US809479A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

0. M. WARNER. VOTING MAGHINE.

AYPLICATION FILED 1.22.20. 1905.

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Attorneys Witnesses No. 809,479. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1909. 0. M. WARNER. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1905.

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Attorneys iwitfxessesfi I g by UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 9, 1906.

Application filed April 20, 1905 Serial No. 256,569.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI. CLARENCE MoRRis 'WAR- NER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Voting-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to voting-machines, and has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements in this class of devices, so as to enable the convenient manipulation thereof.

A particular object of the invention resides in the provision of novel mechanism for locking the actuating-keys of each series of keys for the several candidates for a particular office when any one of the series of keys has been pushed to register a vote.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the ac companying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one end portion of a votingmachine embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionalview on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing two of a series of registering mechanisms and the actuating and resetting mechanisms associated therewith. Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line i 4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the adjacent ends of two lockingslides and the cooperating part of an actuating-key. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of locking one of the voting-keys. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of one of the record-tapes.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

For housing and protecting the several mechanical mechanisms of the present invention there is provided a case or cabinet 1, preferably in. the nature of a rectangular box of suitable proportions and provided with a flat bottom 2, upon which the case or cabinet is designed to rest during the successive vot- 1ng operations. It 1s proposed to have this bottom hinged to the body of the case or cabinet,

as shown at 3 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and normally locked by means of any suitable or approved locking meanssuch, for instance, as a hasp, staple, and padlock, as shown at 4 in Fig. 2-whereby tampering with the mechanism within the case or cabinet is effectually precluded, while it is possible to quickly open the bottom of the case to give access to the registering mechanism, so as to determine the number of votes cast for each candidate im-' mediately upon the completion of the voting. For the support of the case or cabinet when inverted posts or projections 5 are provided upon the top of the case at the four corners thereof in order that the cabinet may rest upon these posts as supports when inverted, thereby to space the top of the cabinet above the table or other support, and thus prevent actuation of the controlling-keys when the case is inverted, as will be hereinafter explained.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that a series of card-holders 6 is provided upon the top of the cabinet, preferably at the left-hand side thereof and extending from front to rear of the cabinet for the reception of cards or the like hearing the titles of the offices for which the votes are to be cast. At the back of the top of the cabinet is a series of card-holders designated 7, which extend from the left to the right of the cabinet and are designed to receive cards or the like bearing the names of the several political parties. In alinementwith the name of each political party and extending from front to rear of the cabinet is a series of card-holders 8, which are successively arranged in alinement with the titles of the offices and designed to receive the names of the candidates of the particular political party for the respectiveoffices. To the left of the names of the candidates for each political party there is a series of voting-keys 8, one for each candidate, which normally project above the top of the case or cabinet and are designed to be pushed downwardly to actuate the record mechanism within the cabinet.

The interior of the cabinet is divided by a series of longitudinal partitions 9 (best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings) into a series of compartments, the tops of the partitions terminating about midway of the depth of the cabinet. These partitions extend from left to right of the cabinet and are arranged so that each longitudinal compartment lies directly beneath the name or title of one of the officers and the names of the candidates of the several political parties for this particular office, and is designed to contain the several registering mechanisms for said candidates in order that these registering mechanisms may be locked when a vote has been cast for any one of the candidates for the same office.

For each voting-key 8 there is a registering mechanism which consists of a drum 10, mounted to rotate upon a substantiallyhori Zontal axis 11, supported upon adjacent partitions, said drum being provided at one side with ratchet-teeth 12. Below this drum is a roll of tape 13, mounted upon a roller 14, which has each end received within a lateral seat at the inner end of a slot or notch 15 intersecting the lower edge of the adjacent partition, whereby the roll of tape is capable of being conveniently applied and removed when the bottom of the case is open. A suitable spring 16 is carried by one of the partitions and bears against the roll of tape to prevent displacement thereof and also to maintain the latter wound tightly upon the roller. The free end of this tape extends from the under side of the roll to and around the periphery of the drum upon which it is designed to be fed from the roll. This tape is numbered consecutively from 1 upward, as shown in Fig. 7, and constitutes a permanent register or record of the votes cast for the candidate whose name appears upon the tape. The drum 10 is designed to be rotated with a step-by-step movement in accordance with each manipulation of the corresponding controlling or voting key, and as the tape or web is fed to the drum the numbers upon the tape are automatically crosssed off by a marking device consisting of a pencil 17, carried by the free end of a vertically-swinging arm 18, pivoted, as at 19, between the adjacent partitions, there being a spring 20, carried by the under side of the arm and bearing against the inner side of the bottom 2, to hold the point of the pencil against the under exposed face of the tape, so as to draw a continuous line across the numbers thereon as the tape is fed from the roll 13 to the drum 10. It will here be explained that the last number marked or crossed off upon the tape indicates the total number of votes cast for the corresponding candidate. Upon reference to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the record-tape is divided into a longitudinal series of blocks or sections by parallel transverse lines,each fifth block or section being numbered, whereby the total number of votes cast for the candidate may be quickly determined by reference to the last block across which the line a has been drawn by the pencil or other marking device 17. A suitable check 21 is carried by the cabinet and engages the ratchet-teeth 12 to prevent backward movement of the drum.

The controlling-key 8 for rotating the drum 10 has its upper end portion 22 reduced, so as to work through an opening 23 in the top of the cabinet, the shoulder 24, formed by the base of the reduced portion 22, constituting a stop for engagement with the under side of the top of the cabinet to limit upward movement of the key. The lower portion of this key works in the adjacent compartment within the bottom of the cabinet and is pivotally connected to the free end of a link 25, which has its other end rotatably supported upon the shaft 11 of the drum 10. There is also a gravity-dog 26, pivoted at its lower end to the lower end of the key upon the same pivotal connection 27, which serves for the link 25, the upper free end of this dog engaging the ratchet-teeth 12. A stop projection 28 extends laterally from the lower edge of the link 25, with the dog 26 resting thereon and yieldably held thereagainst by means of a spring 29, carried by the key 8. The link 25 at this point of connection 27 with the key 8 is pro vided with a longitudinal slot 30, which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so as to prevent binding of the key by the link 25 during the up-and-down movement thereof.

Each controlling or voting key 8 is normally supported in its elevated position with its top or finger piece 22 projected above the top of the cabinet by means of a locking-slide 31, each longitudinal edge of which is slidably mounted in a groove or guideway 32, formed in the adjacent partition 9, so as to slide endwise in a substantially horizontal position. What will be termed the forward end of the slide is bifurcated or forked, as at 33, so as to straddle the adjacent portion of the key, which has its opposite sides recessed or cut away, as at 3a, to accommodate the sides of the fork or bifurcation. It will here be explained that the bifurcation is of a length to receive the adjacent key throughout the mo vements of the slide in opposite directions, thereby to prevent lateral play of the slide and insure the proper reengagement thereof with the key. The inner or rear end wall 35 of the fork or bifurcation is inclined downwardly and forwardly, and the back of the key is provided with a correspondingly-inclined notch or seat 36, so as to receive the inclined end wall of the bifurcation, as shown at the righthand side of Fig. 2. The rear end of each locking-slide normally abuts against the front or bifurcated end of the next in rear slide, whereby the several slides are in successive engagement, there being a spring 37, supported upon a cross-bar 38 within the lefthand end of the cabinet, with the free end of the spring bearing against the rear end of the rearmost locking-slide, thereby to hold the series of locking-slides at their forward or right-hand limits, the foremost slide (shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2) in engagement with the right-hand wall of the cabinet. When any key is depressed, the cam-surface afforded by the notch 36 working across the inclined end 35 of the next in rear slide forces the latter rearwardly, which permits of the key being depressed sufficiently to turn the drum 10 one notch, thereby feeding the tape 13 from the roll to the drum, and as the tape moves across the pencil 17 the latter makes a mark across one of the numbers upon the tape. As the locking-slide 31 moves rearwardly its rear end takes into a notch or seat 39 in the front of the next-in-rear key, thereby locking the latter against downward movement. As the slides successively abut, all of the slides in. rear of the key depressed will of course be moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 37, so as to lock the several keys in rear of the key which has been actuated. The locking slide which is immediately in front of the key which has been depressed remains fixed, and is held against movement by reason of its forward inclined end fitting in the notch 36 of the adjacent key and its rear end fitting against the front of the key which has been depressed above the notch 39, and as the remaining slides in front of this slide are successively'abutted all of said slides will be held against endwise movement, and the several keys will thus be locked against depression. From this description it will be understood that when one key has been depressed in any one series of keys from left to right all the remaining keys in this series are locked against depression, wherefore only-one vote can be cast for any particular office by any individual voter. The length of depression of each key is so proportioned that when the key reaches its lower limit its upper end will be flush with the upper surface of the top of the cabinet, which precludes the possibility of thekey being pulled up so as to release the lockingslides and the other keys of the series to enable repeating of the vote or the voting for another candidate for the same oflice. It will here be noted that the recesses 34 in the opposite sides of each voting-key produce upper and lower shoulders for alternate engagement with the adjacent locking-slide to limit the depression and elevation of the key, wherefore the locking-slides have a double function.

To enable resetting of the key which has been depressed and the several locking-slides which have been moved rearwardly, there is a flat tilting bar 40, disposed transversely above the partitions 9 and extending from front to rear of the case and terminally pivoted, as at 41,upon the walls of the case at that edge of the bar which is remote from the key. This bar is normally supported in a substantially horizontal position by means of aresetting-lever 42, which extends from front to rear of the cabinet and projects through vertical slots 43 in the front and rear walls thereof, the front end of the lever being fulcrumed upon a bracket 44, provided upon the exterior of the front of the cabinet. At about the middle of this lever there is an upstanding boss or projection 45, which normally engages the under side of the free edge of the rocking bar 40, so as to support the latter, and at the free rear end of the lever there is a handle 46 for convenience in lifting the lever. A lateral projection 47 is carried by the upper portion of each key 48 at a suitable distance above the rock-bar 40, so as to engage the top of the latter to limit the downward movement of the key. By lifting upon the handle 46 of the resetting-lever 42 all of such keys as have been depressed until their pins 47 engage the top of the rocking bar 40 will be elevated therewith under the influence of the raising of the resetting-lever 42. For each series of locking-slides 31 there is an arm 48 depending from the rocking bar 40, with its free lower end in position to swing against a shoulder or projection 49, rising from the adjacent slide, whereby all of the slides in rear of the depressed key will be pushed forwardly into their original normal positions.

For the purpose of voting a straight ticket that is to say, to simultaneously vote for all of the candidates of any one partythere is a straight-voting lever 50 for each set of keys of each party, said lever being located at the right-hand side of the keys and projected through an upright slot 51 in each of the front and rear walls of the cabinet, with its rear end fulcrumed upon a bracket 52 upon the rear of said cabinet. At a suitable point below the lever each key is provided with a projection 53 underlying the lever and also underlying the adjacent free edge of a rockingbar 54. which is pivotally supported upon the front and rear walls of the cabinet, as indicated at 55. A suitable spring 56, supported upon the top of the adjacent partition 9, bears against the under side of the bar 54 to yieldably hold the latter at its upper limit. WVhen the lever 50 is depressed, the pendent boss or projection 57 upon the under side of the lever strikes the bar 54 and depresses the latter against the projection 53 of each key 8, where by all of the keys in the adjacent series from front to rear of the cabinet are simultaneously depressed. All of the keys may be again reset by manipulation of the adjacent resetting-lever 42.

In practice the voting-machine is placed in a booth or the like under the charge of the proper authorities. When a voter enters the booth, he proceeds to vote by depressing one key for each oflice, and if he desires to vote a straight ticket he simply depresses the handle 50 of that lever 50 which corresponds to the ticket which he desires to vote. After the voter leaves the booth and before the next ITO voter enters the resetting lever or levers e2 are manipulated by the authorities in charge of the machine so as to reset all of the keys which have been depressed. The depression of each key of course actuates the registering mechanism, as hereinbefore described, so as to successively mark off one numeral ata time upon the respective record-tapes 13, the last numeral marked off on each tape indicating the total number of votes cast for the respective candidates. After the voting has been completed the machine is turned upside down and supported upon the posts 5, whereupon the lock 4 is unlocked and the bottom 2 swung open upon the hinge 3, wherefore the result of the election may be quickly determined by reference to the last numbers marked off upon the several record tapes 13. It will here be explained that each record-tape may be removed from the machine, so as to preserve the record of the election. After each election the several record-tapes are of course replaced by new tapes for the next succeeding election.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a voting-machine, the combination with a cabinet,of a series of key-guideways and a series of slide-guideways disposed at substantially right angles to the key-guideways, a series of keys mounted in the guideways and provided at their front sides with corresponding locking-notches and at their rear sides with corresponding inclined notches, and a series of locking-slides mounted in the slideguideways, each slide having its forward end bifurcated to straddle the adjacent key and lie in engagement with the rear end of the next in front slide, the back of each bifurcation being inclined and normally engaging the inclined notch of the adjacent key, the rear end of each slide being alined with and in front of the locking-notch of the adjacent key, each key being provided with shoulders located respectively above and below the adjacent locking-slide for contact therewith to limit movement of the key in opposite directions.

2. In a voting-machine, a series of slidable voting-keys provided in corresponding sides with notches and at their opposite corresponding sides with cams, and a series of lockingslides having their ends successively abutted and their forward ends bifurcated to straddle the respective keys, the backs of the bifurcations being normally in engagement with the respective cams, and each slide being movable under the influence of the adjacent cam to move the slide into engagement with the notch of the next adjacent key to lock the same, the bifurcation of each slide being of a length to receive the adjacent key throughout the movement of the slide in opposite directions.

3. In a voting-machine, a series of slidable voting-keys provided in corresponding sides with notches and at their opposite corresponding sides with cams, and a series of lockingslides having their ends successively abutted and their forward ends notched to receive the respective keys with the backs of the notches normally in engagement with the respective cams, each slide being movable under the influence of the adjacent cam to move said slide into engagement with the notch of the next adjacent key to lock the same, and each key being provided with shoulders at opposite sides of the adjacent locking-slide for contact therewith to limit the depression and the elevation of the key.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE MORRIS WARNER.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. BRoDD, M. B. PINKER'roN.

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