US502745A - Voting-machine - Google Patents

Description

(-No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

` J. MoT'AMMANY.

` VOTING MAGHINE.

N 502,745. Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. MGTAMMANY.

VOTING MACHINE No. 502,'745. I Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

Rih 'NVENTOR do M odel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. u J. MOTAMMANY.

VOTING MACHINE.

, No. 502,'745. Patented Aug'. 8, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCTAMMANY, OF SPENOER, MASSACHUSETTS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,'745, dated August 8, 1893.

Application filed March l'7 1893. Serial No. &66,462. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

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

This invention is an improvenent on the balloting machines described and shown in my applications for patent, Serial Nos. &48,011 and 450,570, filed respectively October 6 and October 31, 1892.

The chief object of the said improvement is to insure the accuracy and secrecy of the result by the prevention of error and fraud in marking the tally sheet and any dishonest -manipulation afterward; so that each vote properly marked on the tally-sheet may readily be distinguished from any improper additions, although there will be no means of distinguishin g the marks made by one voter from those made by another. To effect these general results, I operate the winding roll of the tally-sheet by means of a platform, which yields when the voter steps on it, instead of Operating it by the cover of the box or casing, as in the foregoing applications; I make use of roughened or file-cut supporting rollers for the tally-sheet, in order that a mark made on the latter over one of them Will differ in character and appearance from a mark made after the tally sheet is withdrawn; for similar precaution I employ an ink-roller and an ink-distributing roller to spread a thin film of ink over the tally-sheet after the Voters marks are made thereon; and I provide dials and pointers for indicating the number of Voters at any time, as well as a pointer and dial and bell to show when the tally sheet breaks or is detached. I also make use of divers additional improved features of Construction and combination in the balloting machine, and especially in braking devices, lockin g pawls and list-holding appliances for the same, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figu re l represents a vertical section of a voting-machine embodying my invention and of the polling booth and Operating platform, the plane being just behind the rear end of the casing. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the casing and the Operating devices contained thei-ein, the cover being raised, and the listsupporting plates and frame. Fig. 3 represents a perspective detail View of the said plates and their frame. Fig. 4: represents a vertical central section from end to end of the box looking rearward. Fig. 5 represents a similar View looking forward; and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 represent additional detail views.

A designates the voting booth, B a platform hinged at its front b to a bar co fast on the floor of the said booth, O a spring supporting the rear part of the said platform, and D a cord, rope or chain extending up from this rear part through a hole c of a horizontal shelf or table E fixed to the upright rear wall of the said booth, for the purpose of operating the feeding devices of the tally-sheet F of my balloting-nachine, the Operating mechanism of the latter being inclosed within a case G which is supported on the said shelf or table. hen a voter steps up to the said inachine he necessarily treads on the said platform and as he steps off the replacing spring hereinafter described feeds the said sheet far enough ahead to present a fresh place for his voting mark. The upper end of the said cord is attached to an arm I-l' of a rectangular frame H the said frame being mounted on the main-shaft I of the machine. The Winding roll J of the said tally sheet is mounted on this main shaft and turns therewith. This frame carries at its ends two pawls 11 which engage ratchet wheels I' on the said windingroll shaft, so as to feed the same by astep by step motion similar to that employed in the applications aforesaid. A replacing spring 11 attached to the aforesaid arin ll' restores the parts to their former position, after the withdrawal of the pressure from the said platform. A retaining pawl L pivoted to the side of the casing also engages one of the said ratchetwheels, and is not spring-pressed into position, but provided With aweighted extension L', which normally holds it to its work, but will cause the said pawl to tilt out of position when the case is set up on end; thus Conveniently allowing the winding roll to be IOO turned back when that is desired. The forward end of the said winding-shaft extends through the front of the casing and carriesa pointer M', which travels over a dial-face N on the said front, indicating the number of Voters up to fifty. The said shaft also carries a gear-wheel O' which meshes with a pinion 0 on a shaft O, the said pinion in turn driving a gear-wheel P'and its shaftP. The latter carries on its protruding front end a pointer M', which travels over a dial-face N', the arrangement of the two latterparts being similar to that of M and N aforesaid; but they being adapted to register up to one hundred and fifty.

As in the preceding applications above referred to, the tally-sheet passes from a rewinding roll Q in a zigzag path over a series of rolls R R' to the said winding roll. The rolls R' which are arranged immediately under the lines of slots where the Voters make their marks are roughened so that the drawing of the pencil on the tally sheet over them will'in some measure tear its fiber and make a diiterent kind of mark from that which might afterward be made by a dishonest election officer or other fraudulent manipulator. For the same purpose and as an additional guard, I employ an ink-distributing roller S, provided with annular grooves s, and bearing lightly on the tally-sheet as this is wound on the winding roll. A cloth-covered inking roller S' rests on this grooved roller; the two having bearings in a pair of supporting arms or plates t t which are mounted at their upper ends freely on a shaft or bar T, so that they may swing freely to and from the said tally-sheet, yielding as it grows on the winding roll. The inking roller S' rests in open bearings t', in order that it may easily be removed for a fresh supply. The said ink-distributing roller S lays athin film of ink on the paper over the Voters marks, not making them illegible, but making it impracticable to add others without detection.

The unwinding or rewinding roll Q has a shaft Q',which is provided with aratchet-wheel Q engaging a pawl q on the bent tail u of a hammer U', which strikes a bell U at every forward movement of the tally-sheet, as each vote is given. If by any chance the sheet becomes torn across between the winding and rewinding rolls or detached from either one of them, the fact is notified by the bell ceasing to sound. For the same purpose I provide the protruding front end of another shaft V with a pointer V, which normally travels over a dial V' on the front of the case and connects the shafts Q' and V'* by a belt c which runs over belt-pulleys 12' c on them. Of course when the tally-sheet is broken or slips from either roll the pointer ceases to travel over the dial.

To regulate the feeding of the sheet and prevent it from moving too far at a time, I provide the unwinding roll with another ratchet-wheel W' engaged by a spring-plate &02,745

'W, attached to the casing, which acts as a pawl or brake. The said shaft is also provided with a crank-handle W on its protruding end, whereby it nay be turned back to rewind the tally sheet on it partly or wholly or for any other convenient purpose, the spring-plate or brake I first being raised.

X designates the series of detachable parallel metal plates having in them the staggered lines of slots X' arranged opposite the Voters names on the lists in the intervening spaces. These lists are held by rows of small metal lips or tongues y, arranged on the said plates, to overlap their edges. The said lists may easily be slipped into place under these tongues or withdrawn at will. The second dial aforesaid which is numbered 150 answers a double purpose: namely to show that one hundred and fifty Voters have voted and that all the space on the tally sheet has been marked, so that it is time to wind the marked part of the receiving roll and bring` fresh paper under the slots.

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

l. A balloting-machine having its list-holding plates provided with rows of tongues for overlapping the said lists and holding them in place while allowing their convenient removal substantially as set forth.

2. A balloting-machine provided with a roughened surface, over which the tally-sheet passes, iu combination with feeding mechanisin for the said sheet the roughening of the surface serving to insure the peculiar character of the voter s mark thereon substantially as set forth.

3. A balloting-nachine provided with a roughened roll, over which the tally-sheet passes, in combination with feeding mechanism for the said sheet the roughening of the roll serving to insure the peculiar character of the voters mark thereon substantially as set forth.

4:. A balloting-nachine provided with a tally sheet and feeding nechanism therefor in combination With au ink-supplying device arranged to spread a thin film of ink over the tally-sheet after the voters mark is thereon substantially for the purpose set forth.

5. In a balloting-machine, the combination of the winding-roll its actuating mechanism and the tally-sheet with an ink-distributing roller arranged to be in contact with the sheet wound on the said roll substantially as set forth.

6. In a balloting-machine, the combination of the winding-roll actuating mechanism and tally-sheet with an ink-distributing roller in contact with the said sheet on the said roll, an inking roller resting on the said ink-distributing roller, to supply the latter, and swinging bearings for the said rollers substantially as set forth.

7. In a balloting machine the combination with a tally-sheet and its winding roll of a IOO IIO

platform arranged to be depressed by a voter s foot on entering the booth, and connections between the said platform and the seid roll to operate the said sheet substantially as set forth.

8. In a baHoting-maehine, the combination of a, tally-sheet and its winding-roll and actuating mechanisn With Weighted looking pawls, engaging a ratchet on the shaft of the said roll, but easily removed therefrom by tilting up the case of the machine for the purpose set forth.

9. In a balloting-machine, the combinution of a tally-sheet and its winding-roll and actutting mechanism with an index or pointer and dial and connecting devices between the said index and the feeding meehanism for the taily sheet, the said index being' operated by the rotation of the said roll and indicating the number of Voters substantiailyas set forth.

10. In aba11oting-maehine, the eombination of a tally-sheet and winding-roll with a pointer turning With the said roll, a dini over which it traveis, a second pointer, shaft and intermediate gearing and a second dial over which the latter pointer travels to indicate a greater number of Voters, substantially as set forth.

11. Iu aballoting-maehine, the eombination of the talIy-sheet and its unwinding ro11,with it ratchet wheel earried by the latter and a loeking or braking pawl, engaging the said ratchet wheel, to prevent the said roli from turning baekward substantiaiiy as set 'for-th.

12. In a baiioting-machine, the combinaton of the tally-sheet and its unwinding roll With a ratchet-wheel on the shaft of the said roll and a beil hammer arranged to be operated by the said ratehet-wheel substantiaiiy as set forth.

13. In a balloting-machine, the eonbination of thetally-sheetand the unwindingroil With a pointer and dial operated by the latter and the necessary actuating and eonneeting deviees substantiaiiy as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In aballotingmachine, the COlIlblllttlOH of the unwinding roll With aerank-hand le on the shaft of the letter outside of the casinr a shaft and pointer rotated by the said rollshaft, intermediate gearing and a dial over which the said pointer traveis substnntiaily as set forth.

In testimonywhereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MCTAMMANY. XVitnesses:

CHAS. M. REED, JAY B. CRAWFORD.

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