US1013853A - Independent-voting device. - Google Patents

Description

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Jan.2,1912.

0. H. OGUMPAUGH.

INDEPENDENT VOTING DEVIGE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 2, 1904.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0..WAsmNu'roN. n. c.

U. H. OCUMPAUGH.

INDEPENDENT VOTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1904.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awwentoz COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPII CO..WASHXNGTON. n. c.

CHARLES HERBERT OGUMPAUGI-I, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

INDEPENDENT-VOTING DEVICE.

Original application filed July 3, 1902, Serial No. 114,301.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

Divided and this application filed February 2,

1904. Serial No. 191,692.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. OcUM- PAUGH, a resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in IndependentVoting Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to what is known irregular or independent voting devices for voting machines, and its object is to provide simple and eflicient means for the purpose.

The construction consists in the combination hereinafter described and pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the face plate with a small por tion broken away to show part of the operating mechanism; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the mechanism; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with certain parts broken away; Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the machine with the face plate broken away; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a registercarrying bar and a cover-extension carried thereby; and Fig. 6 shows a plan and side view of an interlocking wedge and its operating bar and connection on a larger scale than in the other figures.

The machine embodying the present improvements is more fully set forth in my application #114,301 filed July 3, 1902, of'

which this application is a division.

In Fig. 1 which shows a broken plan of a section of a linear voting machine, the reference letter 1 indicates the casing and 2 the face plate or ballot sheet. 5 denotes a registering, resetting and unlocking handle fixed to a shaft 6, and 7 a lockout handle fixed on a shaft 8, which shafts are operatively supported lengthwise the machine or machine section, the handles being accessible at the end of the section.

The voter passing the machine from the right to left first draws the resetting handle 5 toward him. This through the medium of the shaft 6 and connecting arm 10 having a pivot connection 12 with a movable bar 11 sliding on a support 12 situated in a slot 12 carries a resetting bar 13 away from contact with the cut out portion 14 of the indicators 16 having enlargements 15 whichextend through openings 17 in the ballot sheet 2. The bar 13 which has been standing in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3 and acting as a lock against manipulation of the indicators 16 on shaft 16, is thus removed, and the indicators are free to be operated. The same movement of bar 13 carries a reduced edge or cut-off part 130 into a slot 45 and across the ballot chute 42 sufficiently to prevent depositing a ballot. After operating the handle 5 the voter passes to the front of the machine and there finds a ballot sheet 2 on the face of the machine with the names and indicators arranged in parallel lines, one indicator for each candidate. The ballot sheet has on it the names of oflices, candidates and numbers corresponding to candidates. It is made in two parts as indicated by the double lines near the left of the indicators 16 and may have a flexible or hinge connection. The face plate and the ballot sheet thereon are slotted to permit the extension therethrough and the operation of indicators 16 and they have an opening for the deposit of irregular or other ballots as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. A chute 42 may be, and preferably is. provided in line with each indicator which can be used by suitable openings provided in thesheet by the officials, corresponding receptacles 43 being also provided. Only that chute or those chutes that are to be used in any particular election will be accessible all others being covered by the ballot sheet. In case one chute only is employed, as for example for the irregular or independent vote there will be but one opening 44 in the sheet and that will be situated in line with a corresponding key and with a suitable notation on the ballot sheet as indicated in Fig. 1. Should the voter make such perforation and improperly deposit a ballot therein it would drop to the bottom of the case and would be disregarded in the count. The voter moves toward the face of the machine any indicator 16, one or more, that corresponds with a candidate or with candidates for whom he wishes to cast his vote. The indicator enlargements 15 have each a stud 18 entering a slot 19 in a movable registercarrving bar 20, which bar has a part or notch 21 which cotiperates with a lookout arm 22 fixed to an endwise adjustable sleeve 23 secured on shaft 8 by means of a lug or feather 24 on the inner side of sleeve 23 entering a slot 25 in said shaft, as indicated.

If said lockout devices are inoperatively situated the indicator being actuated moves the register bar or carrier 20 by means of the stud 18 on the part 15 of the indicator key and the slotted bearing 19 in the movable bar 20 toward the front of the machine which bar carries the registers comprising the wheels lettered 0, 0 O. The registers, however, are not actuated by any movement of the indicators 16, but the latter are freely movable into and out of voted position and are not at any time locked at any point of the movement.

The bars 20, one for each candidate, actuate interlocking wedges 26 arranged between stops or abutments on a shaft 28.

29 indicates a screw for fixing an abutment.

In Fig. 6, 200 denotes a pin in each bar 20 loosely engaging a hole 201 in its interlocking wedge 26, whereby when a bar 20 is moved to the left the corresponding wedge is turned on shaft 28 and interlocks against other bars in the same row in well known manner.

32 denotes one of a series of straight ticket indicators on a shaft 33 said indicator having an arm or extension 38 in operative relation to one of a series of projections 37 whereby the bar 20 is moved to effect registering and interlocking.

If the voter Wishes to vote for a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot face of the machine, he can do so by writing the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote on a blank ballot (designated as 40 in Fig. 2). To cast this ballot, he suitably moves the indicator 16 which corresponds with the space on the printed ballot sheet marked Irregular or Unnominated, provided, if he is only entitled to one vote for the ofiice, he has not already moved an indicator that belongs to a candidate for the same office. The movement of the indicator carries with it bar 20, and its extension 41, which movement of said chute-cover or extension 41 opens the chute or channel 42 and permits the voter to deposit his prepared irregular ballot 40 in the chute 42 through the opening 44 of the ballot sheet. This ballot 40 is of such length that on account of the slide 13 for looking or closing the irregular passage 42, the vote when deposited extends above the face plate or ballot sheet 2 and thus prevents the extension 41 being returned to its normal position, and also prevents movement of the bar 20 and its corresponding indicator 16, so that as long as the irregular ballot 40 remains in the channel or chute 42, its corresponding indicator 16 cannot be returned to normal position, thus preventing the voter from voting for two persons for the same oflice when he is only entitled to vote for one,that is, preventing him from voting for a nominated candidate and at the same time for an irregular candidate. The voter, however, is at liberty. to withdraw his ballot 40 from the irregular chute 42 and reset its corresponding indicator 16 to normal position, and vote for any other candidate that he may wish for the same ol'lice. If the voter leaves the ballot 40 in the irregular chute 42, it is moved into the receptacle 43 on his departure from the machine by his moving the resetting handle 5 through the medium of the shaft 6, arm 10, slide bar 11, and slide 13. The removal of the slide 13 from the opening 45 in the irregular chute 42 allows the ballot 40 to pass into. the receptacle 43. The dimensions of the opening 44 and chute 42 are such that but one irregular ballot can be cast for any candidate at one time. The relation of the slide 13 to the chute 42 is such that the ballot '40, on the moving of the slide bar passes into the receptacle 43 before part 13 comes in contact with the face 14 of the part 15 of the indicator 16, and therefore the cover 41 of the bar 20 does not cover the chute 42 until after the ballot 40 has passed out of the path of the part 41. The same indicator 16 can be used either to vote for a nominee or for an unnominated candidate, which choice must however be predetermined. When this key is used for a nominated candidate, the ballot sheet has printed opposite the key, the name of the candidate, and the ballot sheet or card does not have an opening out through it to permit the use of the chute. Normally the ballot sheet acts as a shield or cover for all the chutes 42 until such time as an opening 44 is provided by an election oflicial and it then acts as a shield for all the other chutes. If a hole were punched by a voter through the card directly over the chute and a ballot improperly inserted therein, when the voter left the machine the ballot would drop to the floor, as there would be no receptacle attached to the bot tom of the chute corresponding to the key of a nominated candidate. \Vhen a key is to be used for an unnominated candidate, the space on the ballot sheet opposite the key is marked either Irregular or Unnominated, and the ballot sheet is perforated to permit the placing of a ballot in the chute corresponding to the key. In this case a bag or receptacle is attached to the bottom of the chute to receive the irregular ballots. The register corresponding to the irregular key would be actuated when the voter leaves the irregular key in voted position whether or not there was a ballot placed in the opening or chute, but no attention would be paid by the officials to the count of the registers in connection with that key. The irregular vote would undoubtedly be very much split and represent different persons, and the difl erent irregular ballots inserted in the chute would be counted and tabulated irrespective of the registers on the machine. It will be understood that the irregular lever can not at the same moment or at the same elect-ion represent both a nominated and unnominated candidate and that the machine must be arranged previous to the election to agree with the ballot sheet. It will also be understood that whatever the number of offices voted for, the shaft 6 which extends the whole length of the machine may be and in practice will be operatively connected to a series of irregular ballot devices according to the number of offices.

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

1. In a voting machine, an indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute adapted to communicate with the receptacle, and a resetting bar having a out 01f adapted to close communication between the chute and receptacle.

2. In a voting machine, an indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute adapted to communicate with the receptacle, and a resetting bar having a cut off adapted to close communication between the chute and receptacle, said out 01f holding a ballot in manner to permit its withdrawal by the voter.

3. In a voting machine, an indicator, a chute for a ballot, a cover for said chute, a device intermediate the indicator and cover to move the latter, and a resetting device to return said intermediate device and cover, said resetting device forming also an indicator lock.

4. In a voting machine, an indicator, a chute for a ballot, a cover for said chute, a device intermediate the indicator and cover to move the latter, a resetting device to return said intermediate device and cover, and a chute cut-off distinct from said cover and adapted to support a ballot left in voted position, said cut-off being operatively connected to the resetting device.

5. The combination of an indicator, a bar movable by the indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute cover fixed to said bar, a resetting bar, and a chute closing slide fixed to the resetting bar.

6. The combination of an indicator, a bar movable by the indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute communicating with said receptacle, a chute cover fixed to said bar, a resetting bar, a chute closing slide fixed to the resetting bar, a register supported on the first named bar, and means for actuating the register fixed to the resetting bar.

'7. The combination of an indicator, a bar movable by the indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute cover fixed to said bar, a resetting bar, a chute-closing slide fixed to the resetting bar, a register supported on the first named bar, means for actuating the register fixed to the resetting bar, and a lookout bar.

8. The combination of an indicator, a bar movable by the indicator, an irregular ballot receptacle, a chute communicating with said receptacle, a chute cover fixed' to said bar, a resetting bar, a chute-closing slide fixed to the resetting bar, a register supported on the first named bar, means for actuating the register fixed to the resetting bar, and a lookout bar, said lockout bar being adapted to co-act with the register-carrying bar.

9. In a voting machine, an indicator, a chute for a ballot, a cover for said chute, a device intermediate the indicator and cover to move the latter, a resetting device to return said intermediate device and cover, and a chute cut-ofi forming a part of the resetting device, distinct from the cover, and adapted to support a ballot left in voted position, whereby movement of the resetting device carries the cut-ofi with it.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrlbing witnesses.

CHARLES HERBERT OGUMPAUGH.

Witnesses:

E. C. HEMPEL, A. M. ZIMMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

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