US857469A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 857,469. PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907.

P. KBIPEB.

VOTING MAOHINB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1899.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

: PATENTBD JUNE 18, 1907.

F. KEIPER. VOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION II'LBD JULY 19. 1m.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig-

No. 857,469. PATENTED mums, 190v.

F. KEIPER. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED J'U 19.18

I LY 99 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

: 132m I i I W R I I No. 857,469. PATENTED. JUNE 18, 1907. I F.KEIPE.R.

VOTING MACHINE. 'APPLICATION mun JULY 19, 1899.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W 11 1? T. \LHMM UNITED sTAr s PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANK KEIPER, or JAMEsTowN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AssIeN- MENTS, TOU. s. STANDARD VOTING MACHINE 00., or ROCHESTER, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK;

VOTING-MACHINE.

nass'mee;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

.To all whom, it may concern: 1

Be' it known that I, FRANK KEIPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at J amestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Voting-Machines;

and 'I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention is principallylan improvementin interlocking mechanisms and relates to that ty e of interlock such as is illustrated and descri ed in the patent to'A, J i Gillespie, No. 628,792 and 628,905, in which the interlocking wedgesare positively pulled into interlocking position between the interlocking blocks, although it is obvious that the same invention might be applied equally well to a machine in which'the wedges were pushed in between the interlocking blocks.

,In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross section of the. machine containing my improved locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the interlocking mechan-- ism of a single office group. A Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the channel blocks, yokes and wedges of a single oflice group. ,Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the yokes, wedges and channel. blocks. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of two channel blocks with a pair of-the' wedges moved by the voting keys controlled bychannel blocks each. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the part of the voting key .which moves the bell crank lever.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of a group of four single groups,

7 Figs- 8, 9 and 10 are detailviews of a mom-- fied form of block of a species different from Figs. 3, 4 and'5. Fig..1l is a View showing a resetting and locking device which acts on Fig. 12 is a rear view of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a detail view showing the connection between the straps and bar. Fig. 14 is a modified form of the same. I

:Similar reference numerals in the different figures indicate similar parts.

in the machine einbodying the invention described in this ap lication, make use of any form of voting rey, and in the machine "used. herein. I use a voting: key tha'thas'a stud 7, which when the key is moved into voted position, engages with the universal bar 8, which arrests its further movement until the machine itself is operated. The bar 8 is connected at the top to the crank mounted on the shaft 9, which crank is rocked by the operating lever (not shown) of the machine, when the machine is reset by means of the operating lever, or what other device may be used. The shaft 9 is rocked thereby, rocking the crank fastened thereon, which in turn lifts and lowers the universal bar. As the bar 8 moves upward, the lower side of the cam therein engages with the stud 7 of the key, whichis left in voted position, and pulls it in to complete the-operation of the counter, and as the bar subsequently moves down, the upper cam surface ofthe universal bar engages the pin and ushes it out until the pin is entirely clear 0 the bar, when the bar is back to its locking position, in which position all of the keys have been pushed out and are positively held locked. This universal bar and its operating mechanism are, however, not of my invention, and

it is not necessary to further illustrate it and ,its coordinate parts.

In each key there is cut a right angle slot 11,'best shown in Fig. 6, .and pivoted adjae cent to each key is a bell crank lever 10, one arm of which level" extends down across the key and carries a'pin which engages with the vertical slot in the voting key, as the key stands in the initial position shown in Fi 1. When the key is pushed in, the bell crank lever 10 rocks, and the pin rises in the vertical slot until it comes opposite the horizontal portion of the slot 11. O11 the further motion of the key, whether by the voter or operated subse uently by the universal bar,

IOC

,pi'n on the bell crank lever, and; loo s thele+ The key is verw h rotation" a pin 7-first freelyj'moyted forward, until th gainst the universal bar, gin the position shown in Fig. 1 thekey is driven by thebar-it c vwa'rdfarther until the stud7 the [the bottom ofthe'cam slots in bar, and the 'horiz shown in mitthis wit 0 of it is so shown ac tal arm of the bell eachcase to a met'al all different lengths row in whichgtheke an move forreon reaches the universal ontal slot of the key as 6' must be long enou u't interference, and t cordingly." ,The horizonerank levers 10 con strap, which straps are according to the isplaced, all 0 r s extending from the horizontal en h they are-connected at which" may be connected isshown in 4, 01' to Wn in Figs. 9 and'IO. In, where the strap-is connected to yoke is in reality a continuation p and carries the block mountedon the other case, as is shown the strap runs continuous ation'to the wedge to Whic onnected. As .is shown in e 13 consistsof a plate nshape and havmg'a gular slot cut therein, n the bottom of inting upward is fastened a ell crank to whic one end, to the-yoke to its other end-, as he wedge as is She the first case, the yoke, the

, fi lo e 's in Figs. 8 and 9,

I and without devi it is directly 0 Figs. 3and 4, t

metal, rectangular of course, is small as compared, whales-gm and width of the block'i- 'Th at the-block is thickest between-the interlocking surfaces isshown clearly in Fig. 5, itfthere appearing thatlthe side portions 14 do not quite come into contact. When 'two 'of'theseblocksfl' came together, they inclose oneach side of; the interlocking portiomof the; block, a

square hole. through which can pass freely the yokes of one or two of the wedges" as is shown in Fig. 4, or the straps of onejorrtwo of the wedges. as is "shown in Figs. 7 and 10.

These square recesses are of, such liberal di mension as to greatly exceed the thickness of two of the straps or yokes when their wedges fare placed back to back in the positionindieated in Figs: 3 or 10, so that neither the" stra s nor the yokes will tendto displace the block they are. crowded together. The strain of compression is confined entirely to the smallcentral interlocking spaceidesignated by the reference character 17 in Fig. 4, or ,to the s nor hold them apart when'otherwise rectangular surfaces on either side ofthe re- 4 'cesses of the block as shown in Fig. 8. In; 90

consequence of this recess in the blocks, and

the nesting of the strap-tor yoke therein, any oderate'variation in the thickness'of the t een'the thickness of the wedge and the t ickness of its strap',:or any moderate warp i g of the surfaces of ihe str p, onxany tiltinifing may be made in The wedge 15 is subwidth or. a trifle narangular slot in the yoke,-

' of the straps out o I -in Fig; 4

gs. 3 and 5, and These channel portion pointing-down, 11 Figs. 3 and! is that in min-ally carried by they-are supported,- igs. l, 2, 3-,- 7, gq4, the wide e is intended e supporting our between v u ar slotsthat oclr" from top.;to botportion of the block at either s1 age with thegrqoves in t els. The recesseswhich'o ns' of the blocks; are cut through the bl gap or any variation in the difference bep'e endicular,

not affectthe 'nterl c cks to displacel f l them to either a greater 1' a l; s extent than they properly' houl e, because as is readce them at all, y A an element in the train -11? seen the stap 0 th yoke does not disp a of compression from one interlocking 1 block to the next, or from the interlocking blocks of one. single oflice line, to the interlocking blocks ofa subsequent .ofiice line the are eliminated, so. that-any error that mig t,be

in them, and which would affect the interlock, if they themselves were directly under compression, does, not; exist for the purpose of disturbing the accuracy of the interlock. This isan important feature of my invention, becauseotherwise these straps being under compression would to that, extent increase the number ofparts that must be compressed, and any errors as to variation in their thickness or warping, of'their surfaces which would flatten out under compression, would to'that extent be repeated in the interlock tom, in which slots will 1 o n in ig- 4, or

- he middle portion o marked by the reference numeral and-would afie'ct lts adcuracy-in consequence It will be further seen that by placing the the thickest portion of the bloc k, and contalns'on its opposite sides the parallel. interwed'ges' back to back, as is shown inthe drawings, and making each interval serve for sur a e byh ch 1 135.3. interlocking blo' Theseinterlockin lel to each other, so th come into abutment, cont ,c'onsecutive ones ks come into "abutg surfaces are'parals when. the blocks act will be made the straps or yokes of two interlocking 5 wedges instead of one, as would otherwise be the case, the number of blocks needed in each oflice line after the first block is reduced to one-half of the number that would be re- 65 o'ver' substantially the wltolesurface, which,-

quired if each strap passed'separately'between two blocks instead straps pass jointly between two blocks as in this case.

It will be seen that in anofiice line of eight,

' attempted to vote a second key in that office line. As the principal elasticity of comintermediate blocks are of compelled the interlocking blocks lying par-- 'pression occurs at. the joints between the pieces ofnietal rather than in the pieces of metal themselves, it will thus be seen that reducing the number of joints correspondinglyincreases therigidity of the interlock.

' The end block of each ofiice line is drilled for the spacing or grouping pin, which pin passes through the channel and the block to hold them rigid in relation to each other. The in-.

that they can be drilled for the spacing pin as well. It will also he observed that the size of the square hole, compared to the thickness of the straps as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 10,. is

such-that the straps can pass through said holes at an an le to the perpendicular, and this variation iom the per endieular, even though carried'to several. egrees, does not spread the blocks, but enables the blocks still to continue in abutment attheir interlockin surfaces, thus eliminating an error that would exist in case the straps or yokes tilted and allel therewith to tilt as well. These straps d o -sometimes p ass throu h the channelat an angle to the perpendicuFar, especially when in a large group a large number of keys and their wedges are placed in'voted-position at one end of the group. In that case the wedges of the adjacent keys and the interlocking blocks are crowded toward the other end ofthe group, and. the straps are then bound to pass through the slots on a slant, but in so doing the room in the slot enables the blocks that are in a closed contact with each other to'remain' closed up, and the distance between the centers of those blocks are in consequence not altered. Thus half of the blocks and all of the interlocking straps are eliminated from compression in my interlock, and the variable displacement of thestraps under all conditions is also eliminated because of my inventionwhere otherwise all the straps and a number of blocks or spacers equal to them wouldbe under compression, and the etraps would also disturb the accu racy of theinterlockdue to the differences in position that they may OccupyQand 'the probable variation in their thickness. It will also be seen that any of the movable blocks can contact directly/with eitheror both of the of having two I either "of the wedges of the two Wedges on either sideot it, or wit the same size, so

.guide by a spring 55.

blocks on either side of it, or can contact with 6 5 i either wedge of each pair. Butowing to the slots or recesses in the. sides of vthe'blo'cks, the blocks cannot at'any time directly compress the interlocking straps;

By reason of these improvements thatconstitute the principal features of my invention,

the interlock is made safer against over yet ing even ina large group, even when great pairs of force is applied to an extra key to force it to voted positlon, assuming that the propernumber have already been voted in that group. So, too, the flexibility of the intereach oflice line, and with substantially the same accuracy in their interlocking effect, or displacement. lt'will also'be seen, as shown in cross section in Figs. 1 and 11, that the yoke in that case and the wed e as shown in Fig. 9 willsubstantially span t e opening between the two channels that support the blocks, prevented from moving'horizontally from one side of the channel across to the other, but they can within certainlimits'move freel verticallyin the channel or along the channel Theblocks, too, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 11, completely fill the space from the bottom of the'recess on one side of the channel to the bottom of the recess on the other side, which prevents them from moving across the straps or yokes. In conse uence' oftln's, the recesses of the blocks wii the straps or yokes, and the straps or yokes cannot move sidewise enough to be caught between the interlocking surfaces of two consecutive blocks, but will always nest in the recesses of the. blocks.

Inconnection with the straps 12 connect 'ing the keys 1 and interlocking wedges 15, I

may use a resetting bar 50 which passes through the stra s 12 either between the blocks 16 and the l ell cranks 12 or beyond the blocks 16 and this resetting bar 50'may be moved in any suitable manner. to fo'rcethe wedges out from betweenthe blocks, takin' its motion from the universalbars 8. this length Y gaged with each stra gu de 54 at each end .For

of the machine being positively ran- ,and is supported in a pivoted in. the back of the machine, one;v at each end of it, in any suitable way,-and these levers extend over the resetting bar 50, and are connected to the .two e'nd universalbars 8 and are rocked bytheir up and down mo- .tlon, as the. nniyersahbiarsi move down the WeremQWWi h-l h m endeng g h reset:

and in consequence the wedges are 1 always be engaged by eing pressed up infthis 'Two levers 51-, 51 are ock in a large group is increased in that the "86 keys can be voted at either end of the group to the same number and with no greater difiiculty than they could be voted if voted one in purpose the resetting bar runs the whole ting bar and carry it with them pushing out the'; wedges and holding the straps down;

anism consisting of interlocking blocks or spacers, suitably recessed or slotted, and

straps with wedges attached thereto, said straps working in or being nested in the slotted portion of the interlocking blocks.

2. In avotin machine, the combination of interlocking looks or spacers, provided with slots, said blocks having portions abut tin against each" other, and straps with we ges attached thereto working in the slots in said blocks.

3. In a voting machine, interlocking straps arranged in pairs, each interlocking strap having an interlocking wedge attached thereto, one of said wedges being beveled to the right and the other to the left, the wed es being mounted back to back withthe e ges of the beveled part of said wedges lying nor mally side by side.

4. In a voting] machine, interlocking Wedges arranged in airs, each wedge having a beveled edge, sai wedges of each pair be-'' ing placed back to back .With the edge of 'each' wedge normally in juxta-positionWith theiedge of its mate. '5. Interlocking blocks or spacers having lnterlockingsurface being reduced in width by a recess cut entirely across each of the said interlocking surfaces.

' 6'. In a voting machine, an..interlocking block or s acer havingparallel interlocking sides, said block having one side thereof doubly beveled and having its sides provided with recesses,

7. An interlocking block or spacer having "parallel interlocking surfaces on opposite sides of said block, the interlocking surface on each side of the block being bisected and reduced in width by a recess extending across said side.

8. A -wedge shaped interlocking'block or spacer, having parallel interlocking surfaces on opposite sides of said-block, each of said interlocking surfaces being bisected and reduced. in width by a recess extending across said -side.

9. An interlocking wedge with a strap con nected theretmsaid wedge and strap having broad parallel surfaces,the broad surfaces of the one lying parallel to the broad surfaces of the other, and extending in the same di'rec tion, the broad surfaces of the wedge being broader than the corresponding surfaces of the strap at the place of connection, the surfacesiof the wedge inexcess .of the width of looking bloc i withtheir interlocking surfaces indirect abutthe strap only being adapted to' interlocking contact.

10. In a voting machine, the combination of a channel, interlockin blocks or spacers carried therein and inter ocking straps provided with wedges broader than the straps, which wedges interlock with the blocks with.

i only that portion of the wedges that is in ex 'cess of the width of the strap.

11. A fiat interlocking wedge having a flat strap connected centrally thereto, said wedge being wider than thestrap at the place of connection, the interlocking portion of the wedge being confined to the part of the wedge in eircess of the width of the strap, which part of the wedge is not intersected by the strap nor placed in line with it.

' 12. Ina "voting machine, the combination of channels, abutments in said channels, movable interlocking blocks or spacers between said abutments, and interlocking rods pro. vided, with wedges adapted to engage said blocks, said interlocking rods being more than twlce as numerous as the movable interlocking blocks, whereby each of saidi in terlocking blocks serves to iiiterlock with one wedge of *either or' each of the two adjacent pairs of 13. In a voting machine, tlielcombination of a channehmovable interlocking blocks or spacers in said channel, and paired wedges placed backto back between riaidinterlock- 1 111g blocks ,a separate air after each consecutive block, whereby t e number ofmovable parallel interlocking surfaces, each exposed interlocking blocks required is less than onehalf the number of interlocking Iwedges.

14. A flat interlockin wedge having a flat strap connected centra 1y thereto and substantiall at the line of the acute angle of the wedge, t e art of said wedgeeilective for interlocking ein' carried out of line with and" at the side or si' es of thestrap.

15. The combination in the. limiting mechanism of'a'vo'ting machine, of two interlock- 1 ing blocks or spacers placed with their inter- E locking surfaces normally in direct abutment, two wedges placedtog'ether and having a longitudinal movement l positively directed toward and positively confined to the interval between said blofeksfor the purpose of spreading the blocks, said blocks and wedges havin a limited lateral movement greater than tie displacement of 'thewedges.

16. Thecombination in a voting machine of a limitin lm'echanism' comprising interis or spacers normally placed merit, a, wedge for separating said blocks and arecess through said blocks through which a pull can be exerted on said wedge to force it r25 etween said blocks to spread them. '17; A series of separable interlocking 5 f said'blocks'capable of being inserted between inw iofterval; between said blocks.

:18; series "of'-"separable interlockingmovable wit ing. interlocking surfaces, the'ad'acent interlockinlg surfaces of; consecutive locks bein ca ab e oi directly contacting with eac er, a separate pair of interlocking wedges 1 ositloned ateach interval between said locks for interlocking with and spreading apart the pair of blocks at that interval, either or both of said wedges being, movable 1rdv o'utof interlocked position in the inblocks or spacers," arranged consecutively,

respect to each other and capable 0f directabutment, having interlocking in apartthe. paireof blocksat that interval, 1 -e1t er or 'bothof said, Wedges being movable 2o surfaces, .a separate pair of interlocking Wedgespositioned at each interval between said blocks forinterlocking with and spreadinto and out of'interlocked position in the interval between said blocks. I 19. Apairof-interlocking blocks or spacers havinginterlocking surfaces, the interlocking surfaces of'said blocks bein normally in dig 20., The combination;inavoting Inachine place I I surfaces normallyin contact, apair ofvwedges placed normally in position forgone or bothof rect abutment, a wedge for Interlocking with said blocks to spread them, said .wed e having a'projection extending from its orward edge, which pro'ection .extends normally between" said; bloc s when their interlocking surfaces ar'e-in-contact.

pair of interlockinglblocks or spacers consecutively wit their interlocking saidv wedges to! be inserted between said blocks, said wed es-bei'fhgpo'sitivelylimited "to in's'ert'ion joint y. orfseverallylbetween said predetermined"pairgof consecutive blocks,-

l 21; The'combinationina voting machine,

of a single candidate group of voting. keys,- veachkey'be'ing provided with a wedge, fixedv and movable means interlocking with said half the number of the wedges with' which wedges, said. movable'meansbe'ing less than they interlock. v 1

p n' -machine, a pair of'1nov-. ableinterlocking looks or spacers nor'rnally 22; In a voti in interlocking co'nta'ct',';a pair of interlockin wedges nor-mall capable of, being inseite hetweenjsaidb ocks to s acelthem apart, I

keyseonnecte'd 'to" said we ges fortoperating them;

7. t or spacers norn {ally in. abutment, a pairof interlocking wedges normally capable of, be-:'

in'ginset-tee between-1 said blocks, to space; tl-iein. apart, said xvetlges each .bei beveled I on one side only and being arrange ba'ckflto f-'back. Y 24 A' s'eries of wedges. placed back to back inpairs, a series cf'separableblock's movable with respectitoeachrother, a separate pair of spread :theml [23, f 'inovable interlocking blocks] wedges for each interval between the blocks,

and positively limited to operating therein to} spreadthe-blocks. v

25. Interlocking blocks or spacers nor.- mallyin abutment with recesses between them, straps passing between said blocks or spacers and through said recesses, said straps I being so adjusted-to said blocks or spacers, that said straps can-pass betweenthem either perpendicularly or diagonally thereto, without changing the distance hetweencenters of out of abutment.

26. In an interlocking mechanism, interlocking straps having wedges connectedthereto', said wedges being 'wider'than the locking with said wedges,said spacers havin recesses in their interlocking sides, wide an dee enough to permit the straps to lie therein elow their interlocking surface but not wide enough to admit thewedges'therein. 27 An interlocking block or s acer having two thick ends, carrying inter coking 'sur-' faces, connected by. an intermediate part,

which part is of reduced thickness to avoid interlocking contact'thereon.

28. The combination'in the limitin' niech- I anis'ni of a voting-machine, of channe blocks in direct abutment, with twowedges placed back to back-inposition for one or'both of them-to be inserted between said blocks to spacers casableuof directlabutment, keys,

straps,,- an interlocking wedges co-op'eratln therewith, said straps passing between'sai 'spac'ers'in direct abutment connecting said interlocking wedges lgingon oneside of said blocksor spacerswit 31. A series of. ntcrloc ing blocks or ullcd to voted positiol g'se arating-said ocks or s acers and meansor niding said wedges to tii ejoints between the. locks or spacers." 32, The; combination of an interlocking block,, .-;an'interlocking, strapand an inter locking wedge, said: block bein" recessed to cje v 'vth str eitherside; of. said:

. therein "and: having k 00 recessflfrictional inter ingsuri'acesn 1:33; In a mechanism; consistingOfiinterlockirig blocks orjspacers," suitably recessedjor slotted, and.

strapslwi th. wedges. attached thereto, each wedge being broaden-than its strap, said straps ,being more narrow than the recesses said keys lying on the I other side of said blocks-or s acers.-

IIO

spacers capablelof directly-contacting with t 3 each-other, wedges capable of bein machine, interlocking,

said blocks or spacers or without forcing them so I straps, interlocking blocks or spacers'int-er- Y of the blocks and being normally nested and eperatingvtherein, the wedges beingtoo wide to enter the recessesand 0 erati'ng outside thereof when moved to inter coking position.

34, A111 interloekingbloek or spaeelg-a eupporting channel therefor, seidbloekbr epacer made of a part of one thickness joining two .papts of greater thickpesgfleach of which thicker parts having mterlpeking surfaces

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