US995357A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. I. LAVUSTERER.

vo'rmq MACHINE a sums-snm 2.

,il U

SNERIFF v. R u o C T c E or Dlsv Llszf Irving Mlller Nnyt Signor Fran;

olivi-r Fr-cd Harry Hzn CoNGREssMAN.

Van

Baur Tubbs wm.

Millan Hunk Twilk Haraldwitnesses l converted laws 'l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .L mUsTEBEB., or unifsown, NEW Yorin, assIGNon To 'vo'.rme xacmNE comm, or ROCHESTER, new vom; a convencion o1' m Yong.

vo'rrini-imacnnm.l

' specification dummen'. Patented June 13,1911.

Tofall whom itmcy concern: it known that. I, WILLIAM J. LAUS- Tmn, of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York,'have invent 5 ed certain nwand useful Improvements in .VotingfMachineS and I dohereby declaren the'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference had to the accompanying drawing, fo'

' 10 apartof this -speeilicatlon, and to there terence-numerals marked thereon. ,'11 This inventionrelates more particularly to :a primary elec-tion lockout attachment whereby'theordinary voting machine can be into a machine for holding prions under such laws as have been instance for the hol of prins in Minnesota and lsconsin. ding-'feature of the prima 'election States -is as io o All of the'fea'ndates of each party contesting in di@ election for the nomination by their party lmust lile their names as such' Vcaliflitla'teswith*the pro cer and all of the'candldates for all of the .oices `uinstthen be printed on ballots, a

Vseparate ballot`Y for the candidates of each' party. -n-eithfer State the voter canchoose the' vfor whose"candidates he will 'vote $0 tin primary election, and having made his clioice he must be restricted to the candidates of that party and must not' be per- 'f 'milled to 'vote for the candidates of any other party, nor for vany candidates not printed'on partys-llallot. -In Minnesota the voter must publicly declare his intention' to thepartyivhecondidates he rshallvotend theelection o tlicer must give hun f ofthe .v'otexfs'part..7 and must-*re-v tovongon that bellotand ventfhim from 0 on any oth'er."' v voted be folded azrrlfdroppedintt'rthe 50S countingof-it, tt willbe .clad-lion4 op'cerf whether the hillifitisrs'ictcd-1o 'thefcandkateslqfja InWrsconsin `thefveter!is.eutitledl folkenfit' Seclvtins. QYli-b .Pmi 1.16 vote-iemands@ innestate' voter in' with a ballot, .0f -eaeh 0f Y li ,illlhejlmarymn :the rivacy'of jtl1'e -thehallotoihisc mice andscpapei-ly designated ofapplication mea amber s, 1905. sex-m mi asian .keep it' secret as to'which j-ixlspectorfs controlling strap orthe d. leckoutfbar. Figa4 7 Aifa leed 111 rate it from the rt and vote it separately Ain the proper box, while the unvoted ballot must be cast in another box'.v -If voting machmes are used in the rima'ry elections of either of the Statestgey must -correspond to .the .ballot practice above described, the fnames of all of the candidates of all of the parties that the voters of the4 precinct. are entitled to vote on must be placed upon the machine and the machine must then be s o adjusted that the candidates of .but one rty can be voted on by 'any one voter. Ininnesota where 'the voter must declare his intention as to the pa of his choice, the electionoicer must set t e machine accordingly. to permit him to vote for'the candidates of that party'and for none other.` In Wisconsin, however, where the voter is entitled tc arty he is to vote for, the machine must lie .left wholly unlocked so that the voter can start his v oting on any of `Vthe parties, but having. to vote on one party, the machine must en 75' prevent him from voting for the candidates of any of the other parties. 1

The object ofwrlnly invention isto provide a machine that. meetthe requirementsof" the primaryeledsion laws of Wisconsin and Minnesota, especially in theimportant particulars -above pointed out, and in such otherparticularsas will be described inthe .specicatin and pointed out the claims.

drawings: Figure 1` 85 portion of the described in the Patent 849,123 to A. J. gillespie and the Patents 793,666 and 820,802 to Lausterer. Figure 1* is a front view of a portion of the plate or ballot adapted. foiprimary voting. 2 is a yvertical transverse section of the hne 2-2 of Fig. L Fig. 3. is a -detailof .one of the'lockoutbars. Fig. 4 isfa detail lof the guide for the lockout hara 5 is'fa perspective view of the ever, by which the 'lot-king out of vall but the' -1s se"curcdfiiiv advance. Fig. Av6 is; 'a' detail-of the fire link 'conaeeting-netmen theinten 10o group ofstrapsiandthe Y is "a "side velevatiol..` of the .wire link. 8 'is a' perspectivezviw In the accompanying is a rear view of the lower in connection with this primary election lockout. Fig. 9 is a sideelevation of the compensator with the pivoted side shown in n position for `inserting the compensator of 5. the interlockin channel.

In eci cation and the accompanying drawing hke numbers refer ,tolike parts.

In the accompanying diiiwings reference numeral 1 refers to the face plate of the machine asit is shown in Fig. 2. At the bottom of this plate is carried the interlocking channel 2 from which project the group.- ing pins 3 through suitable interlocking rollers 4 such as are illustrated in the patent to Lausterer No. 793,666. Engaging vwith these interlocking rollers are wedges 5 carried by the interlocking` straps 6. These straps `tv, 6 are connected to the usual indica- Vtors (i0V on the front plate 1 and are slotted at 7 to permit the insertion therethrough of the resetting bar 8. They are also slotted at 9 to provide for the insertion of the muffling bar 10, and through the same slots are threaded the wire links'll, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 6, and in sidc'elevation in Fig. 7. These links may be threaded each through a single strap or a Single link may be threaded through two or more straps. The lower ends of links 11 are turned up into loops 12 which loops may be passed through the slot 13 of the lockout bar 11 and maybe spread sidewise to engage with the teeth 15, 15 on either side of said slot. Normally a single slot of this sort is provided for each bar for each oice line on the machine, and a single wire link may run from said slot to engage one or more of the interlocking straps of the particular ofiice line to which that link is assigned. But I may provide a plurality of slots in each bar -for each ollice line so that a plurality of the wire links 11 from one ollice line may engage wit-li one har, and this arrangement has some advantages, in that it permits the more ready 4 5 transfer of the connections fromindividual straps from one of the lockout bars 14, 19, 20 or 21, to another bar, as different elcc tion ballots may make necessary. It will be noted that the connection between theinterlocking straps or rods and the lockout bars, is a loose one, the upper ends of the links sliding in the slots so that the bars and stra-ps may move relatively independently. As usual the indicators are preferably nrranged to be freel Amoved to voted position or to be restored y the voter if s. mistake is. made, excepting for the limitations imposed by the party selecting device, but this may be reset 1n the manner hereinafter de- 50 scribed if desired. These lockout bars, the rearmost, onebeing indicated by 14, are each carried on bell Vcrank levers 15, 15 pivoted at 16, 16, said pivots being carried en the up rights 61 at one end andthe bracket 17 at u the other end. Fnstened to the lower ends of each of the bell cranks 15 are the connecting bars 1S, 22, 23, 24. The lockout bars cach have a vertical movement and rocks the long'arms of the bell cranks 15 as they move u ward, at the same time the short arms o the bell cranks rock tothe right uniformly, due to the connection between them of the bars 18,' and in this way a simultaneous movement of both the lockogt bare and the bars 18, 22 23, 241l is-'secnied It 75 win be understood time um bars 19,20 nu 21 are similar to the bar 14, except as to the placing of the slots 13, and that these bars are cach in turn supported by bell 'cranks 15, to which are connected respectively thc/ jm bars 22, 23 and 24. The intervals between' lugs 15 are alike on all the bars, anch-while the distance between the centers is the same, they are placedat different distances from the end so that the wire links or their loops that are connected to one bei: will not interfere with the links connected to another har. When a key is voted anywhere on the key board of the machine its-interlocking strap rises and carries` with it the wire link 11, 90 'which in turn vraises the bar 14, 19, 20 or 2l with which it ha pens to be connected. '.lhc raising of its lockout bar moves yto the right as is shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the bar 1S, 22, 23 or 24 connected therewith. The purpose 95 of myV invention includes means lwhich will prevent-the raising of more than one of these lockout bars, and this is controlled in two ways, both of which I will now describe.

Secured lto the bottoni of the machine 25 is a bracket 26 at the right hand end, :i similar bracket 27 at the left hand and. Mounted on each oftliese brackets for sliding movement is a similar bracket 28, which bracket has two slots therein 29, 30, through which slots project the sluds'l and 32, which studs are mountedbifhe'brackets 26 and 27. The slots 29 and 30 and the studs 31 and 32 form guides which limit and control the movement of bracket 28, permitting the bracket 2S to be raised or lowered only to the extent to which the slots can move on the studs. Mounted on bracket 28 is a leaf spring 33 with two holes therein. llico the bracket is in its lower position the upper hole in the spring 33 engages with the stud 32 and locks the bracket 28 in its lowest position. When, however, it is in its e le vated position, the lower hole engageswith the' stud 32 and locks it in its up r position. Carried on the bracket 28 are interlocking pendants 34, in this case three of theni being shown supported by each bracket swi ng from Athe stud 35, the brackets 26 and at each end of the machine being alike in .all of these particulars. `These interlocking ndants 34 when the bracket'28 is in its owestposition swing immediatel over tho lockout bars 14, 19, 20 and 21. e lockout bars ne held to s strictly vertical movement 130 are so adjusted that they will center them. selves over the adjacent bars and prevent them. from rising, as long as the raised bar remains 1n its uplifted position. To release the lockout bars from the control of these interlocking pendants, the pendants may be lifted out of the way by raising the brackets 28, 28 which support them, in which case thelockout bars will be free to rise at both ends. The lockout bars are further con trolled vin their movement through the bars 18, 22, 23, and 2.4, and .when the lockout bars are raised, these bars are given an endwisc movement ton-the right. Plvoted in the side of the machine isl a lever 38, thc pivot of -which extends through thecasing and has rigidly connected thereto the bracket 39, which bracket has a slot 40 thereinjust wide 1 enough to permit one of the bars 18, 22, 23,

or 24 to enter therein by turning the 'ointer on the side ofthe casin to the num` er desired; the bar indicatct by it will be left free to move endwisc nndcan be operated by any oneof the keys on the machine connected toit, but the remaining bars will be held locked. If the pointer is turned to the mark Closed", all of the bars will be locked, and if turned to the mark Open,

.all of the bars will be unlocked. Foruse in ,theWisconsin primary elections where the voter is not ermitted to announce his party afliliations, t ie pointer should be left in the open, position during the whole of the election, but in thc Minnesota elections where the voter must announce his party affiliations-,thc pointer must bc placed to indicate lthe party announced before the voter-is permitted to close the curtain. 1n prn lary clcctions when held under an Australiin ballot law, the party levers on the machine are locked out of o ieration. Under the laws of either of the tutes referred to the voter must Vole for each candidate separately.

lt -may be stated, generally, that as there are usually at least two candidates c0ntend ing for the nomination of eachparty, the

grouping pins 3 between the adjacent olice groups, (which latter usually embody one vertical Vrow of indicators only), are re moved andv these groups thereby eirtended to include at least two vert-ical rows of vindicators, and conipensators are employed, so that inthe enlarged group thus formed but oneindicator may be moved to voted position. Or,if there are several candidates to be nominated, the grouplng pins between as many adjacent groups as are lcombined ,arc removed, and a sufficient number o compensators inserted so that onl the pro er number of votes may be in cated 1n t e enlarged group. Ordinarily but two or three parties will 4put candidates in nomination. The dominant arty will always have the greatest number of candidates competing with each other for nomination, and the minor Ypart-ies will have a correspondingly fewer number of candidates,

Aanother party line to the Prohibition candidate. If four candidates for Congress are contending for the nomination in the Republican party and but three party lines are assigned to the Republican party, then these four candidates must be placed on two olice lines, the grouping pins must bea'djusl'ed to include the interlocking rods of two ollice rows, and a compensator must bel inserted in the interlocking channel to prevent (he voting of more than one key in these Vtwo oflice lines. If the Democratic party has three candidates for the nomina.- tion and has but one part line assigned to it, then the candidates for this party must be spread on three oilice lines, and these same three oflice Alines must be included in the group fonCongressmen in the balance of the parties as well. This would necessitate the use of two compensators in the interlocking channel in this particular grou to prevent the voting of more than one lkcy therein. To permit the ready insertion or removal of these` coml'iensators l have invented a conlpcnsator of the form as shown in Figs. 8 and l). This compensator is ol? the same thickness as un interlocking wedge und has on either side thereof n recess 4l which cngages the upper part of the interlocking channel 2. The part 42 rests in thc groove of the interlocking" channel in Contact with the interlocking rollers or with either of1 the interlocking wedges that may have been Yotcd adjacent t0 it. This compensator is composed of two pieces one of which Iis piroled on the other and is capable of more ment thereon. I 8 is the larger piece and on it is pirolcd the piece il shown' in dotted linesl in Fig. i). When thepart 44 is placed in the position shown in. the dotted line the compensatoican be inserted directly into. the channel` 1 koe )ing it rmrallel to the grouping lpins and rolllcrs so that the part 42 can engage directly with the recess in thc far side of the channel. After which the compensator can be loweredy to posit-ion and then thepartflat The part i3 shown in Fig.

-be turned from the'- dotted line to the Avertical positionmnking the engagement of iecompensator complete. When the inn` chine is converted from )rimary election to ordinary election all t ese compensutors 'liiiistl be removed trom the channel, the racltets 28 must be laced in their elevated pg itioi'i and the indicating pointer 38 must g placed Vin its Open position. The grouping pins, of course, -should be placed 'nil-position corresponding to the ticket to be -1Qt-diand these changes will constitute all mischenges that are necessary to convert the .michine from its use in a primary election toeits use in un ordinary election.. By re- .'ersing the process modified according to the iieedsof the primary election the matbiiie is equally capable of being changed beck from the regular election to the priiniiry election.

In Fig. 5 l show a resetting lever 4.5 pivoted so as to engage with the bars' 1S, 22, 23 and 2l mounted so tli'iit. its foi-wurd Aend'. willbe accessible to a. voter standing 'in front of the machine so that if the voter has made a inistafle in choosing' the wrong party hecan reet'the lockout bar und start :inem This lever engages in recess 46 in euch of the bars 1S, 22, 23 und'fi so that by moving it to the lcft or tethe dotted line .position ns shown in Fig. 5, the voter can recall his vote and take a fresh start. The indicator bars 6 ure reset by the resetting -bai' 8 engaging therewith as usual in this typo of machine and the lockout bars 14, 19,"20 und 21 are correspondingly reset by 'brackets 50' secured to the main resetting wbar and engaging their upper sides as shown in Fig. l.

.I claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a vot-ing machine, `oa plurality of indicators, a series of lock'- out bars, 'means for interchangeably connecting said'indicators to said lockout bars, thereby controlling said indicators tliroufvb vhe latter and means operable independent y -.-=of the indicators to prevent the operation of other indicators then those controlled by n predetermined bar.

L21 The combination in n voting mnchiiic of :i plurality of indica-tors, n series o/Llockout bars, to whiclibars scid indicatosmoy be interchangeably connected, interlocking devices Between said lockout bars for revent- .vii

ing more than one of said bars and tie indicators connected thereto occupying voted position nt the same time, and means operable independently of the indicators for de terinining which of saidbars can be placed lin voted position.

.'3. The combination in a voting machine of a. plural y of voting devices, separate independent movable lockout bars con- "nected to sii-1d devices, and adapted to lie `sinovial-l.edgewise thereby when any one of comas? the'devices is moved into voted position, and

means reventing more than one of said lockout urs from edgewise movement.

ll. The combination in a voting machine of aplurality of series of votin devi lockout bars one connected to eac of sai sei-ies und adapted to be moved when said devices are moved into voted positionz n 'means z idjustable into coperative relation with sind bars to prevent more than one of.

them from movement, and also adjustable to permit all of said bars to move.

5. In a voting machine, a combination of voting devices und interlocking mechanism therefor, controlling said 'voting devices by ofliccs, n supplementary interlock operable by the voting devices and controlling them by parties, said supplementary interlock being capable of. movement into and outof operating position at will'.

G. In a voting machine, the combination with :i plurality of series of voting devices,` and interlocking mechanism for said voting offices,

devices controllin' the operation by of a supplementalinterlocking device o rnhle by the voting devices and control 'in them by parties, and capable of being move into operative relation with the voting devices .when said niiichiiieis used in primary elections und out of operative relation when said machine is used in general `elections.

7. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of series of voting devices,

with a. plurality of series of indicators, a

plurality of lockout biirs, one for each series and operable to unlocking position by the movement of an indicator in the series, of s. single indicating und locking device oper. able from the exterior of the machine and cooperating with the lockout bars to select aud indicate the particular bar that can be operated. l l

9. In a voting machine the combination with n. plurality of lockout bars und e plu.

rnlity of voting devices controlled lv each of a resetting bar for said 4votingl ovices,

and menus carried by said resetting bar tol positively reset said ockout bars.

10. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of lockout bars and a series of votin devices controlled b each, of a. resetting r moving parall p means carried on said resetting bor for resettin said lockout bars.

11. l. voting madrina?,

thereto, und

iti-fine.

,with a plurality of 1 carried on eaichbiir bar an equal La lng devicesbetweeii. 1 5 .12. Info voting .vnth a plurnlityo oelring .mechanism preventdccte the particular .bnr that can. be

zt I1 .voting miennetheombinnion If'votin "machine, the

16.- In-s, voting machine thecombination withfa .lockout bar 'and a plnralit of bell cranks having one arm connecte thereto,

of said bellI crank"vr levers, and means for lockingsaidbar against movement. A

17'.: n a. voting mach-ine the combination vit'hla plurality ofl bell cranklevers nr-` i'anged in series, sind-a. lockout bar for the bellrcranks -of ,each`seris, said lockout bar bei" connected to one arm of the snid bell of'a overning bor for each'loclrout borg-connected to the other arm ofthe bell the bell cranks.

18. In a. voting machine,`tl1e combination withv a. plurality of series of'indicntorsI a .plurality of lockout bars one for each series, o0 of'infeims, copernting with and adjustable l todifferent positions to control said bars, a movement to one position operating to lock 'gli of'said bers, into another position to lock l`e xceptingvone,' and into a third positionl '55 tbffiermit the operation of all of them.

*19. In a 'voting machine, thecombination L'vivfith a 'pliirality of -loclrout bars, and inte-rlockin 'devices therefor limiting the number of said bars to bev operated, said interlock-A ,tp` ing devices being capable of adjustment into `and out of coperative relation 'with said bars'for the purpose of limiting the.` number of said bars capable of operation or l pvel'inittingtheir free movement.

f5 20. Ina voting machine for primary elec-i regi-device operaio *the 'combination tion :of more than one of `said .n

gle ndicitting` and lockingi "erdting-fwitlireaidbars to selecty it plurality" of lockout bars und bellwhich said bell.'l

coinbinzitionand .a bellcrgmk 1convfgovornin of 'n ,governing bar'connected to other arms' of occupying u raised or lowered position,A

cranks in each series, and means for moving` ,t in bestemmings-:wim a pagina" of p I v avides; grouped .ccording to o ces- ...aind .'ccord to orties means for' re! `ztlie'gngperatiion'1o the devices pfor -ihore une singlepgrtyfofasinglecontrol- 7o l I p lndependentl of the vtmgd'eyiCeS'. to either select tlie art Whosefmdictorsmay beoperated andploc' outr those of t the renuiiningA parties, or Vto leeve ther devices of all the parties open peru initting the voter tose'lect in Secre@r theA party -Whose,devices moy be operated.

Iii fa. votiug'l machine the combination Witha' plurelity of series of votin devices, f erich. series being devoted to' condi etes' of a 80 particular party, of a single means operable to one position to lock the devices of -all the parties, to another 'to lock all ofthose except ing one, and to a third position to .permit the operation o f any ofthem.-

22. In a voting machine, the combination witlro plurality of series of" indicators, of all plum ity, of lockout bars, one for euchl series, und an interlocking device for'limitin the number ovsaid bars that can be oprzited, said device being capable of oc-l cupying v two positions one-for' pro erly iny terlocking the bars, and the' 4other gorcompletely disehgaging said lockout bers. 23. In al 'voting machine interlocking 'mechanismftlie combination with a. support ,a frame movable thereon, and a serleso interlocking pendantsI suspended therefrom, sidffrnme with its pendants beingcapable menus-for locking seid frame in either posi tion, and voting devices for coperating with the pendants. u i Y 4 24. In a voting. machine, the combination with voting devices of a 'support und a. frame mounted slidobly thereon, a stud fastened to said frame, und interlocking pendnnts mounted on said stud yand coperating with the voting devices.

25. In a voting machine, the combination with voting devices, of n support having studs thereon, u sliding frame mounted on the support engaging with said studs, a stud carried by said frome-4 and interlocking pendants carried on said stud and adapted.- to coperzite with the voting devices.

26. VI'n o voting machine the combination with voting devices, of a bracket having studs thereon, .a standard having slots-engether. l t 28. lIn a 'voting machine, the combination gaging with said studs und vthe sprinlg on 120i with. a grooved interlocking channel, of a. n

collapsible interloekin block engaging therewith capable of col apsing for insert-ion into and of being spread to engage with the walls of said channel.

2 9. In a voting machine, the combination with the interlocking channel, of an interlocking block formed of two pieces pivoted together, one of said pieces engaging with one side of said channel, both oli. said pieces engaging withthe other side of said channel.

30. In a voting machine lockout, the combinat-ion with a series of bars operable by the voting devices, of a lever controlling said bars, having a handle projecting outside the casing'of the voting machine, a slot in said lever to permit the entrance of one bar only, said lever being'- movable to bring the slot op )osite to each bar in turn, to unlock it.

3l. n a voting machine, the combination with a series of lockout bars operable by the voting devices, of a lever controlling said bars and having a slot t-herein to permit a sin le bar to enter, said lever being movable to ring said slot opposite to each bar in turn.

32. In a voting machine, the combination of a series of lockout bars and voting devices for operating them, of a movable abutment for controlling said bars, having a slot therein sufficient to permit the movement of one bar at a time, said abutment being movable with relation to the bars to unlock each of them or to lock all of them, or to permit free movement of all of said bars and an indicator connected thereto to show lthe position of said abutment. l

33. The combination in a voting machine of a plurality of series of voting devices arranged in office and arty rows extending at an angle to each 'ot ier, of a plurality of edgewise movable lockout bars one connected to each series extending parallel with the party rows andmeans for preventing the movement of more than one of said bars laterally of said rows.

34. A voting machine adapted for use in general elections, comprising a plurality of individual candidate voting mechanisms,

means for locking out the voting mechanism i anism for said devices, of a member shiftable to' different extents and operative to lock ont all but a selected one of saidgroups, whereby the machine may be set for primary voting. Y

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER.

Witnesses:

F. F. CHURCH, G. WILLARD RICH.

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