US852911A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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S. R. SHOUP.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED rms. a. 1905.

A No. 852,911. PATBNTED MAY 7, 1907.

S. R. SHOUP. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 8. 1905.

l um La l l um L mu nl nl ull UNITED PATIENT OFFIOE.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i'atented May 7, 1907.

Application filed February 8, 1905. Serial No. 244,775.

T0 (1J/f uffi/0711, it r11/'wy concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R.' SHoUP, a citizen of the United States, residing in l/Vilmington, Delaware, have invented certain Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to voting machines and consists of certain improvements in that class of mechanicalA counting mechanism whereby l am enabled to reduce the-number of operating parts, facilitate the operation of voting, enable a person to vote a straight or cut ticket, and yea7 or nay on special questions, and at the same time provide means to prevent fraudulent voting of any kind whatsoever; the mechanism being so arranged that the operationof that partnecessary to cast a vote in whole or part locks and prevents the movement of similar mechanism for further voting until reset by the election oliicers.

My invention is fully shown in the accompan'ving drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved voting machine, partly broken away, and partly in section on the line a-c, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, is a sectional plan view of the same, taken on the line b-), Fig. 1; Fig. 8, is a cross-sectional view oi part of the machine, taken on the line c-c, Fig. 2; Fig. Y4, is a perspective view of detached parts forming the elements of the operating structure; Fig. 5,r is an enlarged view of a portion of the yoperating structure and the counting mechanism operated therefrom, Fig. 6, is a sectional viewof an independent ballot-box for use in connection with my voting machine; Fig, 7, is a sectional view of the ballot-box, taken on the line (ld, Fig. 6, and Fig. S, is a view of a series of diagrams illustrating the operation of parts of the mechanism.

In the drawings, 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent series of knobs or handles to be turned by the voter for the purpose of registering a vote, and these knobs or handles in the present instance. are arranged in several series; the main set comprising siX vertical rows of Isix knobs or handles each, another setcomprising two knobs or handles 5 and 6 for the yea and nay vote on special questions, and another set comprising three knobs or handles 2, 3 and 4 for independent ballot boxes.

The knobs or handles l of the upper row are arranged to vote' what is termed a Hstraight ticket. In practice there will be as many operative knobsI or handles as there are parties, and each knob is to be turned a half revolution for the purpose of registering a single vote. In like manner, the knobs 2, 3, 4, are to be turned l'or registering a vote, but unlike the upper row they serve for sectional parts of each ticket only; the knobs 5 and 6 are to be used to vote yea or nay; whilethe knobs 2, 3 and 4, are to be turned to enter a specially prepared ballot. As an instance of one form or arrangement of voting, the knobs or handles 2 may actuate mechanism for registering votes for the electors of the several presidential tickets, the knobs or handles 3 may be arranged to actuate mechanism registering votes for judges or other nominees on the several tickets, and the knobs or handles 4, as arranged herein, are for voting for two or more candidates, as the case may be, when two or more candidates are to be chosen on a single ticket; as, for instance, when councilmen, trustees or other municipal o'llicers of a similar character are to be voted for. The knobs 5 and 6 are to be used for voting yea or nay, and the mechanism controlled thereby is recisely similar to the mechanism of the other handles or knobs.

Carried by the spindles 10, 11, 12 and 13, et the knobs or handles 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, are a series of segmental pinions 14, 15 and 16, and the notched wheel 17. The wheel 17 is provided with two notches which engage at certain intervals with a long` tooth of a pinion 18 mounted on an independent spindle 19, ol which there is one vlor each of the spindles of the knobs or handles o1 the apparatus, said pinion 1S having a set of long teeth 18 for such-engagement and a set of short teeth 18, which, with the long teeth 18, mesh with a Lnit wheel 20 of counting mechanism arranged adjacent to or-on the spindles carrying the acti'ating ,knobs or handles. These spindles `1.() carry other pinions 21 and 22, arranged to mesh with and operate wheels 23 and 24 of the counting mechanism employed for registering the number or" votes cast, and in the present instance the counting mechanism is carried by the- spindles 10, 11, 12 and 13. This counting mechanism is similar to that shown and described in my Patent No. 694,682, dated March 4, 1902, and excepting in its special adaptation and arrangement with the other mechanism, it forms no part of my present invention. f

The pinions 14, and 16 I'have termed segmental pinions, as they are each provided with two sets of two teeth 25, arranged on the periphery of the same at diametrically opposite points, and these teeth are adapted to engageslidable bars 26, 27 and 28 suitably mounted in ways 29 carried by the front plate of the machine. These bars are provided with separated rack portions comprising 'recesses 30 arranged in sets of two, and forming between thema single tooth 31 for engagement with the teeth of said segmental pinions. These segmental pinions are mounted on their respective spindles in various positions so that the teeth carried thereby are disposed at various points with relation to the teeth of the other pinions, but the recesses in the bars with which these teeth engage are arranged in line so that while any one of said pinions mayengage one of said bars, its time of engagement may differ from the engagement of all the other pinions with said bars. These bars are moved by giving any one of the respective operating knobs or handles a full half turn, and the actual engagement of the pinions with said bars will vary within certain limits depending upon the position of the teeth of the pinions arranged to engage such special set of bars. When one of said sets of bars has been successively moved by such engagement it will be impossible to move another bar, or, in fact, to move any of the handles or knobs on the same row as such movement has displaced the other teeth of the bars with respect to the segmental pinions.

The purpose of having a number of pinions and a number of bars, three in each case, is to provide for various-combinations of the coacting parts each of whj ch after being actuated and causing the registration of such actuation will lock the rest of the knobs or handlesY on the respective or particular rows. For instance, the first spindle of the first row will have its pinion 14 so disposed that the teeth of the same will engage the recesses in the slidable bar 26 and upon giving such knob or handle afull half turn, said bar will be moved to the left .the full. distance provided for to will be moved by the engagement of the pinions 15 and 16 therewith, said pinions being mounted on the spindle of the knob turned; such engagement following that of the pinion 14 and moving said bars 27 and 28 the necessary distance which also brings the plain sections-of said bars opposite the point where the teeth of the pinions of the other knobs or handles ofthe same row would engage.

In diagram, Fig. 8, I have illustrated the movement of the bars by the engagement of the several pinions. To lock these bars after they have been moved and prevent the registration of another vote on the same row, as

such movement is designed to operate thecounting mechanism one unit, I provide pawls 35 adapted to engage notches 36 in said bars after they have been moved. These pawls are carried by a vertically movable bar 37, which is to be raised by the election ofiicers wnen it is desired to reset the horizontally slidable bars 36, 37 and 38, after a voter has left the booth containing the votlng machine. In addition, I employ a cam bar 38 mounted adjacent to the pawl carrying bar and having cams 39, into the spaces-between which the horizontal sliding bars may be moved. These cams have angular faces 40, and the sliding bars are also beveled at 41 so that after they have engaged said cams, which means that they have been moved the proper distance which is also sufficient to prevent the lifting of said cam bar 38, they may be readily retracted by lowering said bar.

The sliding bars controlling the straight ticket, instead of passing into the spaces between the cams 39 of the bar 38 engage an up per cam 42 carried by the same, and when such bars are given lateral movement by the operation of the knobs or handles, they raise saidv cam bar, and said slidable bars being held by the pawls 35, such cam bar will be maintained in the raised position which brings a series ofI guards 43 adjacent to the other 'c'ams in line with the other sets of slidable bars, thereby preventing movement of the same, so that when a' person votes a "straight ticket of any one of' the political parties, it will be impossible to vote anysectional part of any other ticket.

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As .it is always necessary to provide means for enabling voters desiring to make up their own ticket to properly cast the same, I mount a series of ballot boxes 45' upon the face plate of the machine to the right of the same. These ballot boxes are provided with brackets 46 on their rear to engage the ribs 47 carried by said face plate whereby they may be supported in place. They are operated by knobs 2, 3a and 4, similar in all respects to those employed for registering the other votes, being operated in the same manner and moving a series of bars to lock the other knobs 'or handles on the same row I prefer to have cards of denite size and thickness for the purpose of making these. independent votes, which will be entered in a manner to be described, and it will be understood that after using a ballot and operating the ballot box, it will be impossible to actuate any other knob or handle on the same row.

Each ballot box is provided with a rotatable member carried by the spindle ot' its knob or handle, which member is locked against movement by a loose pawl 51 which is arranged to be displaced by the ballot when the latter is inserted through the slot 52 of the ballot box casing. A flange 53 is carried by the rotating` member and as the rotating member is to be turned a full half turn, l -provide the same with a pair of slots 54-so that every time said rotating member is turned a full half revolution, one of said slots will be brought into registry with the slot 52 of the casing and in position to receive a ballot. A

The ballot rests on the narrow edge or side of the rotatable member, and as soon as the knob or handle is turned, said ballot falls .oil` into the box. In order to bring said member into position to receive another ballot, the knob or` .handle must be given a full half turn, but as the ballot' may be deposited 'without making such full half turn, in order to prevent the backward movement of the knob or handle of the ballot box, a ratchet wheel 55 is carried by the spindle with which a pawl 56 engages. In case one voter does not give such knob or handle a Jull half turn, the next voter desiring to use the box must `finish the movement so as to bring the slots in registry to receive another ballot.

The spindle of this rotating member will carry the pinions and wheel, 14, 15, 16 and 17, in operative engagement with a set of slidable bars 26,27 and 28, and the counting mechanism already described, so that when the ballot box knob is turned the sliding bars will engage the cam bar and prevent the voting of a straight ticket in addition to the deposit of a special ballot,as well' as thevoting of any sectional part of the ticket onthe same line of knobs as the ballot box.

. The lower series o1 knobs or handles in the present embodiment of my invention 'carry u four segmentally toothed disks, the additional one being indicated at 57, each of which controls an independent laterally slidable bar. This arrangement is to permit the voting for several candidates in such cases where two or more from a number are to be selected, as for instance, when, as often hap-v .pens in small towns, a number of councilmen or school directors are nominated, two or three of whom onlyjare to be elected. In this case, each candidate will have an independent knob and the segmentally. toothed gears carried by said knobs and the laterally sliding bars having recesses for engagement by these wheels, will be set so as to permit the operation of one, two 4or three of said knobs or handles, whereby votes may be cast for one, two or three ofthe candidates, as the case may be.

Below the regular sets or series of knobs or handles f or voting the ticket in Whole or part, two knobs or handles 5 and 6 are arranged by which the yea and nay vote may be take-n. These knobs have spindles. carrying segmental gears for operating the slidable bars the same as the other knobs land spindles. The bars in this instance, however, are shorter than the others, and they engage the cam bar inthe same manner.

In Fig. 8, have illustrated the manner in which the slidable bars are moved. A represents the bars at rest inthe retracted position; B shows slidable bar26 partially moved toward the cam bar 38,' representing the iirst part of the movement of one o1 the knobs or handles; C showsslidable bar 26 fully moved and bar 27 partially moved; D shows slidable bars 26 and 27 fully moved and bar 28 par-r tially moved, and E shows bars 26, 27 and 28 Afully moved into engagement with the cam bar 88, a result accomplished by the engagement of the. teeth of theA segmental pinions 14, 15 and 16, with the racks of the slidable bars, upon giving one ofthe knobs or handles the full halfturn as required to register a vote. After each voter has finished manipulating the machine for the purpose of casting the vote he desires to make, it will be necessary to shift or reset the slidable bars and all of the mechanism controlled by or control- `ling the same, excepting the counting or registering mechanism, which, of course, retains the position in whichit has been placed by the previous voter. For the purpose of operating this shifting mechanism, I provide the slidable rod 60, which carries the links 61 and 62, the iormer'being connected to the pawl carrying bar 37, while the latter is connected to the cam carrying bar '38. The link 62 is slotted at 63 and a pin 64 carried by the cam bar is disposed in said slot. This arrangement provides for independent vertical movement of the cam carrying bar, such movement being imparted when the upper l set of the slidable bars are moved. The sliding rod is under control of the election oili-v cers, and movement of the same except as they desire, is prevented by the bolt 65 engaging a notch 66 in the saine. VVh'en this bolt is lifted, the rod 60 may be operated, and this operation will accomplish two things: it will raise the pawl carrying bar, re-

leasing the slidable barshand it will then lower the cam carrying bar so as to -retract the slidable bars, the latter being engaged b the cams of said bar as the latter is lowere This bar 60 may be connected in any suitable manner with a lever or other controlling means adjacent to the proper election oi- IDO ing necessary to correspondingly lengthencer, or it may be combinedwith the door leading to the booth so that when a voter leaves the booth the action of opening or closing the door, or booth, will reset the slidable bars.

.For the purpose oiA providing for the resetting of the counting Wheels after the entire vote has been castand it is desired to prepare the machine for another election or for further use, the spindles carrying the pinions for operating the registering pile are supported by a slidable frame formed of the bars and 71 suitably mounted so as to slide, and connected together and spaced apart by the spindles 19, which are normally in a position to bring said pinions into proper enga ement with the counting Wheels; the bars o* which frames are slotted at 70aL and 71a, respectively, adjacent the spindles 10, 11, 12 and 13, wherebythey may be moved laterally tov Withdraw said pinions from such engagement and .permit the wheels or' the registering pile to be turned to the zero point. These irames are supported at the ends by the projecting arms 72 and a bar 73 is employed to lock them with the'pinions on the spindles 1Q inv the operative position. This bar is notched at 74 so that when unlocked and partially raised anyone or all of the frames carrying said spindles 19 may be moved.

'My improved mechanism is based upon a unit system, andis so constructed and arranged that a frame carrying a series vof knobs and the necessary mechanism can be added to the machine as desired, it only bethe camibar, the pawl carrying bar, and the bolts or other means for fastening the machine together. /The machine is arranged to be accessible from one end or theoother to reset the numbering or counting mechanism after the voting has finished, and at'the back ofthe machine, I provide a door 75 of iron or other materialvfhich covers ay glass door 76 through which the numbering mechanism may be viewed. and' thenumber of votesv to- .taled Without opening the machine, although said glass door is also provided with a lock and hinges so that access to the interior of the casing may be gained by the proper au-v thorities.

Having thus described. my invention, I claim and desire,to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination, in a voting machine, of a casing, a seriesof independent counting mechanisms mounted Within said casing, means for independently operating each of said counting mechanisms, rotatable members controlling the actuation of said means, a series of sets of slid able members, engaging means carried thereby, and means carried by the rotatable members for moving said slidable members, the arrangement of the eng'aging means of each rotatable member diiiering from all the others, and therelation of the sea'eri parts being such that when one of the rotatable members is operated to move a set of the slidable members the rest of said rota table members Will be locked against operation.

2. The combination, in a voting machine, of a casing, aseries of independent counting mechanisms mounted within said casing,

,one of the rotatable members is operated to move a set of the slidable members the rest of said rotatable members will be locked against operation.

3.v The combination, in a voting machine, of a plurality of'sets of horizontally slidable bars having engaging means, a series of rotatable members, means `for coaction there- With, to move any set of said bars, carried by said rotatable members, the arrangement of' the engaging means of each rotatable mem ber di j ering from all the others, and the relation of the parts being such that when one of the rotatable members is operated to actuate a set of the slidable bars the restl of' said rotatable members Will be thereby locked against operation, vertically moving means for releasing said bars, and means for retracting said bars immediately following their release.

4, The "combination, in a voting machine,

of a set of slidable bars, a rotatable spindle, a

plurality of means one for each bar carried by said spindle for coaction with said bars to move the same, counting or registering mechanisms, and means' for actuating the same also carried by said spindle, said counting or registering mechanisms being operated during the movement of said spindle necessary to'move the-bars.

5. The combination in a voting machine, of a plurality of sets of slidable bars, a series of rotatable spindles, a plurality of means carried by said spindles one foreach bar carried by said spindles for coaction with said bars to move the same, sets of independently operable registering or counting mechanisms,

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and means for actuating the same also cari all the others, and the relation of the parts being such that when one of said spindles is operated to actuate a set of the slidable bars the rest of said spindles Will, be thereby locked against operation, one of the registering or counting mechanisms being operated during the rotation of any one of said spindles necessary to move one of said sets of bars. 6. The combination m a voting machine,

I of the slidable bars, a spindle, means carried vby the spindle for moving said bars, and

' said spindle,pand pinions actuatedfromsaid spindles for moving said counting or registering Wheels.

9. The combination in a voting machine, of the slidable bars, a spindle, segmental gears carried by the spindle for moving said bars, countingM and registering wheels mounted adjacent to said spindle, pinions for moving said counting or registering Wheels, and

means actuated from said spindle for operating said pinions.

10f. The combination in a voting machine, of a spindle, a segmentalgear carried thereby, counting wheels operated from said spindle, a pinion for actuating the unit wheel of said counting mechanism, and means carried,

by the spindle and brought into operative position at every half turn of the same for actuating said pinion.

11. The combinationv in a voting machine, of a spindle, a segmental gear carried thereby, counting wheels mounted on said spindle, a pinion for actuating the unit wheel of said counting mechanism, and a wheel recessed at diametrically opposite points and carried by. the spindle for actuating said pinion at every half turn of said spindle.

12 The combination in a voting machine, of a spindle, a slidable bar, a slotted ,bar engaged thereby, means carried by said spindle for actuating said slidable bar, and means for registering the movement of said spindle simultaneously with the movement of the slidable b'ar.

j13. The combination in a voting machine, of a spindle, a slidable bar, a slotted bar engaged thereby, means carried by said spindle for actuating said slidable bar, and a series of counting or registering wheels looseon said s indlel and actuated simultaneously with tiie movement of the slidable bar to register the `movement of the spindle.

` 14. The combination in a voting machine,

of a casing, a series of slidable bars mounted therein, se mental pinions arranged to engage said s idable bars, spindles for carrying and turning said pinions, registering. and

counting mechanism combined therewith, and means operatively connecting said mechanism and the spindles.

15. The combination in a voting machine, of a casing,a series of sliding bars mounted therein, segmental pinions arranged to engage said sliding bars, means for turning said pinions, and registering and counting mechanism combined therewith. f 16. The combination in a voting machine, of horizontally slidable'vbars,la\ spindle, segmental pinions carried/by said spindle and arranged to move said bars, a pile of counting or registering wheels also carried bysaid spmdle, independently mounted pinions for operating said counting or registering wheels, ,and means for bodily shifting said pinions in a horizontal plane whereby said registering pile may be reset. 'J f 17 The combination ina voting machine, of horizontally sliding bars, a spindle, segmental pinions carried by said spindle and arranged to move said bars, a pile of registerlring wheels also carried by said spindles, pinions for operating said registering wheels, and means for bodily shifting said pinions `in a horizontal plane whereby said registering pile may be reset.

18. The combination in a voting machine, of a series of spindles, counting wheels mounted on said spindles, a series of pinions for actuating said counting wheels, shafts or spindles carrying said pinions, and a frame in which said pinion spindles are mounted, said frame being laterally movable in a horizontal plane to withdraw them from engagement with the counting wheels whereby the latter may be reset to the unit position.

' 19. The combination in a voting machine, of a seriesof sliding bars, a' spindle, pinions carried by saidy spindles and arranged to move said sliding'bars, a registering pile of gears carried by said s indle, an independent spindle, pinions carrie thereby for operating the registering pile, and a Jframe arranged t'o slide in a horizontal plane in which said pin- IOO ion spindles are mount/ed whereby said pinions may be removed from engagement with the registering pile to permit the resetting of the same., 20. The combination in a voting machine', of a series of sets of slidable bars, a series of spindles,` pinions carried by saidspindles and arranged tomove Said slidable, bars, a registering pile of gears carried'by said spindle, an independent sp'indle,'pinions carried thereby vfor operatin the registering pile, a sliding frame in w ich said pinion spindles are mounted whereby said'pinions may be removed from engagement with the registering ile t ermit'the resetting of the same, the ars op said Vframe being slotted for such movement.

21. The combination in a votingmachine, i

of a series of spindles, counting'wheels mounted on said spindles, a series of pinions for actuating said counting Wheels, shafts or .spindles carrying said pinions, a frame in which said pinion spindles are mounted, said frame being laterally movable in a horizontal plane to` withdraw them from engagement with the counting wheels whereby the latter may be reset to the unit position, and means for locking said frame, said frame embracing the main spindles and being slotted adjacent thereto for lateral movement.

22. The combination in a voting machine,

of counting mechanism, actuating pinions for said countinf mechanism, a frame mountl

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