US510427A

US510427A - Voting booth

Info

Publication number: US510427A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1910-12-12

Description

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. W. HINE.

VOTING BOOTH.

(N9 Model.)

No. 510,427. Patented Dec. 12, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

JgW. HINE. VOTING BOOTH.

'No. 510,427. Y Patented Dec. 12, 1893.

ww 0 Q QYZMM attomw m5 NATIONAL umocrmmma coma" UNITED STATES PATENT JAMES W. HINE, or JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE FENTON METALLIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VOTING- BOOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,427, dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed August 8, 1892. Serial No. 442,470. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. HINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at J amestown, Ohautauqua county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVoting-Booths,of which the fol lowing is a specification. My invention relates to that class of booths intended for the reception of voters as required by what is known as the Australian ballot system, and my invention consists in constructing the booth of panels which may be folded to a compact form, or extended and connected to form single or multiple booths as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, represents in perspective the detached sections of a single booth embodying my lmprovement; Fig. 2, a plan view showing the sections connected; Fig. 3, an edge view showing the sections folded for transportatlon; Fig. 4, an edge view in which the back panel consists of two jointed sections; Fig. 5, a plan view showing the booth erected with the back panel constructed as in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, an edge view showing two booth sections packed together as constructed-in Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a plan view illustrating a multiple booth.

The booth may be either single or multiple, in the latter case consisting of a number of the sections constituting the single booth. The single booth consists essentially of two side panels A, A, and a back panel B, the side panels being closed for a greater portion of their height, but at the bottom having legs or standards 1, 1, and the back panel being hinged to the rear edge of one of the side panels, so that it may be turned down against the latter, and so that the other side panel may be laid flat against the side panel A, for storage, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each of the side panels A, A, consists of a rod or bar of metal bent to form the parallel vertical portions 1, 1 comprising the legs and the transverse portion 2, and of a connecting bar 3; near the lower end of the panel, and to the frame thus made, is applied a sheet of iron, the edges of which are bent around the vertical portions 1, 1, and

transverse portions

2, 3, as shown, so as to form a closed panel above the leg portions. At the back edge of the panel, however, the sheet is provided with tongues 4, which close around portions of the vertical rod at the rear edge, leaving intermediate portions around which close tongues 5, projecting from a sheet of metal stretched over a frame D of the back panel B, the said frame consisting of a. bar or rod bent to form the vertical portion 6, and the two horizontal portions 7and 8, around which are bent the edges of the sheet of the panel B, and the end of each portion 7, 8, is flattened and bent into the form of a hook 9, rece'gving the rear vertical portion of the rod of the panel A, and forming a joint which permits the panel B to be swung to and from the panel A. The back panel is made somewhat smaller than the frame of the side panel, so as to be partially received within the frame of the side panel, when the two frames are brought together, and thus will the desk,when turned to its upward position against the side panel, be inclosed between the metal facings 0r coverings of the frames of the two panels.

The panel A is formed substantially like the panel A, except that there are no tongues on the sheet, all the edges of which are bent completely around the verticaland horizontal portions of the frame.

It is intended when the booth is erected that the side panels A, A, shall be parallel to each other, and at right angles to the back panel B as shown in Fig. 2, in which case it is desirable to connect together the meeting edges of the panels A and B. This may be done in any suitable manner,one means consistingof pintles 10, upon one of the panels entering eye-tubes 12, on the other as shown, thus forming a hinged joint.

In order to hold the parts in place when in the position shown in Fig. 2, I make use of a brace E, of suitable form hinged to one of the sections, and adapted to be turned down flat against the latter for storage,or turned up to a horizontal position, and connected to the other. Such brace is preferably made of a single rod bent to form two

hooks

14, 14, which clutch the upper cross bar 2 of the panel A,

so that the brace may be swung down flat I brace further serves to support a curtain for closing the chamber of the booth to which end sliding rings 18 may be applied to one of the legs of the brace as shown.

As it is necessary to form a desk in the booth, I prefer to make the same in the form of a shelf that will aid in bracing the booth. Thus I bend a sheet of stiff sheet iron so as to form edge flanges 19, 19, and a tubular end extension 20, which may embrace cross rod 21, forming part of the frame of the panel A, so as to permit the shelf or desk I, thus formed to be turned up to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, or turned down in the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in full lines, in which case the shelf or desk extends across the back panel B, and prevents thelatter from swinging inward. The end of the shelf is preferably connected to the panel A, and an efiective means of securing this connection is by extendinga portion of the shelf to form a hook or tongue 22, which may enter a slot 23, in the panel A, and engage with the outer face of that panel, thereby clamping the parts rigidly together.

It will be seen that by constructing the panels as above described, they are made light and strong, that by supporting them by legs extending below the closed part the weight is reduced and at the same time sufficient of the interior is exposed to enable any one from the outside to know whether the booth is 00- cupied or not, that the parts may be so connected as to form a sufficiently rigid structure for all purposes required, that they may be readily erected into booth form or taken down and reduced to a compact form for stowage, and that the construction employed reduces to a minimum, the cost of manufacture while securing great durability.

WVhile the back panel B, may be rigid, and of a single section as above described, it is sometimes desirable to make the back panel of two sections 12, 1), Figs 4 and 5, hinged together at their inner edges, in which case each section can be made of a single sheet of stiflf sheet metal with tongues at the edges interlocking to form the hinge w, and to embrace the vertical rod of the side panel A, or if desired of both side panels A, and A. As shown, however, the outer edge of the section b, is formed into hooks y, adapted to temporarily grip the end rod of the panel A. When the booth with the hinged back panel is erected as shown in Fig. 5, the desk I, extending across the back panel prevents the latter from bending inward. Then a number of booths are to be packed together, two side panels A, with the back panels B, folded inward, may be arranged as shown, Fig. 6, and the side panels A may be packed against the opposite sides.

When there is to be a multiple booth, as sometimes required, this may be readily formed by connecting together a number of sections A, B, the back panel B, of the first section connecting with the panel A of the next section,the latter in such case being provided with pintles 10, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and also having a slot 24;, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, and answering the same purpose as the slot 23 in the panel A, and the final booth is completed by the use of a panelA, as shown in diagram, Fig. 7.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. The combination in a voting booth of the side panels A, A, and back panel B, and with the angular brace uniting said panels, said brace being formed of separate members having hooks clutching the cross bar of one side panel and having a terminal eye passing through an opening in the opposite side panel and engaging a finger attached to said latter panel, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a voting booth of the side panels A, and A, and back panel B, the desk hinged to one of said side panels and detachably connected with the other, and an angular brace extending between said side panels and having hooks for clutching the cross bar of one side panel and a terminal eye passing through the opposite side panel and engaging a finger, substantially as described.

3. The combination in voting booths of the side panels A, and A, and back panel B, the desk hinged to one of said side panels and formed with a tongue to enter an opening in the other side panel, and an angular brace having hooks for clutching the cross bar of one side panel and formed with a terminal eye passing through the opposite side panel and engaging a finger thereon, substantially as shown and described.

4. The side panels A and A each consisting of a frame formed of a rod bent to form vertical portions 1, 1, and a transverse portion 2, a transverse rod 3, and a sheet metal covering lapped at the-edges around the vertical and transverse rods, in combinationwith a back panel B consisting of a frame D, composed of a rod bent to form the vertical and transverse portions, the transverse portions flattened at the ends and bent to form hooks embracing the rear vertical portions of the rod of the panel A, and a sheet metal covering bent at'the edges around the transverse and vertical portions of the frame D, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the panel of a voting booth, of a desk consisting of astrip of sheet metal bent at the opposite edges to form flanges 19, 19, and at one end to form atube 20, receiving a cross rod of the panel, and having a tongue 22 at the opposite end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES V. I-IINE.

Witnesses:

E. C. MACK, H. W. PRICE.