US586328A - Voting-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. L. BANGROFT.

VOTING MACHINE.

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

C. L. BANGROFT.

VOTING MACHINE Patented 'July 13 ffy-2- 506W. mfmanwwr/Om f; il

(No'Model) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. L. BANCROPT. VOTING MAGHINB.

Patenfed July 13, 1897.

(No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. C. L. BANGRDFT. VOTING MACHINE.

No. 586.328. I Patented July 13,1897.

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A -VoTED 5 A n n n o p P n ha -n .L A A N" N'N 'm I l l UNITED STATES PATENT GEEicE.

CLINTON L. .Br-XNCROFT, OF BROWNS, NEVADA.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,828, dated July I3, 1897.

Application filed March 21, 1896. Serial No. 584,279. (No model.)

To @ZZ 707mm fl; 'n1/m57concern..-

'Be it known that l, CLINTON L. BANcnoET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Browns, in the county of Humboldt and State of Nevada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to voting-machines of thc automatic type having separate sets of registers or counters for individual candidates, which are actuated by operating bars or keys for individual candidates or by a straight-ticket key, the counters being con-- tained within an inclosin g case through which the operating bars or keys project.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine which will be compact and simple in construction and one which will accurately register each operation of the operating bar or key and which is provided with efective means for preventing the improper operation of any one of the operating-keys, and in carrying my invention into elfect I employ the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a vertical cross-section of a voting-machine provided with registering mechanism for three sets of candidates or tickets. In this view part of the mechanism of the lowermost series of registering devices is broken away to show parts of the counters. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal crosssection on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section on the line 2 3 of Fig. l, showing the straight-ticket operatingkey, which is preferably located at the right- .hand end of each series of operating-keys, the wheels of the counting mechanism being shown in full. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the entrance and exit of the booth in which the votingmachine is to be located and also showing devices which are connected with the voting mechanism and actuated by the doors of the booth Afor operating the resetting mechanism of the voting-machine. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connect-ions for a telltale or bell indicating an attempt at improper voting. Fig. G is an chine.

rear of the machine with a portion of the casing broken away to expose one set of counters. Fig. 8 is a side view of the straightticket key and part of the mechanism actuated by it. Fig. t) represents front and edge views of the vote-teller, and Fig. IO illustrates a locking device for the key-levers.

The booth in which the voting-machine is located is provided with two doors B B', opening inward and preferably located at the side of the booth opposite to where the votingmachine is located, These doors are designed to be locked when the booth is occupied, and for this purpose the exit-door B is provided with a spring-latch b2, which can only be opened from the inside of the booth, and for the entrance-door a lock I is provided, the bolt of which is adapted to be moved out of locking position by Ithe opening of the exitdoor, so that the entrance-door is free to be opened when the booth is unoccupied.

The opening of the entrance-door will shift the bolt of its lock, so that when a voter has entered the booth and closes the door both doors will be locked on the inside. For this purpose the body of the lock I', which carries a spring-bolt i, is arranged to slide in the lockcasing I. To shift the body of the lock I provide a cam 7i, carried by a vertical shaft 7L', at the upper end of which is secured an arm Il', having a pin h2, which works in the slotted ends g and g/ of the rods G and G, and these rods are secured to arms C and C', respectively, which arms are respectively carried by pinions c c, pivoted upon rigid frames D and D. At the top of the doors B and B' are located quadrants b and b', the teeth of which mesh with the pinions c cl, respectively. The pivots of these quadrants may form in conjunction with pivots at the bottom ofthe doors the means for hinging the doors, or ordinary hinges may be employed, in which case the center of the hinges will be in line with the pivots of the quadrants h and t.

In the position of the locking mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4 the entrance-door B is unlocked. In entering the booth the opening of the door B, through its quadrant h, rotates the pinion c and arm C to the left, which shifts the rod G and consequently draws the arm II and its cam 7L toward the door B, which action permits the spring il to shift the body of the IOO lock in the same direction and places the locking-bolt fi in position to lock the door B when closed after the entrance of a voter. In closing the door the bolt i is moved backward by the door against its spring, which throws the bolt forward again when the door is closed, as is well understood.

It will be understood that with the door B locked the arm II will be swung over toward that door, and in opening the exit-door the arm H will be shifted to the opposite position by the movement of rod G', through the rotation of pinion c, by quadrant ZI, thus forcing the cam 7L aga-inst the lock-body and shifting it toward the door B, which brings t-he parts to the position illustrated in Fig. a and leaving the entrance-door B free to be opened again after the voter has retired from the booth. The arm C, carried by the pinion c, has a short arm, to which is connected a rod E, which extends to the top of the voting-machine and actuates a resetting mechanism each time the entrance-door is opened, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

If it is desired to register the number of voters entering the booth in order that a comparison may be made with the counters of the voting-machine, any suitable form of registering device may be placed in posit-ion to be operated by the entrance or exit door, or both, as will be readily understood.

The front ofthe voting-machine (illustrated in Fig. G) is provided with the neeessaryscts of operating-keys K, which are placed under the headings giving the names of the offices and the candidates for the same. These headings, with the names of candidates, will be printed on cards placed behind plates of glass placed over openings A. There will be provided as many horizontal rows of individual operating-keys as there are candidates for the different offices, as well as a straight-ticket key for each set of candidates, by the operation of which all the candidates on one ticket may be voted withoutthe necessity of operating the individual keys. The rear of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 7, is also provided with the series of cards with the names of the different offices and the names of the candidates, which are also placed behind glass plates over openings A', and under each headin g is an aperture A2, through which the counters may be seen and the total vote ascertained. These apertures are normally covered by shutters V, Fig. l, as will be hereinafter explained. In addition to the hea dings, names of candidaes, and the operating-l zeys on the front of the machine there is provided under each heading an aperture A3, Figs. l and G, through which may be seen, before the operating-key is depressed, a number which may represent the number of the ticket on which the candidate is run ning, and when the key depressed the proper distance the word Yoted7 will appear in the aperture for the purpose of indicating that the vote for that candidate is registered. The word Voted and the number are pla-eed upon a plate K2, Fig. il, which is operated by the operatingkey K. This plate has a slot y, through which the key passes.

The operating-keys K are pivoted on shafts J, there being one of these shafts for each horizontal series of keys, and are supported by uprights Q at the ends of the casing and at as many intermediate points as may be found desirable. Each key (except the straightticket key) is provided with a short arm K, provided with a pin 7c", against. which bears a curved spring L and acts to return the key to its normal position when depressed. These springs are curved around under the shafts J, and their free ends are passed upward through slots in the shafts and engage with lugs 7a on the key-levers. Each of the arms K of the individual key-levers carries a springpressed pawl zu, Figs. Il and 2, which engages with a ratchet-wheel M, secured to a drivingwheel m of the counter, Figs. l, and 3, and M are dogs pivoted on the shafts O for preventing backward movementof the ratchetwheels M.

\Vhenakey-levcr is depressed, the arm K' strikes the rear of the curved portion r2 of a vertical rod R, which is carried by links R?, Fig. l, pivoted to brackets R, which project from the upper and lower portions of the casing. Vhen any one of a vertical series of keys K is depressed, the adjacent rod R is moved forward uniformly. These rods R are placed in front of vertical posts S, which are slotted at intervals, through which slots the curved portions 9'? of the rod project into the path of the short arms K of the key-levers. This post S carries a series of locking-blocks T, one for each key-lever, which blocks are slotted at their forward ends, Figs. 2 and 3, through which slots Jthe rod R passes. Above each block T is a spiral springs, which tends to drive the block downward, and when the rod R is moved forward by the depression ot' a key-lever the spring s of the vertical series forces the blocks T downward (except the block adjacent to the depressed key) until they strike the shoulders r at the rear of the curved portions r2. The dropping of the blocks T, as will be readily seen, prevents any other key K of the same vertical series heilig depressed, since the arm K will strike the rca-r end of a block. Each arm K of the keys K is also provided with a laterally-projecting iiauge 7e3 to afford a broader bearing-surface Afor arm K against the locking-blocks T. The key K which is depressed will pass under its respective block T and prevent the same from being forced downward, as are the other blocks T of the same vertical series; but as soon as this key is released and its spring L returns the key to its normal position its block T will immediatelybe forced downward, since the rod R is still held in its forward position by the other blocks, and thus that key is prevented from being again operated, since the block Twill now be in the path of its arm K.

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The blocks T will remain in their depressed positions until the resetting mechanism is operated bythe entrance ot the next voter.

As before stated, the opening of the entrance-door shifts the rod E, and this rod is connected with the resetting mechanism. This mechanism com prises' th e vertical rods U and U, Fig. l., which are provided with cross rods u and u', respectively. .The cross-rods a' are placed in thc path of the forward ends of the blocks T and are adapted to raise said blocks to their normal position when the vertical rods Ul are elevated. The cross-rods u are placed in the path of the hooked ends 'y/ of the plates Kand return said plates to their normal positions when the rods U are elevated. It maybe here stated that the plat-es K2 are slightly bent, as indicated in Fig. 9, so that they will move with sufficient friction in their retaining-slots 702 in order that they will remain at whatever position to which they are shifted by the key or by the resetting mechanism.

There may be as many vertical reds U and U as may be necessary to give the proper strength to the framework formed by these rods and the cross-rods and to give the proper rigidity to the cross-rods yu and a. Each ot' the rods U and U/ at the extreme ends ot' the machine are provided with slots in which pins XV and XV', respectively, Figl, project and guide the rods in a straight vertical line. The iframes formed bythe vertical rods U and U' and the cross-rods a and uvl are reciprocated by the links U2 and U3, which links are rpivoted to an arm on a rock-shaft J', extending across the upper part of the machine and having its bearin gs in the uprights Q of the framework of the machine. An arm y", secured to the rock shaft J, projects through the top of the machine-casing and .is connected to the link E. Then the link E is sufficiently itlexible, it may be made integral with the arm j', as shown in Fig. l. Otherwise there should be a joint between these parts.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the door I3 is opened and the rod E moved to the right by the short arm of the arm C, carried bythe pinion c, Fig. 1l, the arm j', Fig. l, will be tilted backward, or to the right, as seen in that figure, which movement rocks the shaft J/ and raises the arm j, which, through the ,links U3 and U3, liits the frames U and U', carrying with them, as before eX- plained, the votc-tellers K$2 and the blocks T. The closing oi the door Il moves the arm j and the frames U and U/ back to the position illustrated. in Fig. l, whereupon the voting mechanism is again free to be operated. Thus the operation of the devices just explained releases the operating mechanism lfor further operation. As a means for guarding against the operation of the machine while the entrance-door is open I provide cross-rods u, carried by the upright rods U', and against which the keys will strike if said rods are not returned to their lowermost position. Unless the door is closed these rods will be in position to be struck bythe key-levers and prevent their moving the ratchet-wheel M a full step forward.

In Fig. l0 the downward movement of the key-levers is prevented by means of: the shoulder 7a4 on the key-levers striking against the trent oi' the rod a5. By this arrangement the key-lever cannot be depressed so long as the rod a5 is in the path of the shoulder 7c, and this rod will be entirely removed from the path of h4 only when the entrance-dooris entirely closed. I

The straightticket keys K3 (illustrated in Figs. 3 and S) are keyed to the shafts J The movement of the straight-ticket key rocks its shaft J, and by reason ot' the springs L passing through these shafts and engaging with the lugs 7c each individual key K on the same rock-shaft with the straight-ticket key which is depressed will be actuated as though each individual key were separately operated, and the counting mechanism of each ot those keys will be moved one step forward through the spring-pressed pawls Q0, carried by each of the individual keys K.

To return the straight-ticket keys to their normal position, they are provided with 1ingers e, which project under horizontal crosspins s, which are placed in slots in the upright post S. These cross-pins are pressed downward by heavy spiral springs s2. Thus when a key-lever K3 is depressed its cross-pin s is raised by the tingersz againstthe pressure of its spring S2, and when released the spring will force the key K3 back to its normal position. Each of the springs s2 must have sufficient tension to bring all of the individual keys, as well as the straight-ticket key on the same shaft, back to their normal positions.

To prevent more than one key in a vertical series being depressed at the same time, (which action would result in the voting for more than one candidate for the same ofiice,) I provide an electrically-operated telltale or alarm, which may be a bell, as illustrated in Fig. 5. For this purpose a battery F is connected between each of the rock-shafts J, and by bringing any two of t-he short arms K of the key-levers of a vertical series against the vertical rod R the battery circuit or circuits will be completed. To permit the use of a single bell, I provide a relay F in series with each battery, so that when the circuit between. any two rock-shafts J is completed the relay will be energized, and by attracting its armaturef will close the local circuit l 2 to the bell F2, the local circuit having a battery f. The ringing of the bell will thus indicate to the olticers'in charge of the voting-booth that a voter has in'iproperly voted or attempted to do so.

To prevent the short-circuiting of the circuits, the shafts J should be properly insulated at their bearings from the framework of the machine, and the ratchetavheels M and IOO IIO

gcar-wheels m should also be insulated from the shafts, and the key-levers and rods R should also be properlyinsulated from other parts of the apparatus, as will be readily understood.

lf desired, some ofthe parts may be made of insulating material-for instance,the ratchetwheels-and the drivin g-wheels m of the counters may be made of hard rubber.

The mechanism of the counters for each of the operating-keys is carried by shafts O and O', which are supported by uprights Q', secured at intervals to the rear casing of the machine. As illustrated in the drawings, the countershavethreewheels .e.,aunitswhecl N, a tens-wheel N, and a hundreds-wheel N2, Figs. 2, 3, and 7-and these wheels have rigidly attached to them gear-wheels n n n2, respectively. The gear-wheels n of the unitswhecl mesh with the drivin g-wheels m, which are actuated by the keys. Rotating with each units-wheel and its gear-wheel n is a mutilated pinion p, Figs. l and 3, having two teeth which engage with three teeth (of which there are ten sets) of a mutilated gearwheel P, secured to the gear-wheel Pt, which drives the gear-wheel n of the tens-wheel.

Rotating with the tens-wheel is a mutilated pinion p', similar to the pinion p, which pinion pt is adapted to drive a mutilated gearwheel P2, similar to the mutilated gear-wheel l. The mutilated gear-wheel P2 is secured to a gear-wheel PS, which drives the gearwheel n2, attached to the hundreds-wheel. Thus it will be seen that for every complete revolution of the units-wheel the tens-wheel is moved forward one step or one-tenth of a revolution, and for every complete revolution of the tens-wheel the hundreds-wheels is moved forward one step or one-tenth of a revolution, as will be readily understood.

lVhen the openings A2 are closed and it is desired to expose to View the counters, the proper oflicer removes a seal placed over an opening through which access to the end of the shaft J2, Fig. l, is obtained, and the end of this shaft (not shown) is squared to receive a key by which the same may be rotated. rlhis shaft has an arm j?, which is connected by a link 'i3 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. l) to a sliding frame composed of vertical rods U and cross-rods ai, which frame carries a necessary number of shutters V to close the sight-openings A2. The frame carrying the shutters is guided by the cross-rods u?, working in slots u* in the upright plates Qt of the framework of the machine. By turning the shaft J 2 so as to tilt the short arm j? upward the shutters V are removed from over the sight-openings and exposing the counters, as shown in Fig. 7.

It will be understood that before the polls are opened the counters will all be set to Zero and the shutters V will be in position, closing the sight openings. The opening through which the key to operate the shaft .l2 is inserted will be sealed by the proper officer.

To reset the counters to Zero, l provide slotted bearings o for the shafts O in the plates Q', and by removing the pins ol the shafts O may be raised, thus disengaging the ratchetwheels of the counters and permitting of their being rotated to bring them to zero. lVhen so adjusted, the shafts are again placed in their normal position and the pins o2 are reinserted.

To provide for the registration of votes on various questions that may be submitted to a public vote, an additional set of keys may be provided in the same machine with a counting mechanism attached, or such keys, with their counting mechanism, maybe elnbodied in a separate machine.

To permit access to the interior of the machine for adjusting the counting mechanism and examining other parts of the apparatus, the front and rear parts of the casing will be arranged so as to be readily removable. Proper means for locking and sealing the same by the officers in charge will also be provided. In constructing the front and rear parts of the casing I prefer in practiceto so locate and construct the working parts of the apparatus that in removing the front and rear parts of the casing parts of the mechanism supported thereby may be readily removed therewith without disturbing other parts of the apparatus.

Vhat I claim isl. In a voting-booth, the combination with a single hinged entrance-door and an exitdoor, of a lock for the entrance-door, means Operated by the opening of the entrance-door for placing its lock in locking position whereby when said door is again closed it will be locked, and means operated by the exit-door for releasing thc entrance-door, substantially as set forth.

2. In a voting-bootl1,tl1e combination with an entrance and an exit door, of a lock for the entrance-door having a spring-actuated bolt, means for shift-ing said bolt out of locking position, a mechanical connection between the exit-door and said means for placing said bolt out of locking` position, and a mechanical connection between said means and the entrance-door, upon the movement of which the spring-bolt is returned to its locking position, substantially as set forth.

3. In avoting-booth, the combination with a hinged entrance-door and an exit-door, of a lock for the entrance-door, means controlled by the opening of the entrance-door for placin g its lock in locking position whereby when said door is again closed it will be locked, mea-ns operated by the exit-door for releasing the entrance-door, and means actuated by the entrance-door for resetting the locking mechanism of the voting-machine, substantially as set forth.

et. In a voting-booth, the combination with an entrance and an exit door, of a lock for the entrance-door, comprising a movable lockbody and a spring-actuated bolt therein, con- IOO IIO

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nections between said lock-body and the entrance-door whereby the opening of the entrance-door will move the lock-body toward the same, and connections between said lockbody and the exit-door, whereby the openin g of the exit-door will move the lock-body away from the entrance-door, substantially as set forth.

5. In a voting-booth, the combination with an entrance and an exit door, of a lock for the entrance-door comprising a movable lockbody and a spring-actuated bolt therein, a slotted rod connecting said lock-body and the entrance-door, and a slotted rod connecting said lock-body and the exit-door, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

G. In a voting-booth, the combination with an entrance and an exit door, of a lock for the entrance-door comprising a movable lockbody and a spring-actuated bolt therein, a cam for moving said lock-body toward and away from the entrance-door, a slotted rod connecting said cam and the entrance-door, and a slotted rod connecting said cam and the exit-door, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7 In a 'voting-machine, the combination of a series of operating-keys, a separate counter actuated by each of said keys,a spring-pressed locking device for each key and normally held out of engagement therewith, a common tripping device for holding all of said locking devices in their normal positions, and so arranged relatively to the keys that upon the operation of any one of said keys the locking devices of the other keys will be tripped so as to look the same, while the operated key will engage beneath its looking device so as not to be locked by the saine until the key is returned to its normal position, and a resetting mechanism for withdrawing said locking devices, substantially as set forth.

S. In a voting-machine, the combination of a pivotcd key-lever formed with an arm thereon, a spring-pressed locking-block normally held out of engagement with said arm, a tripping device for holding said locking-block in its normal position, butadapted to be engaged by said arm after the latter has passed beneath said locking-block so as to trip the locking-block and allow. the same to engage the top of said arm, whereby upon the return of the key-lever the said arm will be withdrawn from beneath the locking-block which will thereupon be projected in the path of said arm, and resetting mechanism for withdrawing said locking-block, substantially as set forth.

0. In a voting-machine, the combination of a series of vertically-arranged pivoted keylevers each provided with an arm thereon, a spring-pressed locking-block for each arm normally held out of engagement therewith, a common tripping device for holding said locking-blocks in their normal positions, but adapted to be engaged by any one of said arms after the latter was passed beneath its locking-block so as to trip and project the other locking-blocks in the paths of the other arms and to trip the locking-block of theoperated key-lever so as to allow the same to engage the top of the arm thereof, whereby upon the return of the operated key-lever its arm will be withdrawn from beneath itsloeking-block which will thereupon be projected in the path of said arm, and resetting mechanism for withdrawing said locking-blocks, substantially as set forth.

l0. Ina voting-machine, the combination of a movable shaft held normally stationary, a series of keys mounted on said shaft and movable with respect to the same, a counter actuated by each key, stops on said shaft engaging said keys, whereby movement of the shaft will operate all the keys thereon, and a straight-ticket key rigidly connected to said shaft for partially rotating the same, substantially as set forth.

ll. In avoting-machine, the combination of a series of movable shafts held normally stationary, a series of keys mounted on cach of said shafts, a counter actuated by each key, stops on each shaft engaging the keys thereon whereby movement of any one of said shafts will operate all the keys thereon, a straightticket key rigidly connected to each shaft for partially rotating the same, and interlocking mechanism between said keys, whereby the operation of the keys on one shaft will lock all the other keys, substantially as set forth.

l2. In avoting-ma-chine, the combination of a movable shaft .I normally held stationary, a series of 4keys K mounted on said shaft and movable with respect to the same, a counter actuated by each key, a spring L for keeping each key in its normal position, said springs extending through the shaft and the ends thereof forming stops, a pin 7e on each key with which the end of the corresponding spring engages, and a straight-ticket key rigidly connected to said shaft for partially rotating the same, substantially as set forth.

I3. In a voting-machine, the combination with a series of counters for individual candidates, of a series of individual keys for operating said counters, a shaft on which said keys are loosely mounted, a straight-ticket key mounted on said shaft and adapted to turn the same, and means carried by said shaft for engaging the individual keys when the shaft is turned by the straight-ticket key, whereby all the individual keys will be caused to operate their counters when the straightticket key is operated, substantially as set forth.

14. In a voting-machine, the combination with a series of keys for actuating the counters of t-he various candidates for the same oftice, of an electric alarm or telltale for indicating when two or more of said operatingkeys are actuated, substantially as set forth.

15. In a voting-machine, the combination with a series of keys for actuating theA connters of the various candidates for the same of- IOO IIO

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tale, and an eleetrie erent for controlling said alarm extending through the said keys whereby the sinmltaneens operation of more than one 'key n a series makes the alarm active, substantially as Set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed Lhis llh (lay of March, 1896.

CLINTON L. BANCROFT.

Witnesses:

J Enm' SHEEHAN, H. I. CHARTER.

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