US660918A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

no. 660,9la.

C. H. OCUMPAUGH.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application lod Ot. 1, 1900.)

(lo Modal.)

Patented Oct. 30, |900.

H1 Miti Tn: nomma rcrsns co. woraumo.. wAsnmoToN, n. c.

No. 660,9!8. Patented 0st. 30,' |900.

' C. H. UCUMPAUGH.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Applicntion led Oct 1, 1900.) (No Model- 2 shets-sheat z.

.W MNH UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

CHARLES HERBERT OCUMPAUGHQOF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

voTlNe-t/lAoi-HNE.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,918, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed October l, 1900. Serial No. 31,632. (No model.)

To mit whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES HERBERT OCUMPAUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvement-s in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates io certain improvements in votingmachines, which improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification andthe accompanying drawings, the novel features thereof being specified in the claims annexed to the said specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a front elevation of a p'ortion ofthe face-plate of a Voting-niachineen'l bodying my in veution, showing the irregular cover closed. Fig. 2 is a partial View of the saine, showing the irregular cover open and the pocket in the belt for the insertion of the irregular ballot. Fig. 3 represents a split ballot. Fig. Je is a partial horizontal section. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, the face-plate being omitted. Fig. 6 represents the Web employed in making the belt. Fig. 7 is a front view of the belt. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of thebelt.

A represents the face-plate, B the lever for operating the counter C, and D the irregular cover, which in the instance shown is a slide.

It will be understood that while only one counter and one irregular balloting device are shown any required number of either may be` used and that the party-lines may be horizontal or vertical.

Any suitable counter-operating mechanism may be used. As shown, the lever B is moved horizontally tothe left and actuates the coimter by the pivoted palleted segment E and starwheel F.

G is the resetting-lever, which is operated by the election official or the voteras he leaves the booth or the machine until the mechanism has been reset.

The counter may be arranged to be read at the end of an election from the front or the hack of the machine. The names of a number of candidates are placed in View of the voter near the lever B, as shown. The counter may be operated by a push or a pull or in any usual or preferred manner. The lever B is interlocked against the slide D, so that both cannot be operatedsimultaneously. If the voter desires to vote for all the candidates for the particular oiiice in question, he simply shifts the lever B to the left, and this movement operates the counter, the disks of which are geared or otherwise connected together in any suitable or preferred manner. If, on the contrary, he desires to split his vote or vote for some person not nominated instead oi' for one or more of the regular nominees, he prepares a splitl ballot J, (represented in Fig. 3,) and on enteringthe machine or booth he pushes the cover or slide D aside,thus uncovering the belt H, into one of the pockets I of which the prepared ballot (folded, it' necessary) is inserted. (See dotted lines J, Fig. 7.) The belt is rolled on the two rollers K L, and one of these rollers is operated by the resetting mechanism, so as to wind the belty upon it a sufficient distance to bring the nextv empty pocket in register with the opening through the face-plate. 'lhe slide or cover D is provided with a suitable handle P.

rlheinterlocking mechanism will be understood from Fig. 5. M and N are the interlocking rods, one of which is arranged to be operated by the slide D, the other being operated by the lever B. O O are suitable interlocking blocks, balls, or rollers arranged iu a suitable frame and adapted to prevent the insertion of more than one of the interlocking rods between them. The rod N may be directly pivoted ou the lever B; but ou the rod M lost motion may be allowed by means of lugs Q and R.

. The resetting-lever G may be provided with a paWl engaging in a ratchet on the shaft of the roll L, or any suitable intermediate gearing may be employed, or the two rolls K and L may be driven at the same speed by an adjustable friction driving-roll, so as to compensate for the increase in diameter of the receiving-roll as the belt is Wound onto it. The openings l into the pockets S in the belt H are preferably placed at the rear ends of the pockets. The belt is made of any suitable material, and it may be formed by attaching a series of suitable pockets together. I have used such a belt in practice. In the form shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 the belt is made of paper or other suitable fabric folded IOO on the median line T after having been slit or perforated on one side of said line, as indicatedatl,tl1e free edges being then gummed together and the plies being also gummed transversely, indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

U is a support for the belt in rear of the opening through the faceplate. Suitable rollers are provided as guides for the belt.

V, Fig. 4, represents a cam revolving with the roll L or other suitable part of the machine which unlocks the lever W from engagement with the slide I). The lever is provided with a spring X, which forces the point of the lever behind the end of the slide D, so that the lever cannot be returned.

Y is the movable resetting-bar, which is operated from the lever G by the cam Z, through the connection Z'.

A lever similar to lever NV is used to operate in conjunction with bar or rod N.

It. will be understood that various modications and alterations may be made in the construction herein shown without departure from the principles thereof.

I claiml. In a voting-machine, the combination of a suitable casing having an aperture formed therein; an irregular balloting device consisting of a belt mounted wholly Within said casing and adapted to pass by said aperture, said belt having pockets formed therein for the insertion and retention of ballots as said pockets are brought to position in line with the aperture; and means for winding` the belt upon itself.

2. In a voting-machine, the combination of a suitable casing having an aperture therein; an irregular balloting device mounted wholly within said casing, said device consisting of a traveling belt having pockets for the insertion and retention of ballots; and means for Winding the belt about itself.

3. In a Voting-machine, the combination of a suitable casing having an aperture formed therein; an irregular balloting device consisting of a belt mounted Wholly Within said casing and adapted to pass by said aperture,'

said belt having a series of equidistantlyspaced pockets formed therein for the insertion and retention of ballots as said pockets are brought to position in line with the aperture; and means for Winding the belt about itself.

4. In a voting-machine, a face-plate having a register-operating device on one side of its face, and a traveling belt upon the opposite side7 said belt being provided with pockets for the insertion and permanent retention of ballots until they are finally counted, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a voting-machine having an apertured face-plate; a traveling belt provided with pockets adapted to receive and retain ballots; and means lor moving the belt past the aperture in said plate, and winding the belt about itself.

6. In a voting-machine, the combination of a regular-vote-registeringmechanism a travcling belt having pockets for irregular ballots; and suitable interlocking mechanism, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a voting-machine having an apertured face-plate; a traveling belt provided with pockets; a regular registering mechanism; a movable slide or cover; and suitable interlocking mechanism between the register and the cover, as and for the purpose set forth.

S. In a voting-machine, the combination of a suitable casing having an apertured faceplate; a flexibleballot-receiving belt having pockets formed therein for the reception and retention of a ballot, said pockets being open at one end only; and means for winding the belt aboutitself after the ballot has been deposited in the pocket. f

9. In a voting-machine, the combination of a suitable casing having an apertured faceplate; a flexible ballot receiving and retaining belt mounted wholly therein; and means for winding the belt on itself after the ballot has been inserted.

l0. In a voting-machine, the combination of a resetting` device andi a movable ballot-receiving belt having pockets for the reception and retention of a ballot, said belt being moved by the actuation of the resetting device by the voter.

ll. In a voting-machine, the combination of an apertured face-plate; a ballot receiving and retaining belt extending past said aperture, said belt having covered pockets formed therein and extending parallel to the face of the plate.

l2. In avoting-machine,the combination of a suitable casing having an aperture formed therein; a belt provided With pockets and mountedwholly within said casing; and means for imparting a step-by-step movement to the belt as it is wound about itself.

13. In a voting-machine,the combination of a suitable casing having an aperture formed therein; a ballotreceiving belt mounted Wholly Within said casing and provided with a series of openings adapted to receive and retain ballots; and means for imparting a step-by-step movement to said belt, said movement bringing an opening in the belt in register with the aperture.

CHARLES HERBERT OCUMIAUGII.

Witnesses:

A.. M. ZIMMER, L. J. HOMMEL.

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