US740057A - Independent-vote mechanism for voting-machines. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. 29 1903. ST. LOUIS 6; A. M. JACKSON. INDEPENDENT VO'I'E MECHANISM FOR VOTING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED HAIL-19,1903

HO MODEL.

WITNESSES.

ATTO NE UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANCIS X. ST. LOUIS AND ALFRED M. JACKSON, OF COLUSA, CALIFORNIA.

INDEPENDENT-VOTE MECHANISM FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 740,057, dated September 29, 1903. Original application filed October 24, 1902, Serial No. 128,675. Divided and this application filedMarch 19, 1903. Serial To an 1072,0771, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANCIS X. ST. LoUIs and ALEEED M.JAcKsoN,citizens of the United States, residing at Colusa, in the county of Colusa and State of Galifo'rnia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Independent-Vote Mechanism for Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in independent-vote mechanism for voting-machines, the object of our invention being to provide apparatus which will permit the voter to vote for any person whose name does not appear among the list of nominated candidates. 7

Our invention is especially adapted for use with a voting-machine invented by us, the general construction of which is described and claimed in an application filed October 24,1902, Ser al No. 128,675, and of which the present application is a division.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of the upper part ofv a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the voting-keys attached to stems 2. On said stems are slidably keyed arms 3, which engage pins 4 on arms 5 of shutters 6, said shutters covering apertures 7, through which appear the names of unnominated candidates. The effect, therefore, of turning the key in one direction will be to withdraw the shutters from the apertures, so as to permit the voter to write upon a band 15, of the paper, the name of the person for whom he desires to vote. Upon each stem 2 is secured a finger S, which before voting extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine. The act of voting consists in raising said stem by its key to give the stem a quarter-turn, either to the right or to the left, and then releasing said stem. This act will bring said finger 8 into the upper portion of a slot 9 in the slide 10. There are two of these slides, one on each side of the row of voting-keys. One of the slides as, for instance, that to the left-corresponds to the nominated candidates, and the other slide, the one to the right, is for voting for persons not nominated. When the No model.)

slides are reciprocated, the effect will be that such fingersas have been dropped by the act of voting into the upper, ends of the slots will be depressed on account of the upper portion of the slot being oblique in direction. Said fingers are sufficiently long to extend through said slots and over pinsll, extending from the sides of rollers 12 13, so that the depression of the finger by its engagement with the pin imparts a partial rotation to the roller. The rollers 12 onth'e left carry tapes or bands 14, having numerals printed thereon for'recording the number of votes; but around the rollers 13 on the right pass the bands 15 of paper on which the voter may write the name of the person not nominated for whom he desires to vote, and the effect of depressing the finger in this case will be to advance the band of paper a suflicient dis tance to bring a clean surface below the aperture 7 for the next voter to vote by means therefore, if desired. The return movement of the slides operates the fingers to restore the parts to their former position.

We claiml. A Voting-machine comprising a. row of voting-stems, fingers thereon, a slide having slots oblique in one portion and horizontal in the other portion, a tape or band for each stem, a roller carrying the same, pins on said roller, the finger on the stem when moved into the slot engaging said pin, and means for shifting the slide, the slot being so shaped that when shifted the finger operates the roller to advance said tape or band, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a' row of voting-stems, the tape for each of said stems, rotatable means supporting the tape, means actuated by the stems for moving said rotatable means to permit movement of the tape, comprising pins carried by said rotatable means, and means carried by the said stem for engagement with the pins, and shutters for concealing said ICO tape adapted to be actuated by the stems, substantially as described.

3. A voting-machine of the type set forth, comprising voting-stems, tape-bearing rollers for each stern, a tape carried by said rollers, shutters for concealing the tape, means carried by the stem for actuating said shutters, slides having angular slots therein, and means carried by the stems for actuating said slides, substantially as described.

4. A voting-machinecomprising a row of Voting-stems, fingers thereon, a slide having slots oblique in one portion and horizontal in the other portion, a tape or band for each stem, a roller carrying the same, pins in said roller, the finger on the stem when inoved F. X. ST. LOUIS. A. M. JACKSON. Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, BESSIE-GORFINKEL

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