US855334A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

.Ees, Key Oparated.

P ATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

A. MOKENZIE.L VUTING MACHINE. APPLICATION ILBD JUNE X9. 1899. BBNEWED HAB:- 15, 1907.

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PATENTBD MAY 28, 1907.

Noi855,334.

A. MOKBNZIE. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1899. BENEWED MAB. 15,1907.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

ANGUS MCKENZIE, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO U. S. STANDARD VOTING MACHINE CO., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VOTING-MACHINE.

i latented May 28, 1907.

Application filed June 19,1899. Renewed March 15.1907. Serial No. 362,528.

No. 855,334. Specicaton of Letters Patent.

To (1,7/7, whom t may concern/ f the counters A1 A2, Fig. 3. The key-plate is Be it known that I, ANGUS MCKENZIE, a preferably recessed behind the front E of the citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing machine. D is a vertical plate arranged lonat Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua l gitudinally within' the casing, and to which and State of New York, have invented cerl the transverse plates F, Figs. 1 and 2, are setain new and useful Improvements in Votingcured. The plates F support the rods G and Machines, of which the following is a full, H, which carry the counters and the vibratclear, and exact description, such as will ening sectors, I Il I2 although any other able others skilled in the art to which this apsuitable arrangements for this purpose may io pertains to make and use the saine. be adopted. The sectors are provided with The object of my invention is to prevent a the teeth or pallets a and b, Fig. 5, which envoter from casting two or more votes for a gage with the teeth e of the star-wheel J and single candidate and having them counted for impart to it a partial rotation on the rod G at said candidate, which will occur when acandieach vibration of the segment. The wheel J i 5 date in a group is nominated by one political is attached to a gear d, Fig. 3, which engages with a ring of teeth on the first or units disk party for an office and endorsed by one or more other political parties, unless special K, Figs. l, 2 and 3, and this disk on completing a revolution, turns the next or tens disk means to'prevent such a result is used. I accomplish this object by the means hereinafter K1, a tenth of a revolution by the partially mutilated gear d1, Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2 the main plate D is represented as partially broken away to show the counters beyond it. A circular plate f is placed between tlie star-wheel J and the gear d and rotates with them,-its edge projecting over the opening in the sector. The hundreds disk is operated from the tens disk, by another similar arrangement of gears, d2, Fig. 2. Thus arranged the counter will handle 999 votes. which is more than enough for ordinary districts, which rarely contain more than 60() voters. The key levers are arranged so that they may be folded within the key-plate for any counters which are not used,-such arrangement being indicated by the dotted lines in Fig.' 5,--or they may be removed entirely.

With this object in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings representing my improvements in voting machines,- Figure 1 is a'front view of a portion of the key-plate, sufficient to represent my invention. Fig. Z is a partial rear elevation, showing the interlocking mechanism, the straightticket voting mechanism, and the connections between the counters. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a line of counters,-tlie casing being shown in section. Fig. 4 represents one 3 5 of the stationary abutinents, with its removx able staple. Fig. 5 represents the vibrating sector and star-wheel. Fig. 6 represents the bell-crank lever of the irregular voting mech- L is a movable shutter or series of shutters anisin. Figs. 7 and 8 represent the interused to close the openings g, Fig. 1, in the 4o locking-rods, blocks and abutinents. key-plate through which the counters are in- My present improvements may be used in spected to ascertain the vote at the close of connection with voting machines of several l an election. At the upper. left-hand corner diiferent types, but in the accompanying of Fig. 1, the shutter is omitted, so as to disdrawings I have represented them as applied play the counter set at zero for the .coma machine having a series of couiitersA menceinent of an election. An7 suitable operated by the key -levers B means are employed for moving the shutter,

B1 2 I l which is provided with a series of openings he counters are supported in any suitable which register with the openings in the key manner within a suitable casing and the ke fl plate.

5o levers project through the key-plateCin slots l Provision is made for handling the irrewhich permit them to be pulled downward gular vote by the slides M, Fig. 3, which are by the inventor so as to actuate the counters provided with openings N, into which the as indicated by the full and dotted lines on l ballots (inclosed in a suitable ballot-hold sr) IOC lOl

' ards U, Fig. 2, attached to the plate D. .An

"V Ming; Machines, Key (igienica are inserted by the voter, who then pushes the slide in, allowing the ballots and ballotholders to drop down into the bags or other suitable receptacles O, from which they are removed and the irregular vote counted at the end of an election. P is a folding door which is locked to protect the irregular vote while an election is going on.

The vibrating sectors 1 are provided with the arms 7L, which extend through slots in the supporting plate D, and are connected to the interlocking rods R, which are suitably beveled and engage with the interlocking blocks t'. Any suitable form of joint may be used between the arms 71v and the interlocking rods. The interlocking blocks are supported in any suitable way, so as to be movable laterally, as by the race-way formed by the plates lc, which are sustained from plate D in any suitable manner. The plate j is attached to the plate D and the plate 7c is supported by brackets shown at a', Fig. 3. The ends of the interlocking blocks and of the stationary abutments are slotted to it on the opposing edges of the plates 7c forming the race-Way. The abutments are made stationary by the staples q, Fig. 4,-space enough being left for insertion of one interlocking rod, so that voting on one counter in the ordinary use of the machine prevents voting on any other counter in the same line.

Each of the interlocking rods is provided with a locking dog 1, which, when the rod is raised, engages with the rock-shaft Q. as indicated by the dotted lines 11 in Fig. 3, to hold the rod in the elevated position. The irregular slide M is interlocked with the counters by means of the rod R1, which is moved lengthwise when the slide is pushed in by the belli-crank S, Figs. 3 and 6, which is pivoted to the rod T, supported by suitable standarm V reaches back from the irregular slide, and receives the pivot W of the bell-crank lever S in a slot. The lever S has at its other end the pin X which engages in a slot in a plate Y attached to the lower end of the interlocking rod R1. 'Both the arm V and the plate Y are slotted to permit of their movements at right angles with the rod T.

On pushing in one of the irregular slides, theballot-holder in the opening N falls down through a hole in the base into the bag O, the bell-crank lever S is turned on the rod T, the interlocking rod R1 is moved relatively to the interlocking blocks, the wedge on it with the blocks ills the space between two of the stationary abutments in the interlocking mechanism,-thus preventing the use of any of the counters in the same line of candidates,- and the dog 1 engages over the rock-shaft Q, as indicated by the dotted lines 11 in Fig. 3, and the parts are then held in this position, until the voter on leaving the voting compartment passes through the door or turnstile and by moving it restores the machine to its normal condition,the rock-shaft Q returmng to its former place and the restoring bar Z descending and forcing the interlocking rods down, if necessary,-thus pushing the slide ,M outward again. It will be understood however that any other suitable irregular voting mechanism may be employed, and that any other suitable connections between the irregular voting device and the interlocking rod may be adopted. The restoring bar Z receives its motion from the shaft C1, Fig. 2, of the door or turnstile in any suitable manner, such for instance as the cam D1, the reciprocating bar E1, and the bell-crank levers F1. The rock-shaft Q is operated from the restoring bar Z by the link G1 and the crank H1,-the rock-shaft being turned so as to release the dogs at 11 before the bar Z acts on the interlocking rods. The rock-shaft Q is supported in suitable journals J 1, attached to the side casing or other suitable part. The interlocking rods of the counters are in a similar manner released and restored to normal position by the bar Z.

w, Fig. 2, represents slots in the mainplate, in which the pins on the restoring bar slide,-which pins connect the restoring bar with the levers F1.

y, Fig. 3, is a rod which runs along the back 9 of the locking dogs 1, and which may be used to insure their engagement with the rockshaft Q,-being supported by arms z, so that it may yield upward slightly.

v is a iXed rod extending across the machine between the locking-dogs and the interlocking-rods.

In order to arrange the machine for a group of three candidates nominated by each political party for any particular oi'lice, the abutments c c1, Fig. 2, are held stationary, while the intermediate abutments c2 c3 are allowed lateral movement. Then the Voter can operate one counter in each of the vertical rows 7, 8 and 9, or three counters in any one of the rows, or two in one and one in any of the others,that is, he has his absolute choice of three of the candidates out of the eighteen, (if there are six parties and each party nominates three candidates,) but he can only vote for three and the machine automatically cuts him out from voting for any more. Thus in the instance shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, he can vote in line 7 for Stowels, on counter 12, and in line 8 for Huber on counter 18, and in line 9 for Failing, on counter 22, and then the interlocking rods have occupied With their wedges all the space between the fixed abutments c and c1, and no more counters can be actuated in the group, because no more interlocking rods with their bevels can be inserted between the interlocking blocks i. Similarly the voter can vote Jfor any three candidates in line 7, or in line S, or in line 9, or for any two in any of IOC the lines and for another in one of the other lines but he has then gone to his limit in the group. In a similar manner, for a group of two, there will be two iixed and one intermediate movable abutment, and for a group of four or more there will be a corresponding number of movable abutments between two, at the ends of the group, which will be iixed or stationary. But in the practical use of voting machines, the case occurs very frequently,-and in fact it may be said that it recurs regularly,- when a candidate, say Stowels, for instance, in line 7, is nominated in a group by two or more parties, or is nominated by one party and indorsed by another, and it is then indis pensable that the voters be prevented from voting twice for this particular candidate,- although they are permitted to vote for any two other candidates in a group of three. It also happens that another candidate, Fulkerson, is nominated by one party on counter 17, and indorsed by another party on counter 19. So also with Stewart, on counters 23, 24 and 25. My present invention is intended to provide for these cases, and to prevent Avoting more Athan once for any candidate who may be indorsed in a group, and for this purpose I connect the counters of the indorsed candidate together, and take the vote oil from either of them at the end of the election. Or the counters may be thrown out of gear, except one, which gives the vote i'or the particular candidate. This idea may be carried out in practice in many different ways,-but in the construction herein shown, I employ suitable connections such as I) L2 L3, Figs. 2 and 3, by which two or more of the counters are connected together so that both or all will be operated at the same time. The connection IB provides for the case shown in Fig. 1, where Stowels is nominated on coun# ter 12 and indorsed on the adjacent counter 13. The connection L2 is used for the case where a candidate, F ulkerson, is nominated on counter 1.7 and indorsed on counter 19,- there being no connection with the intermediate counter 18.

L3 is adapted to the case where Stewart, for instance, is put in nomination by three parties on counters 23, 24 and 25. The connections may be arranged in various different ways, but in the arrangement illustrated I attach the connection to the counter-operating mechanisms, preferably to the arms z, by the screws n. Other arrangements of the connections may however be adopted. The counters devoted to the indorsed candidate may remain in operative relation with their actuating mechanisms, in which case either of the counters will give the vote, or they may be disused all but one, as indicated at the left in 2, where counter 12 is shown engaged with its sector and pinion, while counter 13 is thrown out of gear by being shifted laterally by the removal of a block or collar m. In this case the vote for the indorsed candidate is taken ofi' from counter 12. The interlocking rod for counter 13 is omitted, as indicated in Fig. 2, and an interlocking block il, Fig. 2, of increased width is inserted in the ways. The interlocking rod It is retained, being connected with the arm 7i of the counter 12. The connection L1 attaches the arms 7L and h1? of the counters 12 and 13 together, so that by operating either ot' the counters, the rod R12 will be inserted between the interlocking blocks, and will take up it-s portion of the space between the fixed abutments. In a similar manner the interlocking rod on the arm t, is omitted and an interlocking block i2 is supplied. In the arrangement shown at the left of' Fig. 2, the rods R24 R2 are retained, but are placed outside the stationary abutment e, so that they may travel lengthwise without affecting the interlocking,-the rod serving to interlock any of the counters 23, 24, or 25 with the rest of the group.

It will be understood that my improvenient of connecting the counters together may be employed to handle the vote for an. indorsed candidate in groups of any number and for any number of indorscments in any possible relative location.

The straight ticket mechanism will be understood from Fig. 1 and 2. Sl S2 S3 are the straight ticket levers, one for each party, which operate all the counters in any one of the horizontal rows. In the construction shown, the voter who desires to vote a straight ticket, pulls the lever corresponding to his party to the left and this movement is transmitted to the counters by the sliding bars T1 T2 T3 and the bent levers u, Fig. 2. A rod U is supported from the plate D by the arms V1, and the straight ticket levers are pivoted on the rod, projecting outward through the slots in the face plate C. IVI represents thimbles on the rod Ul to hold the levers in place. The hars T1 T2 T3 are arranged to slide lengthwise in suitable guides on the plate D,-one of such guides heilig shown at N1. T he bars are notched on their ower edges, where they engage with the straight ticket levers S1 SAZ S3. The bars are provided with a series of lugs or pins, o which actuatc the upper ends of the levers u. The levers are pivoted to the plate on the studs s and their lower ends bear against the arms L andv serve to operate and interlock the counters by raising up the arms and rods. The arms are not connected with the levers, but simply bear on them, so that any of the counters may be operated independently of the levers or the straight ticket mechanism. On operating the lever S the bar T3 is drawn to the right in Fig.2, and its corresponding levers u actuatc the arms h1, his and h2 and the corresponding counters. -The connec- ICO IIO

tion L1 actuates the arm 7L, and this operates the counter 12 and rod R12. 'lhe arm h1S is not att-ached to the connection L2, and consequently the rod I 1S and its counter may be operated independently, if desired. The arm 713 by the connection L3 operates counters 23, 24 and 25 and inserts the rod R23 between the interlocking blocks. The rods R24 and R25 are also operated but they are outside the abutment c1 at that side of the group. It will then be seen that in this group of three, three interlocking rods have been used and that the group is consequentlylocked against any further voting in it.

Il' the counter 13 has been thrown out, as indicated on the left in Fig. 2, the vote for the indorsed candidate Stowels will be recorded on counter 12 only. If counter 13 remains in mesh it will indicate'the same vote as 12, and the count can be taken from either. It will then be seen that a voter cannot register his vote so that it will be counted twice or an indorscd candidate.

The machine is arranged for a group of two candidates for each party by allowing lateral movement in only one abutment between two stationary ones. In a similar manner the machine is adapted to larger groups by allowing two or more of the adjacent abutments to move laterally. In the construction shown the abutments are fastened to the ways by the staples g, Figs. 4, 7, and 8, which pass through holes or slots in the abutments and engage in openings in the ways. To render an abutment movable it is only necessary to remove its staple, and it is fixed stationary by again inserting the staple. The groups vary in number and in the number of candidates from one election to another, and the indorsements are of course very variable but my invention provides for any ofthese variations. It allows any number of groups of any number of candidates to be used, and covers the indorsements while at the same time it can be reset so as to be used for single candidate voting on any one of the vertical lines of counters.

In using groups I connect the irregular slides together and close the opening in all but one of them. Thus for a group of two, indicated in Fig. 1 by the lines of counters 10 and 11, I attach the irregular slides M1 lvl together, in any suitable way, as by the bar L5, and I close the opening N in one of the slides by the plate 1 Fig. 3 held in place by a screw or other suitable device. I thus prevent voting in more than one of the irregulars in a group of any size. AWhere the two slides M1 M11 are pushed in, their interlocking rods are inserted between the interlocking blocks in the group sc that, none of the counters in the group can be actuated. In this case, the voter may be entitled to write two names on the ballot to be deposited in the irregular slideMlo. The slides may be connected together in any suitable manner, and the connection may be placed behind the key plate. Where the machine is set for single candidate voting, the connection between the slides is removed. For a group of three, the three irregulars M7 M8 M are fastened together, by the bar L4 or other suitable connection and the openings in two of them are closed. Groups of larger numbers are treated in the same way.

I claim.

1. In a voting machine, the combination of a plurality of counters devoted to the same candidate for an oHice and arranged on as ,many different party tickets, and means for compelling each of said counters to register a vote cast on any one of them.

2. In .a voting machine, the combination of a plurality of counters devoted to the same candidate for an ofIice and arranged on aS many different party tickets, and means for compelling each of said counters to register the votes given directly to it and to register the votes given directly to the other counters as well.

3. In a voting machine, the combination of a plurality of counters devoted to the same candidate for an office and arranged on as many different party tickets, means for causing the successive registration of votes on said counters, and means for compelling all of said counters to register an equal number of votes at every stage of the election.

4. In a voting machine, the combination of a plurality of voting keys suitably interlocked, and a plurality ol counters devoted to the same candidate nominated for the same oil'ice by as many different parties, and means for causing the operation of all of said counters upon the actuation of any one of said counters by the movement of the voting key corresponding to said counter.

5. In a voting machine, the combination of a series of counters devoted to candidates for a single oilice, an actuator for each of said counters, and means for directly connecting the actuators of any two or more of the counters of said series for simultaneous operation, leaving the remaining actuators free for independent operation.

6. In a voting machine, the combination of a series of voting keys arranged in party rows and suitably interlocked, a counter for each of said keys, and means for causing the operation of one of said counters when either of a plurality of a predetermined number of keys is operated.

7. In a voting machine, the combination of aseries of voting keys suitablyinterlocked, a series of counters, one for each of said keys, a plurality of said counters being devoted to the same candidate nominated for the same olice by as many diierent parties, and means IOO IIO

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for causing the operation of all :of said counters devoted tothe saine candidate upon the actuation of any one of said counters, resulting from the voting movement of the key of said counter.

8. In a voting machine, the combination i of a series of keys arranged in party rows and suitably interlocked, counters to register the votes indicated by said keys, means co-acting with a predetermined number of said balloting means devoted to candidates nominated by more than one political party for the saine ollice, and means for causing `said balloting means to operate simultaneously.

10. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of a plurality of balloting means devoted to candidates for the same ollice, two or more of said balloting means belonging to the same candidate, and means compelling the operation of all of said balloting means by the operation of any one of them.

11. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of a plurality of ballot indicators devoted to candidates for the saine ollice, a plurality of registers, one for each indicator, and connections between registers devoted to the same candidates for causing the simultaneous operation of said registers.

12. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of a series of counters, actuators therefor, direct conneci tions between two or more of said actuators, and suitable interlocking mechanism be tween said connected counters and the counters which are not connected together.

13. In a voting machine, the combination, in a nnilticandidate group, of two or more counters devoted to the same candidate and their actuating mechanisms, with a connection between said actuating mechanisms.

14. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of two or more counters provided with actuating mechanisms, comprising oscillating arms, with a link pivoted to said arms and oining said actuating mechanisms together.

15. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of two or more counters, the actuators of which are directly connected together so as to be operated simultaneously, with suitable interlocked irregular voting mechanism. r

16. In a voting machine, the combination, of counters arranged in groups, a direct connection between the actuators of two or more of said counters in the multicandidate group of said machine, and suitable straight ticket voting mechanism.

17. In a voting machine, the combination of counters arranged in groups, a direct eonnection between the actuators of two or more of said counters in the multicandidate group of said machine, suitable straight ticket voting mechanism, and suitable irregular voting mechanism.

1S. In a voting machine, the combination, in a multicandidate group, of two or more counters devoted to the same candidate, means for actuating said counters, and means directly connecting said actuating means together, thereby compelling said actuating `means to actuate all of said counters whenever one of saidactuating means is operated to cast a vote.

ANGUS McKEi TZIE.

lVi tnesses:

GEO. B. SELDEN, JAMES W. I-IINE.

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