US676456A - Vote-recorder. - Google Patents

Description

Patented June l8, I901.

A. J. BOLFING.

VOTE RECORDER.

(Appliation filed Feb. 6, 1897.)

' (No lodl.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ARTHUR J. BOLFING, OF'SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

'VOTE-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0; 676,456, dated June 18, 1901.

Application filed February 6,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. BOLFING, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of, San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain Improve: ments in Vote-Recorders,'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for printing the registered results from a votingmachine, so .that any number of authentic duplicates can be printed from the registering devices or counters before the polls are opened, during their progress, or subsequent thereto, as may be desired, in such form as to be readily assembled in an ofticial organized list.

The objects'of the present invention are to provide a method of'procuring official election returns without employing the processes of canvassing, tallying, transcribing, or tabuchine such as is described in my application for Letters Patent on voting-machines, Serial No. 585,025, filed March 26, 1896. Fig. 11 is a plan view of a series of these elements placed side by side, so the registering and printing wheels will stand inalinement and permit impressions to be taken in one line on narrow strips of paper. Fig. III is a broken view of the rear side of a voting-machine, showing the manner of taking printed impressions. Fig. IV is an isometric View of a voting-machine, showing the manner of applying the paper to receive impressions. Fig. V shows the register-strips assembled or superposed above and slightly in advance of each other, the whole adapted and arranged so as to be quickly and conveniently added. Fig. VI is a view showing the register-strips,

1897. SerialNo.622,266 (NomodeL) one from each precinct, superposed above. andslightly in advance of each other, forming an oflicial list of the returns, with a district summary-strip containing the totals of the columns thus formed. Fig. VII shows district summary-strip with district-totals under respective identifying; voting-numbers. Fig. VIII is a view showing the district summary-strips, one for each district, superposed above and slightly in advance of each other, forming an oftlcial listof the returns, with grand -total summary-strip containing the totals of the columns thus formed, from whence to decide as to the election of candidates and the adoption or rejection of measures.

Each section 1, of which there are as many as there are ofiices, measures, or objects to be voted for, contains as many sets of printingcounters 5 as there are candidates for the for- I mer and two sets each for the latter. These sections are made complete in themselves, independent of each other and interchangeable, in order that subsequent elections may be readily arranged for. Over these sections is placed a ballot containing the names of the offices, candidate names with voting-numbers, and straight-ticket names, said ballot being spaced to correspond with the keys for operating the counters, the counters of the, individual-candidate sections being operated by respective-keys and also by the keys in the straight-ticket section. Opposite the counters 5 are type 7, bearing numbers corresponding to the voting-numbersot the ballot or faceplate, in order to identify the totals of votes cast to their respective candidates, &c.-e. 9., type bearing figure corresponds with the voting-number 6 opposite the name of E. Kepler, Populist candidate for treasurer. The counters of all sections are arranged in one line in order that the impressions made therefrom may show the totals of votes'for each candidatein oneline, in consequence of which arrangement a new principle becomes inherent in said printed record, as is manifest by its susceptibility When'assembled with other similar registers, of forminga column for each of the respective candidates containing the totals of votes cast for said candidates. A suitable cover 9 when closed forms a guard to protect the wheels and type and when open forms a guide for roller 16. Over the top of the counters and type is placed an inked ribbon 11. An impression-roller 12 is wound with a continuous strip of paper 13, so the end of the latter can be fastened in a suitable manner, so that when the roller is moved forward the paper is unwound from the roller and by weight of the latter receives an impression through said ribbon of the figures on thetop. of thecounters 5, type 7, and also from type 18 and 19, which latter serve as a means to identify the totals to the precinct and district in which the votes were cast.

Duplicates to any-extent may be thus made atany time. These registers, one from each precinct, when assembled'form a complete printed page, showing the totals of votes cast in a district for each'of the candidates in respective columns under identifying numbers and atv one side of the page the names and numbers of the various precincts of the districtin which the votes were-cast. If desired,

in lieu of the voting-numbers a ballot the thecounters without i-mpairingthe usefulness means for taking impressions of sard printin-g-co'untersand-said fixed type.

of said registers.

Theprocess of officially recapitulating election returns without canvassing, tallying,

transcribing, or tabulating is as follows: Upon a suitabletormor assembling-board 27, near the bottom, will be fastened a strip 28, having suitable-spaces delineated thereon to receive the summary of the columns. formed. The said 'spaces, and consequently the totals set down therein, by means of the identifyingnumbers 29 will be identified. to their-respective candidates or measures. superposed abovetproperly spaced, and likewise fastened will: be the register 13, bearing the highest precinct-number. The, register 13having the next lowest precinct-nu mber will be likewise superposed, these latter registers to be so arranged that' the totals of votes castfor the respective candidates, 850., will come in the same columns and that the register 13 last placed will cover the voting or; identifying numbers on the preceding summary-strip 28 or register 13, as the case, may be, this processfor superposing and fastening to be carriedoutwith all the registers, one from each precinct i n agiven district. The final registerthusplaced. will exhibit the voting-numbers 24, thereby identifying the columns thus formedtothe respective candidates or measures,&c.,andthe-columns may be summarized and thetotals placed in therespective spaces provided therefor on summary-strip28. The

summary strips, (when properly completed,) onefrorneach district, may in turn be assembled in like manner, again forming columns tals thus-arrived at, it is obvious,- will-repre-- sentall the votes cast for therespectivecandidates and for and against respectivemeas templated that a register 13-be taken at the opening of the polls and posted in a conspicuous place provided for it upon the booth, from which all electors present may learn that the counting and printing wheels were all set at zero-the first register taken at the close of the polls to be posted in a similar manner thereunder and the second of such registers taken at the close of the polls to be forwarded to the officers of election, where it in conjunction with other similar registers 13 will be assembled, as shown in Figs. V and V VI. The registers 13 takensubsequentl-y may .be furnished totheheadquarters of the various political parties interested and to such. newspaperswherein 'it is proposed topu'bli-sh the election returns.

v I desire to secure by Letters Patentclaims I as follows: g a v 1. In a voting-machine, a face-plate or ballot with names and voting-numbers of cani didates; printing-counters with type at, the:

same level, said type bearing figures corresponding with said voti-n-gnumbers; and

2. In a voting-machine, a, fixed coveringplate; a series of counting and printin g wheels:

bearing figures thereon in relief, and project v ing through apertures in said plate; incombination-,witha seriesof fixed type-at the, same.

level, bearing figures indicating the candi-- date, office or object voted for; and a face- .platebearing the,- names of the several cani 1 didates, offices orobjectslto be voted for, with numbers to identify said candidate, office or object with the. figures on: said fi-Xed-typese Qries, substantially asspecified.

3. In a voting-machine, a fixed perforated I .plate or platen; a series of fixed revoluble counting and printing wheels having figures thereon in relief, presenting in succession through apertures in said platen a register, of the votes; a face-plate or ballot containing the names of candidatesywith respective voting-numbers; fixed type corresponding withsaid voting-numbers, opposite to thesets of counting-wheels, to identify' the votes cast or registered with the candidates or objects voted for, at the same level withthe printing surface of the counting and printing wheels; in combination therewith a carbon: or'inrked ribbon covering the counting and printing wheels; a chambered or suitable cover toiconceal and protect the register as thepollingof' the votes proceeds, and means for making impressions. thereof, substantially as specified.

- 4. In a voting machine, a fixed covering- 1 plate; a series of counting and printing wheels ,having figures thereon in relief, presentingin:v succession through apertures in said plate; a register of the-votes; a series of fixed type adjacent theretoandat the same level bearing figures indicatingthe candidate, office or object to be voted for; a face-plate bearing the names of the several candidates, ofiices or objects to be voted for with numbers to identify the candidate, office or object with the figures on the fixed-type series; a carbon'or inked ribbon covering the counting and printing wheels and the fixed type; an impressionroller whereby printed impressions of the register may be obtained in any required number of copies, substantially as specified.

5. In a vote-recorder, the combination of the series of counting and printing wheels; the series of fixed type bearing figures indicating the candidate, office or object to be voted for; the fixedperforated covering-plate through which the figures on the countingwheels project; the chambered cover to conceal and protect the register as the voting proceeds; the face-plate bearing the names of the candidates, offices or objects to be voted for with the identifying-numbers corresponding to the numbers on the fixed-type series; the inked ribbon covering the wheel-numbers and the fixed-type numbers; means whereby printed impressions of said register and said type may be obtained substantially as specified.

6. A series of sections, placed parallel and side by side, one for each office, each section containing a. series of printing-counters, one for each candidate, all the typewheels of said counters of each section so disposed that an impression may be obtained of all the counters in a single line transversely; a series of fixed type bearing figures indicating the candidate, office or object to be voted for; a faceplate bearing the names of the candidates, officers or objects to be voted for, with respective identifying or voting nu mbers correspending to the numbers on the fixed-type series. Y j

, 7. In a voting-machine, aface-place or ballot with names of candidates and respective voting-numbers; in combination therewith, means for embodying in oneline, in corporeal substances, the official evidence of electors preference of candidates for the various offices, measures, 650., voted for, from whence to decide as to the election of candidates and the adoption or rejection of measures, 820.;

and means comprising a series of fixed type bearing numbers corresponding with the voting-numbers of the aforesaid face-plate, for officially identifying said evidence of preference with said candidates, measures, &c., M

.substantially as described.

a fixed covering-plate common to all the wheels, and opposite thereto a series of fixednumbers; in combination with the means as described for obtaining an impression or record in one line of all said printing=wheels, and-adjacent thereto, of the fixed numbers, substantially as specified.

10. In a vote recorder, candidate names with oificially-assigned voting-numbers; in dividual-candidate counters; keys for accumulating upon said counters the official evidence of the electors preference of candidates; adjacent said keys, voting-numbers, with or without candidate names, to identify said keys with said candidates; fixed type, bearing numbers corresponding with said voting-numbers, adjacent said individual candidate counters, to identify said accumulated evidence with said candidate names respec* tively; means to embody in corporeal sub stances said evidence of preference; means to identify said evidence of preference with said candidates respectively, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af fixed my signature in the presence of two Wit nesses. g

- ARTHUR J. BOLFING. Witnesses K. LooKwooD-NEv'INs, H. SANDERSON.

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