanism the combination of a tally sheet and a hinged cover with connections whereby the lifting of the cover feeds the said sheet, a supplemental sheet or sheets, and means for feeding the latter by hand, the said sheets being arranged and provided with means to secure indications corresponding in position with respect to each other and the names of the fixed ballot substantially as set forth.

15. In voting machines the combination of two tally sheets arranged in line with each other and means for independently feeding them with a plate located over the said sheets, and provided with openings a and A arranged as shown, some of the former openings being left uncovered while the remaining ones are filled with the names of a list of candidates for the purpose set forth.

16. In a balloting machine a friction spring m, in combination with a traveling tally-sheet its winding and rewinding rolls, the inclosing casing and puncturing devices, the said spring being attached to the shaft of one of the said rolls, and located between one end of the said roll and the said casing substantially as set forth.

17. In a votingmachine, the combination of a traveling tally sheet and rolls on which it is wound in either direction, with feeding devices for the said rolls and sheet, two fixed parts of the machine between which the sheet passes, a list of candidates arranged 011 the said machine, and a series of hand operated punches or cutting blades, corresponding in number and position to the candidates on said list and operating through passages in one of the said two parts to perforate the said sheet,

the feeding of the latter being unaffected by the action of the said punches but proceeding substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

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

J OIIN MOTAMMANY.

IVitnesses:

A. W. CURTIS, OHAs. P. BURTON.

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