US551726A - Registering ballot bos - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. P. GAUL. REGISTERING BALLOT BOX.

No. 551,725. Patented Dec. 17, 1895.

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

W. F. GAUL. REGISTERING BALLoT Box.

No. 551,726. l Patented Deo. 17, 1895.

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AUL, OF CAMDEN, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS B.

IIARNED, OF SAME PLACE.

REGISTERING SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,726, dated December 17, 1895.

Application filed April ,10, 1893. Serial No. L69,697. (No model.)

.T @ZZ whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. GAUL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Camden, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Registering Ballot-Boxes, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention consists of certain improvements in the ballot-box for which I obtained Letters Patent No. 455, 685, dated July 7, 1891, the objects of my present invention being to increase the security of the box, to decrease the size of the chamber containing the ballot conveying and registering mechanism, and to simplify the construction of some of the Ininor details of the device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of part of the ballotboX with my present improvements, and Fig. 2 is a perspective diagram illustrating those parts of the box to which my invention particularly relates.

A is the main receptacle of the box, to the upper portion of which is hinged a lid B, the latter, as in the patented device, containing the ballot conveying and registerin mechanism, and being hinged to the body of the box at one side and provided at the opposite side with a series of staples a adapted to openings in a hasp o, which, when applied to the staples, is secured in position by a series of padlocks d, one for each staple, so that the two parts oi the box are locked together, and can only be opened in order to permit access to the ballots contained in the receptacle when all of the padlocks have been opened by the keys in the possession of the proper electionofficers.

Instead of being on the outside of the bon7 the staples a, hasps l) and padloeks d are now contained in a chamber f formed by recessing the body and lid of the box, and this chamber is closed by a plate j", which has lugs f2 engaging with openings in the body of the box, the plate being also provided with one or more notched fingers f projecting through openings in the lid of the boX. On the inner side of said lid is suitably guided a notched bolt g, one end of which is connected by a link g to a shaft g2, which is adapted to suit able bearings in the lid and has at one end an arm or handle g3 preferably contained within a recess or pocket gAll in the lid of the box, so that by moving this arm or handle the bolt g can be projected so as to engage with the notches of the arms f3 and thus lock the cover-plate f in position and prevent access to the recess f, or the bolt g may be retracted so as to bring its notches into line with the iingcrs f3 in order to release the cover-plate j" when it is desired to gain access to the padlocks d for the purpose of opening the box.

The ballots are, as in the former case, intended to be placed within small boxes or cases, and the ballot-receiver consists of a hollow cylinder t' cut away at one side for the reception of a ballot-case, this cylinder being disposed horizontally just beneath the top of the upper portion or lid of the box and being free to turn in suitable bearings, so that its slotted portion may be caused to coincide with a slot or opening m in the top of the boX, so as to receive the ballot-case, or may be turned down, so as to deliver said ballot-case into the box or receptacle beneath, the ballot-receiver being provided with a shaft or spindle h, which extends through one of the ends of the box-lid and is provided with a crank arm or handle 7b2, which provides for the ready Inovement of the cylinder, a spring h3 so acting upon the shaft h as to tend to maintain the cylinder t' normally in the position shown in Fig. l-that is to say, with its slotted opening downwardMor in the delivery position.

Projecting from the ballotreceiving cylinder t' is a pin W, and on the bolt g is a proj ection g5, which, before said bolt is moved so as to release the notched fingers f3 of the cover-plate f, is brought into line with the said pin g and thus locks the ballotereceiving cylinder as soon as any attempt is made to open the box, and keeps said ballot-receiving cylinder locked until the cover-plate f has been again applied and locked in position.

At one end of the ballot-receiving cylinder is a pinion n, which engages with a rack n on a slide n2 suitably guided on the lid of the box, this slide having a pawl n3, which acts upon the ratchet-wheel of the primary disk of the registering-train so as to move the latter to the extent of one tooth or one numeral on each operation of the ballot-receiving cylin IOO der, the movement of the primary registeringdisk being transmitted to the other disks of the series in any ordinary manner, and the disks being locked against backward movement by any of the devices usually employed for the purpose.

On the under side of the lid is mounted a gong 29, and to said lid is hung a hammer-lever p', which is actuated by a trip-pin p2 on the under side of the slide a2, so as to cause the sounding of the gong on each operation of the ballot-receiver, whereby the deposit of each ballot is properly registered and indicated by a striking of the gong.

By the use of a slotted ballot-receiver l0- cated horizontally in the manner described, the size of the chamber in the lid of the box can be materially reduced and the box thereby rendered more compact, and by providing the cover-platef and its looking-bol t,adapted to lock the ballot-receiver before unlocking the plate, the introduction of false ballots into the box is prevented unless by the connivance of all of the elcction-oilicers who are provided with keys for the padlocks d, for such false ballots cannot be introduced without opening the box or else causing the operation of the register and the sounding of an alarm.

It will be observed on reference 'to Fig. l that a segmental shield or guard 7a extends from one wall of the slot m part way around the ballot-receiver e', said segmental shield serving to prevent the discharge of the ballot from the recess in the ballot-receiver until said receiver has been turned from the upright position, as shown in Fig. 2, to the reverse position, (shown in Fig. 1,) this halfturn being sufiicient to insure the proper operation of the registering mechanism, so that the ballot cannot be deposited in the boX Without being properly counted.

Having thus described my invention, l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of the box and its lid, with the locking devices for the lid contained in a locking chamber, a cover plate for said locking chamber, a bolt for locking said cover plate in position, and means for operating said bolt so as to lock and unlock the cover plate, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the box and its lid, locking devices for said lid contained in a chamber in the box, a cover plate for said chamber, a locking bolt for said cover plate, a ballot receiver, and means whereby said locking bolt for the cover plate is caused to lock the ballot receiver inposition when adjusted so as to unlock said cover plate, substantially as specied.

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

WILLlAM F. GAUL. Witnesses FRANK E. BEcHToLD, JosErH H. KLEIN.

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