US994132A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. DANA.

VOTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.l.3, 1909.

Patented Jime 6,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l L l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DANA, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO LEOPOLD RAUH, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

VOTING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. DANA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for taking off an impression from the counters in voting machines, both before and after the election, so that a permanent impression of the exact number of wotes cast may be obtained.

It frequently happens in the use of voting machines, that certain counters at the end of an election will indicate many more votes than there were voters in the precinct, atthe same time that the action of the machine and the movement of the counting wheels upon test being made, is proven to be absolutely accurate. It is obvious under such circumstances that some of the counters could not have been turned back to zero, and were overlooked in arranging the machine for the election. It also frequently happens that the judges of the election make many errors in taking the tallies off of the counters.

It is the object of my invention, therefore, to provide means for taking an impression of the amounts indicated by the counting wheels immediately before the voting commences, and an impression of the same counting wheels immediately at the close of an election, so that the errors and discrepancies above noted may be avoided.

My invention is especially applicable to the type of voting machines illustrated in my prior Patent No. 845,860 dated March 5, 1907, but it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to any construction of voting machine in which the counting wheels are arranged in'rows in the same plane, and with numerals on the counters so designed that an impression can be taken therefrom.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the voting machine, with the rear door open illustrating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the impression sheet or ballot sheet, as arranged for application to the holding frame. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fiIed October 13, 1909.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Serial No. 522,394.

frame for the ballot sheet as applied to the machine. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the registry frames broken away at the middle portion. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of same showing the ballot sheet in position. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the holding frame and ballot sheet broken away at the middle.

25 represents the casing of the voting machine, 26 the rear door inclosing the case, and 18 a series of registry frames one for each party row which are rotatably mounted. in proper bearing plates, and which are actuated by the registering lever 14 as described in my above mentioned patent.

19 are the counting wheels mounted in the registry frames, to expose the numerals 16 on the counting wheels at the rear opening 27 in the registry frames, and it will be understood that upon rotating the registering lever 14 against the left or rear side of the stop post 15, all the registry frames are rotated into locked position, and at the same time that the shaft 20 bearing against the retaining pawls 21, one for each counting wheel, hold the counters in locked and immovable position.

I have not thought it necessary to eX- plain in detail any of the working mechanisms of the voting machine.

The counters in order that they may be better adapted for use in my present invention, are formed with raised figures and each edge of the registry frame at the sight opening 27 is formed with a flat vertical bearing surface 17 in vertical alinement with the nu merals on the counters exposed at the openmg.

Hinged at 12, 12 to the main frame is a holding frame made up of top and bottom strips 28, 29, and side strips 30, 31. The hinges 12, 12 are provided with leaf strips 32, 33, which leaves are provided with slots 7, 7 and 34, 34, and 8, 8 are stop pins on the sides of the frame which project through the slots 7 7, and 9, 9 are clamping screws which take into the sides of the frame and through the slots 34, 34. In this way as will be readily understood, the entire holding frame can be adjusted vertically within the limits of the slots, and secured in position by the clamping screws 9, 9. In order to hold up the clamping frame out of the way when de sired, I provide the hooks 13, as shown in Fig. 3. Studs 5, 5 are provided on the 3 is an enlarged end view of the holding top and bottom pieces of the frame at each end to form abutments for the ballot or impression sheet 36. The top and bottom pieces of the frame are also provided with the clips 35, 35, with clamping screws 6, 6 for holding the ballot sheet in place.

36 is the ballot or impression sheet, which is substantially a duplicate, in the type of machine illustrated, of the ballot sheet which is used for the front of the machine to indicate the offices and names of candidates, this before the sheet is cut up into strips to fit the various spaces on the front of the machine. The duplicate sheet is then trimmed on the lines 40 so as to fit the holding frame, and the spaces on the sheet are so designed and arranged that the questions, ofiices and names of candidates will be properly located over their respective counters. The sheet 36 is then placed in the frame against the stops 5, and secured by the clamping screws and the frame is then adjusted so that the pins 8 will come at the bottom of the slot 7 and by tightening the clamp screws 9, the frame is held in that position.

For testing the machine and examining the counters, the frame and sheet is thrown up out of the way, and held by the books 13.

When everything is in readiness, the holding frame is lowered and the lower ends are secured by the clamping buttons 11, which pass through slots 62 in the lower edge of the frame. The roller 22 is then pressed over the impression sheet directly over the exposed counter figures, and rolled from end to end, bearing sufliciently hard to force the sheet against the depth gage or hearing surfaces 17, and all the exposed figures of the counting wheels will be deeply impressed upon the sheet so as to be plainly visible. The clamping screws 9 are then loosened and the holding frame let downward so that the upper end of the slot 7 rests 011 the stop pins 8, and the clamping screws again tightened. The rear door of the machine is then closed and locked, and everything is in readiness for the use of the machine. At the close of the election the rear door is opened, and the roller 22 is again operated against all the exposed counter figures, as in the first place. The sheet when removed will then appear as indicated at 23, 2-l in Fig. 2. The top series of figures will show whether all of the counters were returned to Zero, and the lower series of figures the total actuation of each counting wheel. If, by some mistake, all of the counters have not been returned to zero, this will be instantly shown as illustrated in Fig. 2, in the next to the last line of figures. This would show in this particular case that the counters under Democratic electors had been left at 200 instead of being returned to zero, and that there were only 400 votes cast instead of 600 as indicated by the counters at the close of the election.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a voting machine, in combination with a casing, a series of counting wheels mounted in said casing, of a framework with means for securing an impression sheet in fixed position thereon, hinges for said framework to the casing to permit the im pression sheet to be brought into close proximity to the counting wheels, with means for adjustably securing the frame to the hinges, whereby the impres ion sheet may be shifted into a plurality of positions with reference to the counting wheels.

2. In a voting machine, in combination with a casing and a series of counting wheels, a frame adapted to hold an im pression sheet, with hinges therefor to the casing, said hinges provided with leaves to which the frame is adjustably secured, and means for securing said frame in close proximity to the counting wheels in a plurality of positions.

3. In a voting machine, in combination with a casing and a plurality of sets of counters arranged in series, with a separate case for each series of counters, each case provided with a sight opening therein, the edges of said opening being provided with a bearing surface in alinement with the exposed surface of the counters, whereby a supporting surface is provided for the impression sheet.

4. In a voting machine, in combination with a plurality of sets of counters arranged in series, with a separate case for each series of counters, each case provided with a sight opening therein, the edges of said opening being provided with a bearing surface in alinement with the exposed surface of the counters, said counters having raised figures thereon, whereby a supporting surface is provided to limit the impression to a predetermined depth.

lVILLIAM H. DAh

LOUISE MANIN G'lON, AUGUST VILKEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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