J. A.. HILL.
Ballot Box.
Patented Aug. 6, 1850L N PETLHa Phmuflmwgnplwr4 vla-hmmm. D. c.
NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.
J. A. HILL, OF BLOMINGTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO CANNON AND HBBS.
Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,545, dated August 6, 1850.
T 0 all 'LU/tom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH ADDISON HILL, of Bloomington, Monroe county, Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making part of this specilication.
The object of my invention is to provide a method of taking votes, which, while on the one hand it is in great measure free from liability to errors both of accident and design, is at the same time operated with much greater dispatch than is attainable by any of the modes now in common use.
In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, one half of the front being removed to eX- pose the tape, &c.
Like letters in the several figures have reference to the same parts.
a is a box or case which may be either open at back as .shown or closed by a door.
ZJ b are two rollers around which is stretched a tape or band c marked at equal intervals along its length, by numerals from 0 or l upward. Attached to the lower roller is a (small ratchet wheel l and upon its pivot o is a larger ratchet wheel e, having a spring click f, which, whenever the ratchet e rotated forward compels the tape to advance, and the teeth upon the ratchet e are of such size as to move the tape the distance between the consecutive figures at every impulsion.
g is the click which propels the ratchet e, and L is a spring pawl which prevents its return.
z' is a lever capable of vibration upon the pivot b of the roller b, and it is to this lever that the click g is hung.
y' is a key or pedal for operating the click from the out-side.
71; is a catch which retains the arm after each impulsion, until again liberated, the catch is held to the pin Z upon the lever by a spring m attached at n to the stationary block 0), but the person in attendance by pushing the brake or pedal p, withdraws the click 7c from the pin Z and the spring g returns the lever to its former position.
r is an aperture through which the numbers are read.
The zero or datum point in the column of figures is obtained by simply rotating the small ratchet till the tape is brought to the place of commencement. Of course there are as many tapes and pedals as candidates.
It is evident that in place of the endless band, there may be a long tape wound upon a reserve roller, within which is a spring, so that on liberating the ratchet the entire tape may be drawn quickly back upon the roller.
The advantages of this method of taking votes over those in ordinary use are various, and some of them of a very decided character both as respects economy of time and certainty of operation and result. Take for example, t-he election of officers in a division of the Sons of Temperance. Suppose four persons to be nominated for the presiding ofcer. The old way is to provide every member with a piece of paper on which to write his choice, these are then collected together, and read out separately, and registered, then counted up and the decision made. This is a very tedious process, besides being subject to errors both of accident and design. Small pieces of paper inscribed with the names of candidates may be placed under clips upon the front of the box, and hang down over the apertures, so as to hide the numbers while balloting.
The operation is as follows: Suppose the pedals extended as shown by the one y" in dotted lines and the-name of each candidate placed over its respective pedal in front of the box, then the box being presented by the judge face foremost tol a voter, the latter pushes in one or more of the pedals, and the tape of each pedal moved advances to the next figure, then the judge by touching the trigger or brake p, liberates the pedals y' which fly out again ready for another voter and when all have so voted the tickets are removed from in front of their respective apertures, and the number of votes polled for each candidate appears opposite of the opening upon the tape.
Having thus fully described the nature of my improvements what I claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The arrangementsubstantially as herein described of a moving band or tape imprinted With numerals and actuated by pedal ratchet movement and rollers or other equivalent device in connection With spring detention latches and a liberating brake or their equivalents7 so that While the number polled for each respective candidate is exhibited by the appropriate tape, each 'pedal as it is brought into play by the voter, is detained by its respective latch, until again 10 liberated by the attending officer, thus effectually preventing` the duplication of votes. JOSEPH ADDISON HILL. Vitnesses HENRY TANNER, ALVIN I. Hos.