US856267A - Auxiliary resetting mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

No. 856,267. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

W. LANGRILL. AUXILIARY RESBTTING MEGHAMSM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6| 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R? ATTORNEY r NNNNN R15 PETERS co., wAsHmorcN, nA c.

PATBNTED JUNE 11, 1907.

W. LANGRILL. AUXILIARY RESETTING MBCHANISM.

APPLGATION FILED JUNE 5| 1906.

z SHEETS-SHEET 2 WlTNESSES:

INVENTOR 1H; Nomus PETERS cm, wAsmNnraN, 1:A c. I

VILLIAM LANGRILL, CF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

. AUXILIARY RESETTING NIECHANISIVH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907'.

Application led June 6,1906. Serial No. 320,417A

To all whom t may concern;

Be it known that I, ViLLiAM IJANGPJLL, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in the county ot Bay and State ot Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Resetting Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to voting machines and is more particularly directed to auxiliary resetting mechanisms tor voting machines.

It quite frequently happens that a careless or ignorant voter will actuate a key 'indicating a candidate tor whom he does not wish to vote and in such case he desires to make a new selection, but under certain vformer constructions, he could not make a new selection as a key once depressed had to be registered, no provision being made tor rectifying mistakes. Subsequently, voting machines were constructed whereby mistakes ot this nature could be recalled,1 by means ot a complicated mechanism which not only consumed considerable time, but also was liable to get out of order.

My invention has tor one object to expeditiously and etliciently correct any mistake made by the voter which he desires to recall.

As herein illustrated, the present embodiment of my' invention is particularly designed to be used in conjuiiction with those machines wherein the selective mechanism not only operates sui tabl e registering mech anism, but also operates mechanism tor preventing the selection oli two or more candidates for the same oHice.

To this end my invention has a further object in that it is adapted not only to reset the registering mechanism, but also the mechanism tor preventing the selection oil two or more candidates vfor the same oliice.

In carrying out these and other objects, therefore, the invention consists in certain novel Vfeatures and combinations of parts together with their equivalents such as will be more fully described hereinaiter and particul larly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a single embodiment of which my invention is susceptible, Figure l is a view ot a portion et a machine equipped with this device, parts being broken away to better disclose the invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontalsection al view through the machine, showing this auX- iliary resetting means and its cooperating parts, Fig. 3 is a detail view olI a portion oi the machine shown in vertical section and Fig. 4- is a detail view, partly broken away, of the trips and their resetting` means.

A indicates any suitable voting machine, preferably comprising a casing for supporting he various operative mechanisms, among which are the dcpressible keys (l) (l Il, the inner ends oi: which are pointed as shown at (2) and are adapted to lie opposite the slotted guides (3) (3), between which are received a series ol sections (4l), (en), (ab), the sections being reduced or undercut at their adjacent ends as shown at (5) such reduced ends normally lying in alinement with the slots (6) formed transversely through the guiilcsA The sections are slidingly received between the guides and the meeting undercut ends l'orm a small opening in alinement with the slots (tl) in the guides when the machine is ready tor operation. The keys (l) (l) are arranged in horizontal rows, each row indicating the various candidates .for a single otl'ice, so that the depression ot one key in a row will cause the pointed end oi" the depressed key to pass transversely through the slots in the guides and between the undercut ends of the sections, spreading the two sections apart, the movement ot the sections engaged by the key being communicated to the remaining sections on each side thereof to the end that the undercut meeting ends ot all such sections are moved out ot alinenient with the pointed ends of those keys in the same row which are not depressed. An attempt to depress any ot the remaining keys therefore will be frustrated since the point ot such key will engage a section instead of passing between the reduced ends of adjacent sections, thus preventing the voter from selecting two candidates lor the saine otlic f.

The protruding pointed ends ot the keys depressed are adapted to engage trips (7) slidingl y mounted in undercut ways (7a) on the rear faces o1" the vertical slats forming a portion ot a vertically movable sash (S), such trips normally projecting laterally beyond one edge oi the slats of the sash and lying in the path ot movement of the pointed ends oi the keys. )n the opposite sides otl the slats are located registers (7b), the protruding end ot the key adapted to crowd the trip transversely ot the slat yand into aline- ICO IUS

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ment with the register. A vertical movement el the sash will then bring the trip into engagement with the register to operate the latter, a suitable wiper being located the machine, and in liront of which the sash reciprocates.

The sections (41) and (4h) are permitted a slight play at opposite ends ol" the series to allow them to move in the guides and the mechanism for registering the vote may operate simultaneously with a resetting mechanism (not shown) so that the protruding ends of the keys will not lie in the vpaths ol the trips when the latter are returned to norm'al position.

As one means for permitting the voter to reset the machine without having his selection registered, as 'for instance when the voter has inadvertently or accidentally pushed the wrong key, l may provide the lollowing mechanism. Levers (13) are pivotally secured intern'iediate their' ends to a suitable support, one end olfA each lever projecting out from the liront lace ol" the machine in position to be swung laterally by the voter, the opposite end of' the lever being received in a bail or other connection (14), carried by a horizontal rod (15), shouldered as at (16) to limit its movement in one direction, the rod extending the entire length of the casing behind the movable sash, the ends olf the rods being loosely received and supported for convenience in bearings in the casing. rl`his rod is provided with a series of projecting pins (17) (17) the iree ends of which noi'- mally lie adjacent the sliding trips (7) and beneath the respective registers. Furthermore, the levers themselves pass through apertures formed in the guides (9) and through the end locking sections (41') (4u), the seetions (4b) (4b) at the opposite end being equipped with projecting lugs (10) (10) adapted to lie in the path ol side levers (11) (11) on the casing, such levers being pivoted intermediate their ends and being actuated by the engagement of a linger (12) on the sliding rod (15) which is adapted to engage the lower ends ol the intermediate levers (11) (11). rIlhus a movement ol' lever (20) in one direction will operate to move the sections (4), (4*) and (4") together so that they reeecupy their normal positions and also resets the trip (7) which may have been crowded over after the accidentally depressed keys have been returned to their normal positions. The operation of this part of 'my invention is as loilows-rllhe voter having depressed the wrong key and desiring to reset the machine without having his inadvertent vote registered and also to enable him to select his real choice, will grasp the depressed head of the key and pull it outward. The depression of the key, however, has shifted the sections so that he cannot vote tor any other candidate l'or the same ollice and it has also crowded the trip (7) over so that if the sash (S) is raisedv his vote will be registered for the candidate corresponding to the key inadvertently depressed. He will, therefore, grasp the protruding end of the requisite lever (13) and move it laterally. The levers (13) are permitted a limited movement only so that the displaced sections will be moved back to normal position, past which the levers are unable to move them. Hence, when the lever is oscillated, the sections are brought back to their l'ormer positions, the recessed ends of the sections lying in alinement with the slots ((1). `Furthermore, the oscillation of the lever has caused its rear end lying in. the bail (14) to slide the rod (15) laterally to ell' et the resetting of the remaining sections and also bringing a pin (1.7) against the projecting trip (7) and forcing the latter back to original position, whereuponv the voter can press the desired key, the resetting ol'V the sections and trip being simultaneous.

)Viren the voter has at last indicated his selection or choice ol candidates, he leaves the booth and in order so to do, the handle (20) is released'irom the lockinghook (2].) and pushed toward the lelt (in the drawing) thereby swinging open the gate (22), the outward movement of which, by means ol the connecting limbs (23) (23) causes the resetting frame (24) to replace the depressed keys (1), such :I'rame moving in oblique direction toward the key 'face (25') el the machine. The resetting frame carries a stud (26) connected by a link (27) withr a forwardly pro- `ieeting arm 28'carried. by the shalt (29), the ends of which are ournaled, as at (30), to a stationary portion ol the machine. The shaft is further provided with the rigid projecting bars (31), to the free ends oli which are pivotally secured the links (32) in turn pivotally fastened. to the vertically sliding sash (S). Thus as the resetting vframe (24) moves, the link connection between it and the shaft (29) will tend to rotate the latter, which by its connection will raise the sash (S) guided in any suitable manner, as by the bins (33). The return n'iovement ol the resetting iframe will, of course, lower the sash. As the sash ascends, the reduced ends ol' the trips, which have been crowded past the edges of the slots ol the trame (S) by the depression olE the keys, will lirst engage the registers (7 b) to operate the latter' and as the sash continues to ascend, such reduced ends will be brought into contact with the stationary wipers (Q) which will lforce the trips back to normal position, aflter which the descent of the sash may be accomplished. These constructions, however, are more Al'ully shown and described in my copending appli- IIS ISO

cations Iiled on the same date herewith, Serial Nos. 320,418 and 320,411.9, to which the reference is made for a further understanding of the invention.

The resetting frame carries a series of parallel bars (34), one of which is shown in Fig. 2, which are adapted to engage the pins (35) of the depressed keys to move the keys back to their extended or normal positions.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a most simple, vet efficient means for resetting the mechanism accidentally operated as well as one which will not readily get out of order. It will be understood too that the auxiliary resetting mechanism is entirely separate and distinct from the mechanism for registeringl the vote and for resettingr the mechanism after the vote has been registered. Furthermore, it is obviousI that many changes and alterations might be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth. f

Having fully described my invention what l claim as new, isw- 1. The combinationrin a voting machine, with a horizontal row of depressible keys, of a single series of locking sections, the series adapted to be actuated by the depression of any one ofthe keys to prevent the depression of any of the other keys in the same row, a stationary registering mechanism, a movable sash, trips movably mounted on the sash and normally lying in the paths of movement of the respective keys, the depression of one key adapted to throw its trip into alinement with the registering mechanism, means for reciprocating the sash, to cause the trip to engage the registering mechanism, a resetting wing, into engagement with which the trip is brought subsequent to its engagement with the registering mechanism and an auxiliary resetting device for resetting the actuated trip and the locking sections prior to the movement of the sash.

2. A voting machine comprising depressible selective mechanism, registers stationarily mounted on the machine, movable trips normally lying in the paths of movement of and actuated by the selective mechanism to assume positions in alinement with the registers, a pivotally supported lever, a slidingly supported rod engaged by the lever and projections carried by the rod and adapted to engage and reset the trips subsequent to the return of a depressed member of the selective mechanism.

3. In a voting machine, the combination with a row of selective members, olt a series oi' locking sections actuated bv the operation oi' any one selective member in the row, stationary registering mechanisms, a member independent of the selective members and movable past the registering mechanisms, trips movably mounted on the member, the trips normally lying in the paths of movement ot the respective selective members and adapted to be moved thereby into alinement with their corresponding registering mechanism, a main resetting mechanism adapted to replace the actuated selective member and reciprocate the movable trip-carrying member to register' the vote and reset the trips and locking sections, and an auxiliary resetting mechanism operable by the voter prior to thel actuation of the main resetting mechanism, for replacing the locking sections and trips in their normal positions subsequently to the return el2 an accidentally vmerated selective member.

4. A voting machine comprising a series ot individual selective members arranged in rows, stationary registering members, means normally lying in the paths of movement el' the individual selective members and moved thereby into alinement with the registering members, a movable element supporting the first named means and actuated past the registering devices, i'or registering the vote, locking members interposed between the individual selective members and the first named means, the actuation ol one selective member in a row adapted to actuate the locking members to prevent the actuation ol additional selective members in the same row, resetting mechanism for actuating the movable member to register the vote, replace the tirst named means and the selective members and auxiliary resetting mechanism adapted to replace the 'lirst named means and the locking members subsequent to the return o1' an actuated selective member to normal position and prior to the actuation ot the resetting mechanism.

5. The combination in a voting machine comprising a series o'l keys, a slotted guide, any one of the keys adapted to pass through the slots in the guide, a series of sections in the guide, the adjacent ends of the sections' being reduced and normally registering with the slots, the entrance of a key into a slot adapted to crowd the sections apart to close the remaining slots of an auxiliary means 'for resetting the sections, said means comprising a pivotally supported lever connected with one end section, a slidable rod actuated by the lever, a 'linger on the rod, a lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the casing, one end of the lever lying in the path ol' movement of the linger, a pin carried by the opposite end section, the iiree end of the last named lever adapted to engage the pin on the end section.

6. The combination in a voting machine comprising a series of selective keys, a slotted guide, the keys receivable in the slots, and a series of sections slidingly received in the guide, the sections adapted to be crowd- IIO ed apart when any one of the keys passes into a slot in the guide, of a lever connected to one end section, a rod actuated by the lever, a suitably supported. sidelever adapted to actuate the opposite end section and a linger on the rod Vfor operating the side lever.

7. A voting machine comprising a row of selective members, a row of stationary registers, a series of locking .sections actuated by the operation of any selective member to pi event the actuation of the remaining selective members in the row, a trip-carrying member movable independently of the selective members, a series of trips movably sup ported on the trip-carrying member, and normally lying in the paths of movement ot the respective selective members, the trips adapted to be crowded into alinement with their respective registers by the operation ot their respective selective members, resetting mechanism 'for registering' the vote, and resetting the trips, selective members and locking sections and auxiliary resetting mechanism operable by the voter prior to the actuation of the main resetting mechanism, l'or replacing the locking sections and trips subsequently to the return ot an accidentally actuated selective member.

S. The combination with a voting machine con'iprising a series of keys, a slotted guide, any one of the keys adapted to pass through the slots, in the guide, and a series oit sections in the guide, the adjacent ends of the sections being reduced and normally registeringI with the slots, the entrance ot a key into a slot adapted to crowd. the sections apart to close the remaining slots et auxiliary means 'for resetting the sections, said means comprising a pivotally supported lever connected with one end section, a slid able rod actuated by the lever, and means actuated b y the rod for operating the opposite end section whereby the sections are moved toward each other.

i). The combination with a voting machine comprising a row of keys, and a series of sections spread apart by the actuation ol' a single key, of a trip also adapted to be set by the actuation ot a key, a stationarily supported lever pivoted intermediate its ends, the lever engaging one end section, a slidably supported rod actuated by the lever, and a pin on the rod adapted to engage and reset the trip to prevent registering the vote.

10. The combination with a voting 1nachine comprising a row ot keys and a series oi sections spread apart by the actuation ot a single key, of a suitably supported lever pivoted intermediate its ends, one end of the lever passing Athrough one end section of the series, a slidably supported rod actuated by the lever, a linger carried by the rod, a side lever actuated by the linger, and a pin on the opposite end section engaged by the side lever to move both end sections toward each other simultaneously upon the `withdrawal of an accidentally actuated key.

1.1. The combination with a voting machine comprising a row ol" keys and a series olI sections, the ends ol which normally lic adliacent each other, the actuation of a single key adapted to spread the adjacent sections engaged by the key, of an auxiliaryresetting mechanism comprising a slid able rod, a lever engaging one end section oi the series and the rod and means connecting one end of the rod and the opposite end section to -permit a movement of the lever to return the series olz sections to normal position subsequent to the withdrawal of the actuated key.

1.2. ln a voting machine, the combination with a row of keys and a series of stationary registers, of a movable trip carrier independent ot the keys, trips movably mounted on the carrier and normally lying in the paths ol movement of the keys, the trips adapted to be moved into alinement with their respective registers by the operation ol" the keys, a main resetting mechanism lor resetting the keys and for moving the carrier to register the vo te and to reset the trips, and an auxiliary resetting means operable by the voter prior to the actuation ol" the main resetting mechanism, for replacing the trips subsequently to the return of an accidentally actuated key.

13. The combination in a voting machine with a row ol" keys, and a series of registers, ot a movable member, means for actuating thel movable member relative to the registers, trips carried by the movable member and normally lying in the paths ot movement olf' the keys, whereby the trips are moved intt` alinement with the registers, and an auxiliary resetting means 'for the trips, such means comprising a slidable rod, means vlor enabling the voter to actuate the rod subsequent to the return of a key to normal position and pins on the rod Vfor returning the trip te normal position.

In testimony whereof, l a'llix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WTILLAM LAN (i It ILL.

lilitnesses:

A. A. EAs'rEnLY, RALPH S. iVanrmLn.

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