US800917A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 800,917. A PATENTED OUT. 8, 1905. .T. W. HINE.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.11,1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IV. HINE, OF JAMESTOWVN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO U. S. STANDARD VOTING MACHINE CO., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEIV YORK.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed March 11, 1898. SeriaINo. 673,491.

To (all mhmn, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns IV. HINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county OfChautauqua, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the counters or registering mechanisms employed on voting-machines, which improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, the novel features thereof being specified in the claims annexed to the said specification.

In the accompanying drawings, representing my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a number of the counters of a voting-machine. Fig. 2 is a similar front elevation, partially in section. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 represent the counter-disks detached as seen from opposite sides. Fig. 6 represents the key-lever detached. Fig. 7 represents the counter-disk-locking mechanism.

In the practical use of voting-machines it is found that frequently some of the parties fail to nominate a full ticket, and it consequently becomes necessary to throw some of the counters or registering devices out of use temporarily or for the particular election in question. It also happens that the number of offiees to be filled varies with different elections, and consequently one or more rows of counters may become unnecessary at times. In order to provide for these requirements and to adapt votingmachines to such circumstances, I construct the key-lever or other instrument by which the voter actuates the counters so that it may be concealed within the front or face plate of the machine and so that the voter cannot operate the counters representing ofiices for which there is no nomination. In the particular construction of counters shown in the accompanying drawings the key-lever is represented as arranged to fold inside the key or face plate, as indicated at C Fig. 2, and C, Fig. 3, but it will be obvious that many other ways of using my invention may be adopted.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable support or channel for sustaining a series of counters. B B B are the counters; C C C the keys or other devices employed to actuate the counters; D D D the palleted counter-actuating levers; F, the

star-Wheels, and I I I the counter-disks.

The counters representing the candidates of the political parties are arranged in horizontal rows and those for each oflice in vertical rows.

E is the face or key plate, which is slotted to permit the movements of the levers which are drawn downward by the voter to actuate the counters, as indicated by the full and dotted lines at the lower part of Fig. 1.

G represents openings in the key-plate, through which the results of the election are ascertained after the close of the polls, a shutter I-I being provided which closes these openings while the election is in progress. The shutter is shown open at G, Fig. 2, so that the number on the counter is visible through the openings. The shutters are preferably arranged one in front of each vertical row of counters. The shutters are provided with openings which register with the openings in the key-plate, so as to display the count, for which purpose the shutters are shifted by the inspectors when the voting is finished.

J represents any suitable frame for supporting the channels A, which frame is sustained by a suitable standard, so as to bring the counters at a convenient distance above the lioor. The channels are held in place in the frame in any suitable way-such for instance, as the lugs e u' the channel being open in front and arranged to slide onto the lugs from behind.

It will of course be understood that there are a number of rows of counters corresponding with the number of political parties and enough vertical rows for all the offices to be filled.

The machine may be provided with a suitable booth or otherwise arranged to insure a secret vote.

The counters shown consist of the three counter-disks I I 1, arranged to revolve on the stud or tubular shaft {7, passing through the channel. The units-disk I has attached to it the star-wheel F, which is operated by the pallets (1.1;, Fig. 1, on the levers l). hen the key-lever is pulled downward by a voter,

the pallet a enters between the teeth of the star and gives it one-twentieth of a revolution, the remainder of the motion being secured by the return of the lever forcing the pallet 71 between the teeth. when the voter leaves the booth or operates the door or turnstile. The palleted levers D are pivoted on the stud or tubular shaft /L inserted across the channel, which is slotted to permit the movements of the rear end of the levers. 1. sleeve cserves to hold the levers D in position laterally.

The key-lever C or other part which is directly handled by the voter in casting a vote is connected with the palleted lever or other part which transmits the movement to the counter, so that it can be shifted inward or concealed within the key-plate for the purposes already mentioned. In the particular construction shown the key-lever C, Figs. 1 and 3, is pivoted to the lever D, so that it may be folded in inside the key-plate, as indicated at C (1*, Figs. 2 and 8. The pivotal connection may be arranged in any suitable way; but in practice I construct it by making a slot Z through the palleted lever and by inserting the key-lever through this slot before the parts are assembled in the channel. The key-lever is provided with an enlargement or Thead a at its inner end, which holds itin the slot. A notch 0 in the outer end of the palleted lever receives an offset 2: on the key-lever, as indicated in Fig. 3. The slot in the key-plate holds the key-lever against lateral displacement. When the key-plate is removed, and it may be made in any desired number of sections, any of the key-levers may be folded inward and their counters rendered for the time inoperative. hen folded inside the keyplate, the key-lever may be locked in that position in any suitable manner, as by the engagement of its end in the notch cZin the side wall of the channel. The offset or bend i on the key-lever is made at an angle, so that it readily passes through the slot 4 in the lever D. The palleted lever may beprovided with the curved wings 'j, which serve to close the slot in the key-plate during the movements of the key-lever. When the face-plate is placed on the machine, access to the folded levers is entirely prevented.

A disk 9', Fig. 2. is preferablyinserted between the star and the side wall of the channel. Suitable movements may be imparted to the tensand hundreds disks from the unitsdisks by any suitable devices, which may be located either inside or outside the disks. In the construction shown the hundreds-disk I is operated from the tens-disk I by the pinions s and t and a ring of teeth a, these parts being placed inside the disk I and carried by a bent plate K. A lug or projection 21 on the disk 1 moves the pinion s, which is connected by the stud w with the pinion t, which engages with the ring of teeth a.

The stud to passes through the plate K, and the pinions a and t are fastened to its ends in any suitable way. In Fig. 1 the counter B is shown with the hundreds'disk removed, and at B all the disks are removed to display the star and palleted lever. The disks are formed of circular plates having flanges around the edges, with the ordinals marked on the outer surfaces of the flanges. Each time the disk I revolves the lug w imparts such a movement to the pinion s that the disk I is moved onetenth of a revolution by the pinon t and teeth a. A circular plate w, Figs 2 and 4, riveted to the disk 1 has the teeth a turned up on its edge. The plate K is given a suitable shape, being fitted to the shaft and engaging over the shaft h and sleeve 0 by the fork 2 It has projections .2, which project hetwecn the disks and assist in holding them in line. Just inside the liange of the disk the plate is bent or offset, as indicated at (0, Figs. 1 and 2, in order to make room for the pinion tand teeth a. The counter B is shown partiallyin vertical section in Fig. 2 in order to represent the devices by which the hundreds-disk is operated from the tens-disk, and it will be understood that the tens-disk is operated from the units-disk by similar mechanism. The shaftg may, if preferred, revolve with the units-disk. The lug w is conveniently made by turning it up from the edge of a circular plate riveted to the disk.

In order to lock the disks agail'lst accidental movement, the flange is turned up on the edge of the circular plate attached to the disk, and the teeth 0 c of the pinion a, Fig. 7, are shortened and bent toward the disk, so that they bear against the inner surface of the flange and act as stops to prevent the movement of the pinion. (and consequently that of the next disk 1 except when the lug '2) comes in contact with one of the intermediate teeth f, in which case one of the teeth 0 c passes through the notch (Z in the flange 7/.

Provision is made for locking the counteractuating levers, so that only one vote can be cast for any particular candidate, and for interlocking the counters, so that only one candidate for any particular oflice can be voted for by anyindividnal voter, in any suitable or preferred manner. In the construction shown the counter-levers .l) are provided with the locking and interlocking rods L, which carry the locking-dogsf", and engage with the interlocking blocks 1, arranged between lixed abutments it. N is a movable resetting-bar which is connected with a door or turnstile so that it moves downward, depresses the rods L, and restores the parts to normal position, coinpleting the vote by engaging the pallets on the levers D with the teeth of the star 1G whenever a voter passes out of the booth or inclosure in which the machine is placed. The rockshaft O is operated by the same mechanism in advance of the movement of the reset- ITO ting-bar, so as to disengage the dogsf" before the rods are forced downward. The arrangement and construction of these parts may be similar to that described in the Well-known Davis patents or in the pending applications of H. G. H. Cooper.

It Will be understood that my invention is capable of being applied to voting-machines of types different from that herein shown.

IO Instead of the channel any suitable supports may be employed to sustain the counters in proper relation With the key-plate.

The turnstile at the end of the machine permits the inspector to look into the machine and observe the keyboard between each vote, so that there can be no interference therewith.

I claim- 1. In a voting-machine, the combination of a key-plate With keys normally projecting in front of said key-plate. said keys being capable of movement into an inaccessible position at will Within the machine-casing when the machine is prepared for an election.

2. In a voting-machine, the combination of a key-plate, and voting-keys normally projecting in front of said key-plate, said keys being movable behind said key-plate so that they cannot be reached by a voter.

3. In a voting-machine, the combination of the slotted key-plate, and voting-keys adapted .to project through said key-plate and arranged in party groups, said keys being adapted to fold within said plate, whereby if no nomination is made by a particular party for a particular ofiice the key corresponding to such oifice may be rendered inaccessible to a voter, thereby preventing mistakes.

4. In a voting-machine, the combination of the slotted key-plate the folding key-lever adapted to be folded behind said plate, a palleted lever and a star-wheel operated thereby.

5. In a voting-machine, the combination of the slotted removable key-plate, a palleted lever and a folding key attached to said lever.

6. The combination With the key-plate of a voting-machine,- of the pivoted lever D, having slot Z, and the key-lever C, having lug a, pivoted thereto.

7. The combination with thekey-plate ofa voting-machine. of the pivoted lever D, having slot Z and notch 0, and the key-lever C having lug n, and ofi'set 1'. pivoted thereto.

. JAMES W. HINE. Witnesses:

ALEXIs CRANE, A. MCKENZIE.

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