US857681A

US857681A - Voting-machine.

Info

Publication number: US857681A
Application number: US32192106A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar E Seibel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1906-06-15
Filing date: 1906-06-15
Publication date: 1907-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1924-06-25

Description

No. 857,681. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

0. E. SEIBEL.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB15. 1906.

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a a IIIIII No. 857,681. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

O. E, SEIBEL. VOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED JUNE 15. mos.

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No. 857,681. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

O. E. SEIBEL. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 15. 1906.

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No 857,681. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

0. E. SEIBEL.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1906.

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No. 857,681. PATENTED JUNE 25,. 1907'.

O. E. SEIBEL. I VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 111N315. 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

. I I l I 61m OSCAR E. SEIBEL, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed June 15,1906. Serial No. 321,921.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR E. SEIBEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-hiachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in voting machines, and in general character my improved machine embodies a series of push rods arranged to be actuated by the voter standing in front of the machine, push rod locking mechanism which automatically acts to hold the pushedin rods in proper juxtaposition to the count ing mechanism, the releasing devices for said locking mechanism being under the control of one of the judges of elections, a vote casting mechanism under the control of another judge and arranged to be actuated by him to carry those rods that have been pushed in by the voter, still farther inward to actuate the counting mechanism, and automatic means whereby the judge in charge of the rod releasing devices for the locking mechanism completely controls the vote casting mechanism after one vote has been cast, so that the judge in charge of the vote casting devices is prevented from casting the vote more than once. The arrangement is such that after the vote has been cast by one judge, the other judge actuates the device for releasing the locking mechanism and then the vote casting mechanism and all the push rods automatically move to their initial position ready for the next voter to take his turn at the machine, while the locking mechanism also automatically returns to normal position in readiness to automatically lock and hold in partially pushed-in condition those rods that are pressed upon by the voter in indicating his choice of candidates.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a machine of this general character, which will be accurate and safe in operation, which will preclude to the greatest possible degree any tampering with the machine, which will be composed of a comparatively few parts considering the necessary move ments of a machine of this character and the multiplication of such movements for the various candidates or offices, which will be durable and not liable to get out of order and which will be efficient in operation to record 1 the votes cast so that at the closing of the polls, the complete results may be at once apparent without the necessity of any computation.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of this character, an imroved arty crank, by which the voter will be able to vote the full party ticket at one operation, and which is so arranged that the voter may subsequently scratch the ticket if he so desires. And a further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of push rods particularly applicable for use in those States having minority representation laws, for legislature or the like.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain con structions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved voting machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar view looking into the machine from the side opposite to that illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of some of the interior parts of the machine. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional views of one of the counters. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the push rods and some of its adjoining parts. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view illustrating the lever locking device for the vote casting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the casing of my improved voting machine, the same being of any desired construction or design, so long as it forms a suitable support and housing for the mechanism.

2 designates the base of the casing and 3 the front thereof, said front being preferably opaque and being designed to receive the names of the various tickets and candidates thereon, the said names being arranged in horizontally extending series with respect to the same oflice.

Within the casing 1 is arranged a frame work comprising a plurality of vertical standards or posts 4, in two vertically extending series spaced horizontal beams arranged apart from each other near the rear of the frame work one series of beams being desigand the other series 5 and 1nter1nenate (hate cross bars 6 which are supported at their ends. in two of the vertical standards or posts 4.

Horizontally extending push rods 7 are mounted to slide in the front 3 of the casing and in the beams said push rods projecting out beyond the front, and helical springs 8 are coiled around said push rods and bear against the beams 5 and against the adjustable collars 9 on the push rods, whereby said springs tend to hold said rods at the outward limit of their sliding movement. The collars 9 may be held in different adjusted positions by set screws or the like as shown. The number of these push rods 7 is of course to be determined by the size of the machine and the number of candidates and offices to be voted for, and according also to the other questions to be voted upon, such as referendum questions or the like. Each rod 7 is provided near its rear end with two pins extending upwardly and spaced from each other, one pin designated 11 being preferably higher than the pin 12 beyond it. Each push rod is further provided between said pins 1]. and 12 and the front of the casing with a beveled lug 13 which in the present instance is formed on or preferably integral with the adjustable collar 9. The lugs 13 in the present instance extend upwardly from the push rods, and their beveled ends face toward the rear. Coacting with the push rods 7 is a vertically extending series of horizontal lock shafts 14 each of which is arranged above and contiguous to one of the horizon tally extending series of push rods 7. Each lock shaft 14 is provided with a series of beveled lugs 15 which extend downwardly into thepath of movement of the lugs 13 as the individual rods are pushed in. At one end, each lock shaft 14 is provided with a weighted arm 16 tending to swing it in a direction so that its lugs 15 will point downwardly. Each lock shaft 14 is provided at its other end with a crank 17, and a push rod releasing frame 18 composed of upright spaced apart bars 19 and cross pins 20, is arranged to coact with the cranks 17, the said cranks being inserted at their ends through. the frame, every one underneath a cross pin 20, so that when the frame is moved downwardly the lock shafts 14 will be rocked about their longitudinal aXes in a direction to turn the lugs 15 rearwardly and upwardly out of the path of movement of the lugs 13 on the push rods 7.

It will be seen that the frame 18 acts only upon the cranks 17 in one direction and that when said frame is raised, each one of the lock shafts 14 may be rocked independently of the others by the contact between the

lugs

13 and 15 when a push rod is pressed inl l l l wardly, while when said frame 1.8 is moved downwardly all of said lock shafts will be moved simultaneously in the direction above indicated.

21 designates the actuating rod for the releasing frame 18 and 21 designates a handle for said actuating rod.

21 designates a spring arranged in some manner to rock the shaft 21 in a direction to hold the frame 18 at the upper limit of its movement. A bell crank 22 is fastened. upon the actuating rod 21., and one end of said. bell crank is connected to the lower end of the frame 18 The other end or arm of said bell crank 2 is connected bymeans ofjointed links 23 to another bell crank 24 which. is mounted in a bearing upon the base plate 2 to turn in a horizontal plane as indicated. in the dinavings. A link 25 is connected to one end. of the bell crank 24 and a lever locking device 26 is connected to the link 25 and is mounted to slide in bearings 27 on the base 2. The lever locking device 26 .is composed. of

telescoping sections

28 and 29, a spring 30 beingprovided to cause the automatic extension. of said sections with respect to each other and said extension, as well as the retracting movement of one section with respect to the other section are limited by means of a pin 3] working in a slot 32. The outermost section 29 of this lever locking device 26 is beveled. as indicated at 33, the bevel facing the front of the casing as shown. 7

A vertically extending series of horizontal vote casting shafts 34 is mounted in suitable standards at the rear of the frame work and each of said vote casting shafts is arranged above and in proximity to a horizontally extending series of push rods 7. Each shaft 34 is provided with a series of fingers 35, one for each of the push rods of that series, and cranks 36 are secured to one end. of the shafts 34 and are connected together by means of a bar 37. By this means, all of the shafts 34 are caused to move simultaneously or to gether in both directions and. at all times, and to effect the movement of the shafts one of said shafts, in the present instance the lowermost one, is provided with a handle 38. The said shaft that carries the handle is also provided with a latch arm 39 and a guide arm 40 movable on a guide bracket 4].. 42 designates a spring tending to carry the handle 38 rearwardly and to effect the rocking of all the shafts 34 about their longitudinal axes in a direction to carry their fingers 35 into a horizontal position. In this position the said fingers are above the plane of movement of the outermost pins 12, and below the planes of the upper ends of the innermost pins 11. lVhen the vote casting shafts 34. are rocked so as to carry their fingers 35 downwardly the said fingers will lie below the plane of the pins 12 and it will be evident from the foregoing that when any one of the push rods 7 is pressed inwardly (the fingers j 35 being then in a horizontal position), the inward movement of said push rods will be limited by the contact of the higher pins 11 with a finger 35. Furthermore, when the push rods 7 are pressed inwardly with the lugs 15 extending downwardly, the lugs 13 will press upon the lugs 15 and. rock the shafts 14 until the two lugs pass, whereupon the shafts 14 will assume their normal position 1 and maintain the push rods in a partially pushed-in condition.

In the normal position of the shafts 14 and. their actuating handle 21 the bevel end 33 of the section 29 of the lever locking device 26 projects into the path of movement of the latch arm 39 movable with the vote casting I shafts 34. As the push rods 7 are moved inwardly to effect a partial traverse, as before described, being then locked by the shafts 14, the fingers 35 of the vote casting shafts 34 will then lie within the space between the pins 11 and 12 of those rods that have been thus pushed in and locked. Hence it will be seen that by the manipulation of the handle 38 to move it in one direction, the fingers 35 of the vote casting shafts 34 may be swung downwardly and rearwardly in a vertical plane and by contact with the outermost pin of those rods that have been partially pushed in will push said rods farther inwardly.

This farther inward movement of said rods effects the actuation of the counting mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully de scribed. Vii hen the handle 38 has thus been moved to rock the shafts 34 in one direction, the latch arm 39 will be carried rearwardly and ride upon and pass the beveled. end 33 of the lever locking device 26 and as soon as such latch arm passes the said beveled end, the spring 30 will force the yielding section 29 of the lever locking device outwardly again and thereby hold the lever securely locked. By this arrangement, the judge manipulating the handle 33 to cast the vote by effecting the actuation of the counting mechanism cannot record another vote until the judge at the opposite side of the machine has thrown the lever locking device 26 out of the path of movement of the latch arm 39. As the arrangement is such that this withdrawal of the lever locking device 26 is always effected simultaneously with the release of the locking mechanism for the push rods 7 and effects the consequent outward movement of the push rods 7 to their initial position, it is manifest that the machine precludes any possibility of the judge at the vote casting side of the machine recording more than the actual number of votes cast.

A party crank 43 is provided for each chine. Said crank may be provided with a latch handle or similar handle 43" and in the present instance each of said cranks is con l party to be voted for by means of the mastituted by a bell crank lever, pivotally mounted in a bearing in the front 3 of the casing. The push bar 44 is pivotally connected to the innermost end of each p arty crank and laterally extending pins 45 project from the push rods and are designed to be actuated by the push bar, so that when the party crank is rocked it will effect simultaneous inward movement of the push rods designating the candidates of one party.

In describing the practical operation of so much ofthe mechanism as has been now set forth, we will assume that the machine is arranged to record the votes in a presidential election, in which, the governor of a State and the lieutenant governor are also to be voted for, as well as representatives for the legislature or for the Congress of the United States, said representatives being voted for on the minority representation plan, and it will be assumed also that a question of party policy is to be voted for as a referendum to the people, the vote being indicated by yes or no. We will assume also that two political parties are being voted for, one being designated the Reds and the other the Blues, and in this connection I desire it to be understood that in actual practice I propose to have the buttons of the push rods for one party differently colored from those of the other party, so as to assist the illiterate in exercising the franchise. \Vith the above assumption, the machine will be provided with six horizontally extending series of push rods, described as follows: The uppermost series, which are two in number will be designated respectively by placards or panels indicating that one is to record the votes for the presidential electors of the Reds and the other for the electors of the Blues. The row or series next below, also two in number, will indicate that one push rod is to record a vote for the Red" governor and the other for the Blue The next will in a similar manner indicate the votes for lieutenant governor, and the next two rows which may be three, four, five or any desired number each, are arranged with the candidates for, say the legislature of the State, such arrangement being after the pattern known as the minority representation plan. For instance, we will assume that John Doe and Richard Roe are two of the cadidates of one of the parties and that the voter may cast either one and one-half votes for John Doe and one and one-half votes for Richard Roe or three 'votes for either John Doe or Richard Roe. To effect this choice, Does name and Roes name occur twice, each having two push rods one in each of the two horizontal rows or series for the legislators. By this arrangement the voter may vote for both of these candidates by pressing in Does push rod on one row and Roes push rod on the other row. Or, if the voter desires he may cast all of the three votes to either one of these candidates which he prefers, by pushing in, say, Does push rod in both of these two horizontal rows. He may afterward change any vote for legislators. For instance, if he has cast one and one-half votes for Doe and one and one-half votes for Roe and subsequently changes his mind and desires to cast all three of the votes for Dec, he will push in the other Doe rod and this will have the effect of permitting Roes push rod to come out again, because the lock shaft 14 will be rocked by the Doe push rod that has just been actuated and this rocking movement will manifestly release the Roe push rod that has been pressed inwardly. The bottom row or series of push rods, in the present arrangement, represents the referendum, and two push rods are employed one for yes and the other for no. At the extreme left of the machine is a vertically extending series of push rods, each of which is provided with a button containing the words No Vote. By this means a voter may omit voting for anyone or more offices that he sees fit.

The machine is preferably arranged behind a screen or in a screened booth and two judges are employed one at the left of the machine considered from the front, and one at the right of the machine. These judges are preferably screened from each other and from the voter. After the voter steps into the booth, he may either pull the party crank for the Reds or the Blues according as he desires to vote and may then push in the individual buttons for the legislators and for the referendum either yes or no. As soon as he has pushed in the number of push rods for the various offices, (the said rods being locked in their pushed in condition by the lock shafts 14) he may signal to the judges by an electric bell or the like and then withdraw from the booth. The signal being heeded by the judge at the right of the machine, this official will then move the handle of the vote casting shafts forwardly which will carry the pushed-in rods backwardly in operative engagement with the counting mechanism to cast the vote. This movement of the handle of the vote casting shafts, will, as before described, carry the latch arm 39 past the lever locking device 26 and will effect the locking of the latch arm 39. The vote having thus been cast the judge at the left of the machine will swing his handle 2] forwardly which will carry the lever locking devices 26 out of the path of movement of the latch arm 39 and. allow the handle 38 to be pulled backwardly by its spring while at the same time this movement of the handle 21 at the left of the machine will rock the lock shafts 14 and effect the release of all the push rods that h ave been pushed in. The machine will 110w be in readiness for the neXt voter.

By the arrangement of the party crank and the push rods, it is evident that a party ticket may be voted by means of the crank and that afterward the said ticket may be scratched because, after the crank has been operated to push in a certain number of rods at the same time any one of these rods may be released and come out again by actuating the individual complemental rod of the other party. The no vote push rods are not provided with counting mechanism, in the preferred arrangement of the machine.

I11 those embodiments of my invention in which it is desired to candidates to fill the same office, such as county commissioners or supervisors ofthe .alms house or the like, those push rods that are arranged for such voting are provided with toothed lugs 69 n'ieshing with pinions 68 on revoluble shafts 67. Each shaft (57 also carries at one or both ends another pinion 67 meshing with a rack 70, and the rack 70 is mounted to slide vertically in a guide 71. The rack is provided. with sockets 72 in any one of which a regulating pin 73 may be placed said pin working in a slot 74 in the guide. By this arrangement, the pin may be adjusted to contact with the upper end of the slot 74 just as soon as the allotment of votes has been cast. For instance suppose that three candidates are to be elected to hold one office. The regulating pin 73 is then so arranged in one of the sockets 7 2 on the rack 70 that it will contact with the up ward end of the slot just as soon as three push. rods have been pressed inwardly. This connection is effected by means of the pinions before described, for it will be seen that as each. rod is pushed in, movement will be im parted to the pinions 68 and pinion 67 and this will cause the rack to move u nvardly step by step until the pin 73 strikes. Furthcr movement of the rack, and consequently a further inward movement of any of the push rods is then automatically prevented. The push rods that are provided with these regulating devices are mounted preferably at one side of the casing and are locked and released by the same mechanisms that are provided for the other push rods before described. I11 Fig. 1 they are shown as the two vertical rows at the eX- treme right of the machine, there being six push buttons in each row.

I11 addition to the actuating mechanism described, my improved machine embodies counters 46, there being one counter provided for each push rod. In the present instance the counters 46 are mounted upon supporting beams 47 and counter actuating rods 48 work through said beams. A pawl bracket preferably U shaped as shown and designated. 49 is secured to the rearmost end of each rod 48 and preferably a guide pin 49 cast votes for several Q of the first pawl until said pawl arrives oppo site the recess 66 in said rim, whereupon the pawls will all be allowed to move upwardly and the next pawl, that has been up to this point held out of engagement with the inter mediate disk will be allowed. to engage wit said intermediate disk and effect a single movement thereof to record the tens. While this is being recorded, it is obvious that the first disk is moved around one tooth and upon the next retreat of the pawls, the largest pawl will be taken out of engagement with the recess and into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth to continue the revolution of the first rim counting the units. In this way it is evident that the first disk may count up to ten, at which point the intermediate disk will register one turn, the unit disk will then be again automatically actuated to make a complete revolution up to ten when the intermediate disk will be given another partial revolution to record another ten and so on thereby counting the units and tens up to ninety-nine. At this point the two recesses of the unit disks and the tens disk will both register with the highest pawl and the next pawl respectively thereby allowing both of these pawls to rise sufliciently to permit the lowest or third awl to effect one movement of the hundreds disk, and in this way the counters as herein described and shown may count up to nine hundred and ninety nine. It is obvious that thousands, tens of thousands, and so on may be counted by merely adding the disks.

As the counting disks may be brought back to the zero points very easily and quickly, their advantageous arrangement from a mercantile standpoint is at once ap parent, especially when it is considered that ordinarily several hundreds of these counting disks will be employed in an operative structure.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a vote casting machine, the combination of a push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in for a ortion of its traverse by the voter, means for locking said push rod at such point, independently operable means for completing the traverse of the push rod, counting mechanism arranged. to be actuated by said completion of the traverse of the push rod, and means for releasing said rod.

2. In a voting machine, the combination of an automatically retracted push rod ar ranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in by the voter for a portion only of its traverse, means for preventing the fur ther actuation of the push rod by the voter, means for automatically locking the push rod at such point, independently operable vote casting mechanism adapted to release passes through the beam to hold the bracket from revoluble movement in its reciprocating action. A spring 52 tends to draw the bracket against the beam 47 and to return the parts to their normal position. Each counter actuating rod is so arranged with respect to the rearmost end of its respective push rod that, as shown in Fig. 2 the manually operated inner movement of the push rod to its locked position will bring the rear end of the push rod up against the forward end of the counter actuating rod, but will impart no movement to the latter. When the judge at the right of the machine, however, moves the push rod still farther in a rearward direction. it is manifest that the counter actuating rods for those push rods 7 that have been manually operated by the voter, will be moved rearwardly and this rearward movement of such actuating rods effects the revoluble movement of the counting disks to record the vote. The specific arrangement of these disks will now be described.

The pawl bracket 49 carries a spindle 50, on which a pawl frame 51 is hinged and around which a spring 52 is coiled so as to carry the pawl frame upwardly or in a direc tion toward the counting disks. 53, 54, and 55 designate pawls of which there is one for each counting disk employed, and said pawls are carried at the outer end of the pawl frame 51, and are of different heights. That pawl to the left looking toward the rear of the ma chine, is the highest pawl, the intermediate pawl is shorter, and the pawl to the right is the lowest pawl of the three.

56 designates a spring latch which is carried by the pawl bracket 49 and its frame with a pin 57 designed to take into a notch 58 in the pawl frame so that any set or sets of pawls for any one or more counters may be held out of operative relation to the counting disks.

In the bracket 59 secured to the beam 47 a set of counting disks 60 is mounted, and in the present instance there are three of these disks for each counter, but it is evident that any number may be employed. Each disk is provided with a revoluble rim 61 and each rim is formed in its inner wall with a series of notches 62. Springs 63 are mounted in suitable slots in the body portions of the disks and detent pawls 64 are pressed upon by the springs into engagement with the notches so as to act as brakes for the disks after they have been actuated, whereby to allow the pawls to be retracted preparatory to an advance and positive movement, without turning the disks backwardly. Each disk 60 is provided in its revoluble rim 61 with a series of ratchet teeth 65 and with a single recess 66. By this arrangement of parts, the reciprocation of the counter actuating rod back and forth will effect the intermittent motion of one disk or rather the rim thereof by means 1n, counting mechanism adapted to be actuated by the push rod upon its said further inward movement, and means for releasing said rod.

3. In a voting machine, the combination of an automatically retracted push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in by the voter for a portion only of its traverse, means for preventing the further or subsequent actuation of said push red by the voter, means for automatically locking the push rod at such point, ind ependently operable vote casting mechanism adapted to release said limiting means to push the rod farther in, counting mechanism adapted to be actuated by said further inward movement of the push rod, means for releasing said rod, and means whereby the said releasing means locks the vote casting mechanism after a single actuation thereof.

4. In a voting machine, the combination of a rod adapted for actuation by the voter, means for automatically locking said rod after actuation by the voter, counting mechanism, vote casting mechanism arranged to act upon said rod to cause the actuation of the counting mechanism by the rod, means for automatically locking the vote casting mechanism after a single actuation of the same, and means for releasing said rod, the said releasing means being arranged to also release the locking means of the vote casting mechanism.

5. In a voting machine, the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending series of automatically retracted push rods, said rods being independently movable one from the other and being adapted to be pushed in i by the voter, a series of lock shafts arranged ,l

said limiting means to push the rod farther horizontally one in proximity to each horizontal series of push rods, said lock shafts being provided with lugs and the push rods being provided with lugs coacting with the lugs of the shafts, means tending to maintain said shafts with their lugs in the path of movement of the lugs of the push rods, said means permitting the shafts to be rocked by the lugs of the push rods whereby said lugs may pass their coacting lugs and thereby lock the push rods in a pushed in position, means connected to all the said lock shafts for rocking the same simultaneously in a direction to release said push rods, and means for recording the votes indicated by the rods that are pushed in.

6. In avoting machine the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending series of automatically retracted push rods, said rods I eing independently movable one from the other and being adapted to be pushed in by I the voter, a series horizontally one in proximity to each horizontal series of push rods, said lock shafts being provided with lugs and the push rods be of lock shafts arranged ing provided with lugs coacting with tl ie lugs ol the shafts, means tending to maintain said shafts with their lugs in the path of move ment of the lugs of the push rods, said means permittingthe shafts to be rocked by the lugs of the push rods whereby said lugs may pass their coacting lugs and thereby lock the push rods in a pushed in position, each lock shaft being provided with a crank, a releasing frame adapted to move said cranks in one direction only, and means for actuating said frame, and for recording the votes of those push rods that have been pushed in.

7. In a voting machine the combination. of a plurality of horizontally extending series of automatically retracted push rods, said rods being independently movable one from the other and being adapted to be pushed in by the voter, a series of lock shafts arranged horizontally one in proximity to each hori zontal series of push rods, said lock shaft being provided with lugs and the push rods being provided with lugs coacting with the lugs of the shafts, means tending to maintain said shafts with their lugs in the path of movement of the lugs of the push rods, said means permitting the shafts to be rocked by the lugs of the push rods whereby said lugs may pass their coacting lugs and thereby lock the push rods in a pushed in position, each shaft being provided with a crank at one end, a releasing frame consisting of spaced bars and cross pins, the bars straddling said cranks the cross pins engaging with said. cranks and adapted to move said cranks in one direction only, means for actuating said releasing frame, and means for recording the votes been pushed in.

S. In a voting machine, the combination of a push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in a portion ofsuch traverse by the voter, means for automatically locking said push red at such point, means for releasing said. push rod, means for automatically retracting said. push rod, vote casting mechanism operable independently of the locking mechanism, counting mechanism, means whereby the vote casting mechanism will cause the completion of the traverse of the rod and a consequent actuation of the counting mechanism, and means whereby the rod locking mechanism will lock said vote casting mechanism after a single operation thereof.

9. In a voting machine, the combination of a push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in a portion of such traverse by the voter, means for automatically locking said push. red at such point, means for releasing said push rods, means for automatically retracting said push rod, vote casting mechanism operable independently of the locking mechanism, counting mechanism, means whereby the vote of those rods that have casting mechanism will cause the completion of the traverse of the rod and a consequent actuation of the counting mechanism, means whereby the rod locking mechanism will au tomatically lock the vote castingmechanism after a single operation thereof, and means whereby the rod releasing mechanism will automatically release the vote casting mechanism.

10. In a voting machine, the combination of a push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in a portion of such traverse by the voter, means for automatically locking thepush rod at such point,

3 vote casting mechanism operable independently of the rod locking mchanism, counting mechanism, means whereby the vote casting mechanism will cause the push rod to complete its traverse and actuate the counting mechanism, a latch arm embodied in the vote casting mechanism and a lever locking device adapted to be automatically inter- )osed in the return path movement of such latch arm, said lever locking device being ar ranged for actuation by the rod locking mechanism.

11. In a voting machine the combination of a push rod adapted to be actuated by the voter, a counting mechanism, vote casting mechanism arranged to actuate the counting mechanism for a rod that has been pushed in, said vote casting mechanism being operable independently of the voter, a locking mechanism arrange to lock the pushed in rod automatically, said locking mechanism being manually operable to release said rod and ar ranged at one side of the machine while the vote casting mechanism is operable from the opposite side of the machine, means for automatically locking the vote casting mechanism after a single operation thereof, and means whereby the manual operation of the rod releasing mechanism will also release said vote casting mechanism. 12. In a voting machine, the combination of a rod arranged for a definite traverse and in by the voter for a means for automatportion of such traverse,

rod at such point adapted to be pushed ically locking such push i such push rod l spaced apart pins, counting mechanism, a vote casting mechanism including a shaft i provided with a finger designed to enter the spaces between said pins and to contact with one of said pins to draw the rod to the l completion of its traverse, and to effect the actuation thereby of the counting mechanism.

13. In a voting machine the l of a rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in by the voter for a portion of such traverse, means for locking the rod at such point against withdrawal, counting mechanism, said rod being provided with two pins one of which is higher than the other, the higher pin serving as a stop to iimit the inward movement of said rod at the portion of its traverse as set forth, and a voting casting mechanism including a shaft provided with a finger adapted to contact with the other finger of said rod and complete the traverse of the rod into operative connection with the counting mechanism.

14. In a voting machine the combination of counting mechanism including an actuating rod therefor, a push rod arranged for a definite traverse and adapted to be pushed in by the voter until its inner end is in contiguous relation to said actuating rod, means for limiting the inward movement of said push rod by manual actuation, and a vote casting mechanism arranged to complete the traverse of said 10 end of combination rod and to cause tl the latter to push the actuating rod of the counting mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR E. SEIBEL. [L s] IVitnesses:

JuLrUs KorLus, Janus H. HUDsoN.

being provided with two