US819692A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

Wllnasses No. 819,692. PATBNTED MAY 1, 1906. W. H. DANA.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB.4,1904.

3 SHEBTSSHBET l.

No. 819,692. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906. W.. H. DANA.

VOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEBA, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

I l l Invert 607" m flornej No. 819,692. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906 W. H. DANA.

\ VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.4,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Invenon HIIIIH I III II frame and voting-levers.

mounted in a suitable casing A in any suit-' able booth-or compartment arranged to con the various tickets containing the names of citizen of the United States, residing at Dayvertical rows, with the names of candidates for the same oflices on the various tickets in UNITED s A'rns PA ENT enric WILLIAM nni'vaojr DAYTON) OHIO, iissicroa 1o LEOPOLD RAUH, or DAYTON, OHIO.

VOTING-MACHINE.

1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1906. 1

Original application filed May 6,1903, Serial No. 155,898. Divided and this application filed February 4,1904. fierial No. 192,003

To (I/ZZ- 1071 0171, it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. DANA, a

ton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a ran, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this speci fication. I

My invention relates to devices forv'otingmachines by means of which certain classes of voters who by law may have only a restricted franchise maybe excluded from voting for certain candidatesor questions; and the invention has for its object to provide a mechanism whereby for restricted voting the required number of ofiice and question voting mechanisms may be locked from operation at the'same time that the other voting mechanisms are left free to be operated and in roviding means to restore to normal conditionthe locked-out mechanisms to permit general voting. My invention is especially adapted for the general construction of voting-machine shown and described in my certain application for Letters Patent filed May 6, 1903, Serial No. 155,898, of which the present application is a division.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is'a rear eleva tion, with the casing removed, of aportion of the voting-machine, illustrating the exclusion devices. Fig. 2 isa vertical section taken on the lines '2 2 of Fig. 1 of a portion of the machine with register-frame "removed. Fig. 3 is a similar verticalsection taken on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a horizontal section on lines 4 4. of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fullsized sectional side elevation of the registry- The voting-machine mechanisms are ceal the voter while using the machine, so that the balloting may be insecret, and in the form of machine illustrated the machine' proper is intended to stand vertically with the candidates and the questions arranged in horizontal rows.

} In the illustration of the machine I. have indicated spaces for only two tickets; but of course it will be understood that the. framework is wide enough to hold as many tickets as may be. presented at any election.

Extending horizontally at'the bottom of the machine and journaled in suitable journal-bearings in the framework is a shaft B,

upon which are mounted beveled gears- C,

one for each ticket and for the list of questions These beveled gears mesh with gears D D, mounted on the lower ends of verti- (rally-disposed shafts E E, which are also journaledin suitable bearings at the top and bottom of the framework of the machine. Each of these 'shaftsE E carries a cylindrical frame made up of disks F F, mounted on the' shaft and suitably braced together, so that a series of cylindrical spaces areforn ed between the disks as partition-plates. Each cylindrica'l frame is divided into as many partitions as there are names of candidates on the various tickets, and within these cylindrical spaces are mounted the counters and operating mechanism therefor.

G G are the voting levers or buttons, which are mounted in slots inthe face-plates H H of the machine, these levers being moved diagonally downward a short distance by the voter to indicate his vote. Immediately back of the front wall of the machine are se-- cured the bars L L, which run horizontally from side to side of the machine and which are provided with channels a a or longitudinal top and bottom grooves. Mounted in these channels and adapted to slide therein area series of plates M M. These plates are secured at one end, while they are free to' move the required distance at the other end,

and each bar or 'plate for each horizontal row is provided with toggled levers b I), the toggle-leversbeing secured one at each end to the plates and one of the levers extending beyond the other and carrying an inwardlyprojecting pin c. The knuckle-joint of these toggle-levers is provided with an outwardlyextending pin d, which passes through the cut-away portion e of one of the pair of abutting sliding plates M M. The pins (1 are connected with the voting-levers, so that when any voting-lever is operated the correspondin toggle-levers will be brought into a horizontad position, which will s read'the sliding plates M M. N N are the p ates at thefre'eend of the sliding plates, and? isa vertical bar chine is locked from operation.

which carries pins f, which are inserted through the slots g g in these end plates N N to limit the movement of the row, so that only one votinglever can be operated in any one horizontal row. Provision is made, as set forth in my former application, for coupling together these rows of sliding plates to provide for multicandidate voting and also or straight-ticket'voting; but as these features form no part of my present invention I have omitted any illustration of these parts.

The counting mechanism, which is mountedon the registry-frames, I have also not shown in detail in the drawings, as this feature forms no part of my present invention. It is sufficient to say that the pins 0 c on the toggle-levers, which are actuated by the voting lcvers, as above described, project into the divisions of the registry-frames, so that when any t0ggle-lever is depressed the proper pin may actuate the corresponding counter.

Secured to the end of the shaft B outside the frame of the voting-machine is a lever R, and it is intended that this lever shall be operated by the voter as he approaches and leaves the booth. In my above-mentioned application this lever is used to throw back the curtain which conceals the interior of the booth. When the voter enters the booth, he lowers the lever to horizontal position, which allows the curtain to drop down and close the entrance.

Each of the disks F F, making u the registry-frames, carries a cam-shape flange h, Fig. 5, and when the lever C is raised and the curtain drawn back to expose the votingmachine this cam-shaped flange on the'disks F F rides under the pins 0 c on the togglelevers, so that in this position none of the voting-levers can be actuated and the ma- When the voter having entered the booth lowers the lever C in a horizontal position, thismovement rotates the shaft B and through the beveled gears C I) gives a quarter-turn to the registryframes, this movement carrying the flanges on the registry-partitions F F from under the pins 0 a, so that all of the voting-' levers can be operated, and the machine is then unlocked.

For question-voting the voter has a choice of voting either afiirmatively or negatively on each question, so that no arrangement has to be made for multiple voting, and all that it is necessary to do is to provide the same sort of sliding blocks for question-voting as for regular-ticket voting and to couple the two rows together, so that when the voter has chosen one answer he cannot vote the other way. I

The voting-levers, the toggle-lever construction, and the sliding blocks and the registry-frame and counting mechanism; are just the same for question-voting as for the regular-ticket vot ng. and the various similar parts have been lettered the same in the figures illustrating these two classes of votin There are only two sliding blocks for eac row, one of them secured to the wall-plate and the other free to move.

In order that when one voting-leverhas been actuated the other. one applying to the question may not be voted, I provifeas follows: S is a vertical bar secured to the'top and bot-tom frame, running across the free ends of the several sliding blocks in each row. T T are wedge-plates secured to this bar by screws. Z, passing through the slots'm m in the top and bottom edges of the plates T. These pins are so spaced as to allow the plates T to slide vertically on the plate S a short distance. n represents pins on the sliding blocks M for the question-voting, which abut against the wed ge-surface on the wedge-plates T. There is sufficient space for the two sliding blocks in one row to be s read by the voting-toggle, and when the b ocks in this row are spread the wedge plates T bear against the rear pin on the corresponding row of blocks and prevent any movement of that row.

All of the foregoing parts have been more fully illustrated and explained in my former application of Ma 6, 1903, and I ave en- Ceavored to show herein only so much of the general construction of the votin -machine as will render intelligible the exe usion devices, to which this present application is alone directed.

As applied to the exclusion of candidates on the regular tickets and exclusion on certain questions, while the mechanism is in its general plan the same there are certain differences in construction arising from the differcnces in the interfering block system for the two classes of voting, and I will therefore describe the construction relating to the regular-ticket exclusion first.

U is a vertical bar carrying pins 1) similar to the unit stop-bar P, with its pins f, exce t] guic es V at the top and bottom of the frame.

The abutment-plates N N are provired with a notch 1' on the lower edge in a position to be engaged by the shanks of the pins p when the exclusion-bar U is completel raised. Journaled in the upper portion 0 the machine is.a shaft W, whichshaft is arranged to be rocked by the key Y from outside the case of the voting-machine, an arm 8 on the ke contacting with an arm t on the rock-sha t W. The exclusion-bar U carries, extending out from the rear, an arm A, with which a dog it on the shaft W contacts when-the shaft is rocked to raise the arm A and the exclusion-bar U until the do catches under the notch or shoulrer 'w on t e arm A. In this position while the pins p are raised they are not vet brought within thenotches r in arm C the the abutment-plates. Mounted on the top late F of the register-frame is a cam-plate while C is an arm extending laterally, secured to the exclusion-bar U, which when the bar is raised by the rocking of the shaft W brings this lateral arm (3 into the pathway of the cam-plate B. I

Before the voter with limited powers enters the-booth the judge of election turns the key Y, which thus sets the exclusion-bar to be acted on'by the cam-plate B, and when the voter pulls down theentrance-lever and drops the curtain the register-frame is rotated, which brings the cam-plate underneath the lateral arm and raises the exclusion-bar U to its full limit and brings the pins 1) within the notches r on the abutmentplates, thus locking all of the rows of sliding plates and voting-levers from which the voter is to be excluded. The exclusion-bar is held up by the cam-plate B; but with the com letion of the throw of the exclusion-bar by tlie cam-plate contacting with the lateral dog it is released from the notch won the rear arm A and this dog drops back to its normal position. When the voter leaves the booth and throws up the lever R, the register-frame is rotated back to its normal position and the exclusion-bar drops back to its normal position, leaving the entire machine ready for the next voter. As

all the regular registenframes operate together, the cam-plate B will be mounted on the register-frame nearest the abutmentplates. For excluding mg on certain or all of the arrangement is employed.

D is the exclusion-bar, upon which are mounted the plates E, each plate having a pair of lateral arms a b. when the exclusion-bar is in its normal position permit the free movement of the to glepins 0, which actuate the counting mechanthe shaft G by the questions a similar F is a key for rocking arm H. This shaft G which engages with a rearWardly-extending arm (1 on the exclusion-barD, which raises this bar art way, not enough, however, to prevent t e operation of the toggle-levers,

L is a cam-plate on the top' plate of the register-frame, which asthe register-frame is rotated engages under the arm 6, secured to the bar D and extending horizontally therefrom, and raises the exclusion-bar D to its full limit, bringing the arms a b on the plates E under the pins 0 on the toggle-leframe as the voter leaves. the booth t e exclusion-bar drops back to its normal position.

To exclude any voter, all that the judge of election needs to do is toturn either the key Y or the key F and the exclusion is accomnormally inoperative,

the voter from vot-' These armscarries the dog 0,-

This movement disengages the dog 0, and with the re-rotation of the re isterplished and the bar. returned to its normal position automatically, it being understood, of course, that before each election the exclusion-bars are arranged with the stop-pins in the proper position so that when actuated the bars will exclude'or lock from operation the desired candidate and question rows.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,.and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, .is i r 1. In a voting-machine, voting mechanism and means for locking and'releasing same, a supplemental locking mechanism lor locking any desired portion of the voting mechanism and connecting mechanism intermediate said prim ary and supplemental locking devices normally inoperative with means operated from without the machine'- for setting said supplemental locking device whereby the operation of the primary device to unlock the voting mental device to lock any predetermined portion thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a voting-machine, voting mechanisms and'means for locking and releasing same, a supplemental locking device for locking any desired portion of the voting mechanisms and connecting mech anism intermediate the primary and supplemental locking devices, with means-operated from without the machine for setting said supplemental locking device, whereby the operation of the primar Y device to unlock the voting mechanism will cause the supplemental device to lock any predetermined portion thereof, substantially as described.

3: In a voting-machine, voting-levers, and a rotary frame, with lever operatedfrom without the machine to rotate said frame, plates on said frame to block the movement of the voting-levers, a supplemental locking device for locking any desired portion of the votinglevers, normally inoperative, means operated without the machine for bringing said supplemental device into operative position, and actuating device on said rotary frame to operate said supplemental device to lock all predetermined voting-levers when said frame IIO is rotated to release the voting-levers, substantially as described. I

4. In a voting-machine,voting'mechanisms,

and means for locking and releasing same, a

locking-bar normally inoperative with removable arms to lock any predetermined number of said voting mechanisms, means for bringing saidlockingbar into operative position and mechanism connecting same with the rimary locking device, whereby the release of the voting actuate the locking-bar to-lock the selected voting mechanisms, substantially as described.

5. In a voting-machine, a plurality of voting-levers, arran ed in rows, interfering blocks to prevent t 1e operation of more than mechanisms thereby will the required number ofvoting-levers in any v row, a locking-bar carrying arms to engage any selected number of interfering blocks and lock them from movement, lever operated from"without the machine to bring said bar into operative position, locking mechanism for the voting-levers releasedby the voter after he enters the booth'and connection therefor with saidlocking-bar to complete its operation in looking theselected interfering blocks when said bar has previously been,

brought into operative position substantially as described. v v

6. In a votingrmaoln'ne, a'plurality of voting levers arranged in rows, interfering blocks to prevent the operation of more than the required number of voting-levers in any row, a-locking-bar carrying arms to engage any selected number of interfering blocks and lock them from movement, lever operated from Without the machine to bring said bar into operative position, a rotary frame,

, with leveroperated from without the mawith voting mechanism therefor, a lockingbar carrying removable pins to block the movement of any predetermined voting mechanisms, a rock-shaft with means for rocking same from outside the machine, a

dog secured to' said rock-shaft to engage said locking-bar to shift same into operative posi tion, a general locking deviceto lock all the voting mechanisms and an actuating device thereon to. contact with said locking-bar when set in operativeposition to shift same to lock the predetermined-voting mechanisms when the general locking device is released, substantially as described.

8. In a voting-machine, in combination with voting mechanisms therei or, a verticallysliding locking-bar carrying removable pins to block the movement of any predetermined voting mechanisms, a rock-shaft, with key for rocking same from outside the machine, a dog secured to said rock-shaft 'and'an arm on said sliding bar engaged by said dog to raise said bar to operative position, a rotating frame carrying plates to lock all-the voting mechanisms, with cam-plate thereon to engage saidlocking-bar and shift same to lock the predetermined voting mechanisms when released by the rotating frame whereby the rock-shaft dog will be released and the sliding locking-bar will return to its normal position when released by the cam-plate, substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. DANA Witnesses:

L. W. JAMES, NELLIE MCGRATH.

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