US823899A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 823,899. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

G. STACY. VOTING MACHINE- APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 26, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 823,899. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906. G.STAGY. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26,1905.

3 SHEETSSHBET 3.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1906.

Application filed June 26,1905. Serial No. 267,058.

To cold 1072,0722, it warm concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE STACY, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, residing at 23 Ventnor avenue, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, have invented an Improved Voting-Machine, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The invention relates to voting-machines, and has been designed for effecting the recordance of either direct or preferential or multiple votes and in an accurate, secret, and reliable manner.

The invention consists in the novel construction of the machine in its various parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of two machines superimposed. Fig. 1 is a detail view of the vertical locking device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, but showing one unit in section on line 1 2. Fig. 3 is a face elevation of the assemblage of three machines, each of four units. Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the locking mechanism and of the door operative gear. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of same on line 3 4. Fig. 7is a plan view of the release and locking gear as operated by the door, Fig. 8 being a sectional elevation of same on line 5 6. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional plan showing the horizontal device for locking the idle voting-bars. Fig. 10 is a plan of same on line 7 8. Figs. 11 and 12 are views in elevation of the tumbler and counter-bar movement.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

As shown in the drawings, the machine is suitably contained in its casing, as at, having the top door, as a.

The voting or pull bar 1) slides and is held in suitable bearings 6, formed in the framing 6 At its outside end this bar is provided with a pull-knob b and at its home end with a leather or india-rubber cushion b, so as to avoid jar or noise, the bar being returned to such home position by means of the spiral spring b The bar at its top face and at its front end is formed with serrations l), which engage with the locking mechanism hereinafter to be described. The voting or pull bar is further provided with the rollers, as 5 which give the vote-registering device (see Figs. 11 and 12) an up-and-down movement by engaging with a tumbler c. This tumbler is hinged to an inverted-T piece 0, whose square stem (2 works in the each candidate.

guide 0 formed in the framelfi. This stemis connected by the arm 0 to the counter 0 which registers and indicates the number of votes recorded for These registering devices are rendered applicable to the lower rows of voting or pull bars, as the tumblers are vertically connected to each other by the coup ling-bars c and set-off pieces held in the bearings 0 as shown, and such couplings are so adapted as to give a free clearance to the working of the voting or pull bar.

The limit-pin (Z en ages with the inside face (1 of the frame anc determines the travel of the voting-bar, and hence the number of preferential or multiple votes that can be recorded for the one candidate. The position of this limit-pin is determined by the use to which the machine is to be putthat is, Whether for direct or preferential or multiple voting-and it is placed in such predetermined position by an authorized oflicer.

Referring to the releasing device for the voting or pull bar, (see Figs. 1, 2, 7, and 8,) e is the bar which may be made applicable to all the voting or pull bars in the same horizontal row by means of the screw-couplings c. On this bar c is held by the set-screw e the upstanding arm e for carrying the lock 6 This lock is formed with its stem e and held in operative position by the set-screw and slot 6 while the spring 6 maintains it well home against the side of the voting or pull bar. This bar 6 is held in bearings e and actuated by the admission-door, as herein de scribed, and being connected to same by the knuckle-joint and rod a which latter is pivoted to the arm e", that is pivoted on the hinge of the door, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The closing movement of the door removes the lock 6 from its recess e in the voting or pull bar, so permitting the latter to be withdrawn.

Referring to the locking mechanism having a lockin member or plate, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) f is the bar working lengthwise in its bearings f and having the screw-couplingsf for attachment with the locking members or plates for engagement with the other voting or pull bars. This bar is formed with a knuckle-jointfi, at which, by the connectingrod f, the bar is attached to the pivoted arm e of the admission-door hereinafter mentioned. This barf carries the bell-crank f which is pivoted at f to the bracket f secured by set-screws f to the frame of the machine. The locking member or plate f 9 is TTO - look all formed with a slot f", in which works the pin f 11 of the bell-crank. This locking member or plate f by engagement with serrations b locks the voting or pull bar from a backward movement as soon as the voter has pulled it forward. 7

The booth is entered by the door 9, which works on the double hinges g and g whereby the door is allowed to snugly fold up across the face of the machine and free of the pullknobs b The door is provided with a spiral spring 9 arranged on the spindle of the hinge g, so as to return the door to the atrest positionthat is, rectangular to the face of the machine-while it is held in its open position, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 4, by a trip-hook or similar device. The door is provided with an arc g, whose slot 9 engages with the limit-pin g of the pivoted arm 6 for actuating the releasing and locking mechanism, all above referred to.

Referring to the horizontal locking device, (see Figs. 1, 2, 9, and 10,) the bars, as h, carry the locks 7L2, actuated by the wedges h on the voting-bars. On each of these locks (except that one bearing on the wedge) are formed the teeth h whose duty is to lock the voting or pull bars by entry into holes formed therein for such purpose. These bars are held in their bearings h*,formed in the frame 6 On each voting or pull bar I) the wedges h are positioned thereon so as to engage with one of the locks h thereby maintaining the other locks 7L2 on the bars 72, from looking engagement with the other voting or pull bars in the horizontal row until one of said voting or pull bars is actuated, which releases the lock h from engagement with the wedge h on the voting or pull bar I), causing the bar It to move transversely of the machine by the ac tion of the spring 12 allowing the locks h on said bar it to engage with the openings in the other respective voting or pull bars in the horizontal row, thus locking the said bars against movement when one voting or pull bar is withdrawn.

Referring to the device (see Figs. 1 and 1 for locking the bars in a vertical manner, this device is operated by the incline j, formed on the voting or pull bar. This incline engages with a jaw-piece j, while the lower jaw 3' is fitted with the locking-pin j for entry into the under side of the voting or pull bar. This jaw-piece is held by the vertical bars jfl working in the bearings 3' formed in the frame b The forward movement of any voting or pull bar lifts its own jaw-piece, as 7', so causin the other pins y' to enter and so the bars on the same vertical row other than those which are withdrawn.

The operation of the invention will now described in respect of its various uses.

Let A, B, O, and D represent four candidates, one of whom is to be elected by a direct vote, and cards indicating such candidates are placed above the rows of the pullknobs. position that -the votin or pull bars I) can only be withdrawn to t he distance to allow the tumbler c to pass over one of the rollers 6 Upon the elector appearing before the officer the latter releases the triphook of the door g, thereby allowing it to close on the voter and assume a rectangular position to that of the face of the machine and in' which position it is held by the sprlng 9 This closing of the door results in the withdrawal of the locks e by the mechanism marked 6 to a so that the voting or pull bars are free for use. Let it now be assumed that the elector desires to vote for candidate A. He will then pull forward the knob directly under A, which causes the tumbler c to engage with the first of the rollers b and so lift the stem 0, which latter by the connecting-arm c operates the counter 0 with the result that one vote is recorded for the candidate A. forward movement of the voting or pull bar concurrently brings the locking mechanism having the member or plate f and horizontal locking devices into action, so that as soon as the voter has pulled the voting or pull bar I) to its appointed limit the member or plate f falls into the serration b, so that the bar cannot be made to record further votes for the same candidate. The voting or pull bar is retained in such position until the voter by leaving the booth opens the door 9 and by the movement of the bar causes the member or plate f to be lifted, and thereby allows the spring 6 to act and return the voting-bar to its home position. The opening of the door further throws the releasing device into its locked position until such time as the door is released by the officer and closes on the next voter. The horizontal locking device operates at the same time, owing to the forward movement of the voting or pull bar, allowing the spring if to push the bars h causes the insertion of the teeth 72, into the openings and lock all the voting or pull bars on the same horizontal row other than the voting or pull bar which has been pulled out on behalf of the candidate A, so that the elector cannot vote for the candidates B, O, or D. The return movement of the voting or pull bar A unlocks the voting or pull bars for the candidates B, C, and D by causing the wedge h to engage with the lock 72, and so push the teeth if out of the bars for such candidates B, O, and D. The elector by leaving the booth obviously opens the door, thus raising the looking member or plate f from out of its serration I)", thus allowing the return of the voting or pull bar I) to its normal position. The door by being opened is caught in the tripcatch. This operation is continued until the poll is closed, whereupon by reference to the counters the total votes polled for each candidate are ascertained. Should it be re- The limit-pin cl is placed in such a The quired to elect two or more candidates, as many machines are superimposed as there are candidates to be elected, the registering devices and vertical locking-bars being coupled and the machines suitably attached to each other by lugs and bolts, as a Let it now be assumed that in respect of these four candidates it is desired to obtain a first, second, and third preferential vote, in which case a coupled machine comprised of three rows or twelve units would be employed and, as shown in Fig. 3, the limit-pins d would be so arranged that any voting-bar on the top row would have a value of three votes, on the middle row a value of two votes, and on the bottom row a value of one vote. Further, let it be assumed that the elector desires to give a first preference for C, a second preference for A, and a third preference for D. He will therefore withdraw the top knob on the 0 column, the middle knob on the A column, and the bottom knob on the D column, so recording three votes for 0, two votes for A, and one vote for D. As before explained in connection with the direct voting, the nonwithdrawn bars on the same horizontal row will be locked, while, in addition, by reason of the vertical locking device 7' to j the nonwithdrawn bars on the same vertical row are locked and rendered inoperative, as before described.

For the purpose of obtaining a multiple vote a similar arrangement is employed as for a preferential election, with the difference that the machine having the vote value to which the elector is entitled is alone allowed to come into action.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a voting-machine, a casing having a movable door, a plurality of normally locked pull-bars arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, each. of said bars having in one of its upper faces thereof and near their forward terminals a series of depressions forming teeth, registering devices operative by each of said bars in the vertical rows, releasing mechanism for the respective bars in the horizontal rows and adapted to be actuated by the movement of the door in one direction to allow said bars to be pulled outward, means adapted to engage in any one of the depressions in the horizontal bars to hold the same in a fixed position whenpulled outward and upon movement of the door in the oppo site direction to allow releasement of the said pull-bars to return to their normal position, projections on the respective bars in the horizontal rows, means in engagement with the projections on the respective bars in the horizontal rows and upon movement of any one of the same adapted to release said means for locking the remainder of said bars against movement, and means actuated by the outward movement of any one of the pull-bars in the vertical rows for locking the remainder of said bars against movement.

2. In a voting-machine, a casing having pull-bars arranged in horizontal vertical rows, a swinging door, mechanism normall in engagement with each of the pull-bars inthe horizontal rows and adapted to be actuated by the closing of the door for the releasement of the bars in the said rows, means for engagement with any one of the bars in the horizontal rows for retaining the same in a fixed position when pulled outwardly and adapted to be actuatedby the opening of the door to allow the said pull-bar to return to normal position, registering devices operative upon outward movement of any one of the pull-bars in the vertical and horizontal rows, and independent means for the respective pull-bars in the vertical and horizontal rows and adapted to be actuated by move ment of any one of the bars in the respective rows for locking the remainder of said bars against movement in the respective rows.

3. In a voting-machine, pull-bars arranged in rows, registering devices actuated upon movement of any one of the pull-bars in the rows, means normally in engagement with the respective pull-bars for locking the same, a movable door for releasing the said means when actuated in one direction to allow said pull-bars to be pulled outward, means having automatic engagement with the pull-bars to hold the same in a fixed position when pulled outward,.and adapted to be actuated upon movement of the door in an opposite direction to allow the said bars to return to their normal position, each of said bars provided with an inclined face, vertically-arranged bars having means engaging the inclined faces of the respective bars and upon movement of any one of the latter to cause locking engagement of said means with the other of said bars to prevent outward movement thereof in one of the rows, and independent means operative upon movement of any one of the bars in another of the rows for locking the remainder of said bars in the said rows against movement.

4. In a voting-machine, a casing having a swinging door for movement in two directions, pull-bars supported in said casing and arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, a transversely-arranged rod having connection with the door and adapted to be actuated by the latter when moved in one direction, looking members on the said rod and in engagement with the pull-bars in the horizontal rows, said rod when moved in one direction adapted to release the outward movement of the pull-bars in the horizontal rows, means for automatically engaging the pull-bars to retain the same in a fixed position when pulled outward and adapted to be actuated upon movement of the door in an opposite direction to allow the said bars to return to a normal position, projections on each of the I the latter and adapted to be actuated by the inclined surface by any one of the bars in the vertical rows upon outward movement thereof to lock the remainder of said bars in the respective rows against movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

Q GEORGE STACY.

Witnesses RICHARD SPARROW, HILTON SHERLOCK.

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