US895872A - Independent-vote mechanism for voting-machines. - Google Patents

Description

'. `No'.895.872- j I BEST VLABLE COPY 191111111121111 AUG. 11,1908.

- n y S. LGB. INDEPENDENT VOTE MEGHNISM FOR VOTING MACHINES. 1 l l APPLLGATIO FILED MAR`;28,1904.

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, s. LOE. Y 1 AIl'vDLIPENDElvT VOTE MBCHANISM POR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1904A.

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N0.\895,872. PATENTBD AUG.' 11,` 1908. S. LOE..

INDEPEADENT VOTE MECHANISM-FOR VOTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAR.28.1904.

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` No. 895,872. PAEENEEE-,AUG.1;,1908.

s. LOE.

INDEPENDENT VUTEMEGEANISMNE VGTING mG'EIEEs APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28,1904.

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i il f avAI'LABm COPY @MT-nn SYVER. LOE, OF MINNEAPOLI, MINNESOTA.

.innnrnNDENnvoTE M EoHANIsM -FOR VOTING-MACHINE l i `No. 895,872. Specification To all whom it may concern: Be it known, that I, SYvnR Lon, citizen of .the vnited States, residing at Minneapolis, of Min- -in the county of Hennepin and State l '5 nesota, -h ave invented certain new and. useful Improvements .1n 4Independent-Vote Mechanism for Voting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

l exact description'ofthe invention, such as skilled in theart 'to which k11; appertains to make and .use the same.

1 y presentinvention relatesto voting Ina-k shines, and has for, its object to pro-vide an independent'I voting mechanism,'socalled,

the function of Which is to permit'l and to con- `lzr'ol thevoting of fthe names lof the various i 'candidates ynoi;V re resented on any. ticket.

To the above en s the invention consists'of thecnovel devices and combinations of de- 270 viceshereinaberdescribed and`defined1 in the claims.

Theiindependent vote mechanism herein `.disclosed and claimed is, in the drawings,

show'nvas'applied to a voting' machine Jche y general'features of construction of which, are the saine, or` approm'mately'the same as in my prior patent No.. 804,962issued of date November 21s 1905, filed of even date here- .r vfitfh, and entitled `Voting machine. Y The present inventionis illustrated in the g accompanying drawings, wherein like charparts throughout the sev- L' fr 'eralviews i Figure 1 a View in front elevation, with I showing one side, or approximately one half,

of'tlie'vcomplete voting machine. Fig. 2 is a v,vertical section baken dhe machine .approximated on the line :c2 x2 Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectiontaken approximately on the line :c3 x3 of Fig. 2.

y Fig. 4 isa detail vien' in plan, showingr one of the independent Yvote tain. associated parts, some paris being secof Fig. 2. Fig..5 is a vertical secti on "taken approximately on 'the line Fig. 4.. Fig. Gis a 'rensverse vertical. section taken approximately on the Eline :cn of Fig?. 4. j Fig. 7 is a plan view ofA erhe printing or stamping Wheel. Fig. 8 is an end elevation ol the said wheel shown in Fig.

7,; and 'Fin-f. Q is a plan. View of one ol the independent vote disks or llanlrs.

' The mechanism oi "bho machine is conof Letters abent. Application filed. March 28, 190,4; Serial No. 200,464t

tained'within al case or cabinefLhaving. an.

Within ,this case is amade up, asshow'n, of` angle irons 5, vertical bearing stri s horizontal connecting brackets 7, m

mcliine and are attached tovertically disf posed ticket-holding strips 8, which stris 8 close the spaces between thestrips 6, an are 6, and

strips 2.

che machine.

and others removed.

from frontno rear of slides or keys and .cer-.

dis an to thebottom of 'the base 2, .are shaft bearings 10, only one of which is shown (see -'Extending-t'ransversely of the Inachine, at the left hand side thereof, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, is a countershaft 11, journaled in 'che bearings 10, Which shaft; may receive an oscillatory motion .by means illust-raed in my said prior patent, means, however, form no part of my present inveni'ion. The' keys of he machine, as in the machine of irny4 said prior patent, arey in the form ofi slides, arranged in verical coluinns, andinounted to move from front `11o rear of resent illustration, only a part of ete machine'being illustrated, I

or keys, one column being assigned to thel Republican party, and the other to independent votes. The slides which areassigned to the Republican party are indicated by the pendent Votes are indicated by the numeral 13. These slides are mounted in suitable bearings afforded by the vertical frame bars 5 and 6. Ina' complete machine, other col- Iumns of slides corresponding to the slides 12 which would 'necessarily be an election, `At their forthe said slides means o which they maybe readily Fig.

have shoWn-"b'uittwo columns of these.slides character 1`2, IWhile those assigned to' inde-A forward into so-called set posi-` Ptenteiinug. ,11, 19o8.

expanded base 2 andif'detachable fromfand rear plates-3 andrei, respec'ively. Inclosed Askeleton framework, a plurality of vertical ,60 he bearstrips 6 are located at the front of the l' would, of coulse, be provided for Vother po.

provided with finger pieces 15, shown as formed by 'cut- The yslides are provided with 65 providedv with overturned tickets or balldt.

ligidly secured to the left ha-nd' rear portions ofsfthe brackets 7, is a vertically y osed angular stopv bar 9. Secured WithinI 19 en'ds 45 so that a forward shoulders i6, and the slides with longitudinal slots l?, which, as shown terminate at their forward extremities in large perforations t8. ltor each .horizontally alined row of slides 11'12, there is an extensible lock bar or shaft made up of a pluralityY ol non-rotary vsections i9 and rotary coupling shafts 20. The coupling shafts 20, between the abutting of the sections 19, are provided. with spur pinions 21, and their oppositelyY projecting` ends areoreversely threaded and engage right and left tln'eaded seats in the si fd nonrotar)r sections 1S). rl.`he non-rotar)y sections 19 are angular in cross section, and engage correspondingliY formed seats in the llanges ol the bars 5, so that they are' l'rec to slide therethrough. For the purposes ol` the present illustration, it 4should be assumed that 2o the right hand member it) shown in l'ig. 2%'. is Vlixed against endwise as well as rotary movements, although in the actual machine, an absolutely lixed member i9 will be lar ther toward the right., An adjustable stop plunger 22 extends to the lett from, and has screw threadedengagement with, the lett hand section 1.9. This plunger 22 works through a perforation in the stop bar Y), and is provided with a stop collar which cooperates with the said stop bar, to limit the distending movement of the distensible lock shaft or bar made up of the sections .lil and 20, and plunger 22.

The pinions 2l mesh one with each ol" the Wide faced racks'l, and are free to slide lat erall)y there-over under expanding and contracting movements of the lock bar.

For oliices to which but one candidate may be elected, suoli, for instance, as Governor, the distensible lock bars described, in them- `selves, atiord the Vote limiting devices, and

in such instance, the stop collar plunger is normally -set one step ol movement away Jrommthe ange of the lock bar 9,

movement into a set" position of an)v one .of the slides or keys ot the cooperating horizontal line or series will bring the said collar into engagement with the said lock bar, and thus lock in normal po- Sition the other slide or slides of the said herizontal row. f l

l*1 or group voting, additional mechanism is provided, such for instance, as cillustrated in my said prior patent'.

'lhe slides lZ coperate with registers not illustrated in this application, but which ma)r be oll the character patent,

to their normal positions.

T o simultaneously return all of the set slides or keys to normal positions, so-c'alled restoring bars 24 are provided. There is oneI of these restoring liars for each vertical column of slides or keys, and cach restoring illustrated in my prior and upon which the said slides operFV i ate under return movements from their ,set'

l 1 l i i 1 l i i i3 are lorinedi'pbar is connected t o the trame work ol'- the ot parallel linlis 25. (lne bars 2.4 operates upon the slides 113,' and the lots i7 of the slides lli, and engages with the rear extremities olf said slots to force the said slides ll back to normal position. Normally the restoring stand as shown in Figs. 2 and li, so that the slides 12,' and i3 ma)v be l'reeliY drawn forward into set positions. v

Uperative movements may be imparted to the restoring bars l-t by an eccentric 25 carried by the sh lower ends ot the The mechanism so far tical. or substantially identical, with .that disclospd in in v said. prior patent. lt will. nowev'er, be understood, that the improved and novel independent vote mechanism hereinafter described and broadly claimed, is capable ol application tevoting machines ot various types a i limited to use ineonnection wi anisin above described.

Independent not@ 'medievrism.---ln the base 2 of the cabinet, below the alined perforations 1S of the slides 1.3, when said. slides are in normal position, is a hopper-like recep tacie 27, having in its bottom a slide 2S that normally closes a passage "29 in the bottom oli the said base 2. The outer end of this slide 28 is turned upward at ill). and perlprated to pass therethrough a staple ill ,secured to the side of the base 2, The relie of a padlock 32, indicated by dotted lines in liig. l, is

.machine by a pair ot the said restoring the shoulders 16 of other, works in the s said bars b v chains 2li.

th the mechadapted to be passed through the staple 21.),

to lock the slide 28 in operative position..

strip 33 extends verticali y up one side ol' the slides l and is rigidlyy secured to the traine brackets 7'.' Below each slide 13, in vertical line with its perforation lb, when said slide is in normal position, is an inclined chute Wt, onev end of which is secured to the snpportiiig strip J (see liigs. 4, 5 and Gl.. irlounted in small bearing brackets 35, secured on one ol'thc bearing plates 8, immegliateiv over each slide i3, is a so-called printing" or stamping wheel 34S.' 'lhese wheels carry peripheral. type or dies 3T, and are prei/'ideal with sha-rp edged peripheral ribs or projectionsliS. The type or die 22.7 on the several printing or stamping wheels representyditl'erenl numerals. As illustraled. in the drawings, tortv-o'ne slides l, and l'ort-y-one printing or stamping wheels are provided, and the` said printing or stamping wheels, yfrom the top of the column down-A ward.v are pri'iv'ided with type or dies repre sealing `the successive numerals from l to 41. 'ih several printingaor stamping wheels 3h eeffiwa'atc with plutens Ill, shown :is a'll'nrderl h r iaifral intnrned upper end llanges ol' the braclietsl. 'lhe inner surfaces olI these 'ipilatens lill engage the under surfaces ol' the described is iden-t bars 'lil aft ll and connected to the nd designs, and hence is not Cir ' 35 connections therefrom to the rock Operatzon--The operation is substantially Aas f ollovvs--ili voter 'seats 18 of the shdes 13. l v'The slides 13 at one edge, are formed with .pasteboard therib's andtype'or 37 the wheels 3 6 quite close tothe upper .plat/ens. Y The erforations plate 8, directly the slides 13, as

best shown in Figs.- 4 and-5L 1.'The independent vote'ballots or checks vvare,preferably-in the Aforni of disks 41, and are adyisably constructed of heavy paper or These blank disks 41 are of a size-tc loosely within ormed with" the periorations or ratchet teeth 42 mounted inthe frame brack 7"* the rock shaft 43is`a on fthe counter-shaft j Swa D VV`eccentric 46, and at its other end, is lpivoted to the crank '45, as shown, by a` screw '49.

y'being forced ba ets v7,k and in the -base 2 is a vertically disi 2- of Siightiy yieiding 'v `pawls:cooperate one eachslide 153.

` shown and -preferred t springblade, .which issecur'ed at one edge to posed rock shaft 43 which carries a plurality lock pawls 44, which with the ratchet teeth of The lock'pawlsv44 are, as formed Yby slitting a the rock shaft 43; n the lower portionof short crankarm 45, and 11, is .an eccentric 46. connecting rod 47 is providedat one end ian eccentric strap 48` that works on the ln the normal positions of the partsillusloosely` tratedi-n the drawings, the eccentric 46, and i hold' the free endsof the. lock pressed against the `edges of the sli awls 44 es 1,3, so

i that when anyoneof the said slides '13 -is Y:4f/.i

to a set7 position. the

drawnfo'ijward, either completely or partly cooperating lock pawl44 will engage the ratchet teeth 42 of such slide, andl revent the said vslide from el; .into ajnornial position by the voter.

Who may wish to vote foi-independent candidates, that is, for canl didates whosenames do :not appear on any of r; 50

the tickets of the severalpolitical parties rep-l voter should wish to votc entirely .tor independent candidates for all. ofthe offices represented;he would require fortvone blank ballots 4-1, thatbeingthe i.iumbeffvotes to which `lie is l' entitled.. Nevertheless, if he should be given posses'sion of a'larger number of-"blank ballots,v he could not use them to resented, is given any number ofthe blank disks or ballots,.41 'that he 'may desire` With the machine constructed as illustrated, it' the any'a vantage, for reasons which will presently appear. The voter, having pulled iorrward into setf positions,l slides representing the votes which hewishes to cast, a certain number thereof-being independent vote Vthe cnice represented by the shaft 43,

` tendant of the machine, such lever, not being sli-own, since it forms no part pendent vote slides places a bi ink ballot riait the perforation or seat 18ct-each of such set independent vote slides. f In Fig; 5, Athe f lowerfslide 13 is. shown as drawn intoa set -positiorbfiiiv which sition, its perforation v1,8 stands outward o `the plate 8 and over the cooperating-rest bracket 40, so that the inserted ballot orgcliskl 41 Will then r1 it upon the said bracket. kEither while the 1L ank' ballot or disk is thus laced Within the perforation of seat 18 vo the set slide, and

supported by the bracket 40, orat any time' i prior thereto, the name of the candidate for set" slide is written on the said ballot or disk. It is, of'4 course, evidentthat w en an independant vote slide is drawn into a set positie f, it has the same elect upon' the-vote liniing lock bar '19.-20 as when one ofthe slides 12 in ,one of the other-columns is drawn into set position, and hence, when an independent vot'e slide which is assigned to Yan office to which but one person may be elected,"is dr'awn into a set position, it causes the. other-horizontally alined` slide or slides which kare -assigned to the same office, to be lockedin normal positions. `Qtherwise stated, if the/voterA elects to cas-t an independent vote tor theotfice-of Governor, for instance, he cannot also votegfer -one'of'tlie candidatesv on a regular, tiket `forthe saine office. i A

After slides have ,been setflrepresenting the entire vote, an oscillatory movement is 'imparted to the counter shaft lliby-some suitable means under control )of the atmeans, how,-v

'of my present invention but is clearly illustratedin my prior patent already identified. The initialmoveinent of the countershaft 1 1, in the direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 2, causes the connecting vrod 47 to move the lock paWls 44 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 42 of the inde- 13, thus releasing the said slides, so that they may be restored `to ndrmal positions, .by v subsequent rearward and upward movements of the restoring bar 24.` The same continued movement of the countershaft 11 causes the eccentrics 25 to draw upon the chains 26, rand thereby move upward and rearward the restoring bars 24,

as above stated. .Under theabove not'd opprinting wheel is caused to manipulation ot said key, described.

.2. ln an independent vote mechanism l'or a voting machine, the combination with a` plurality of keys b v the maniiiulation ot which independent vote ballots may be deposited, of' a Iprinting device tor each key, said printing devices having dies dillering in character t'or each-key, and adapted to stamp withv different characters the independent'. voteP ballots deposited by the manipulation of the ditliei'ent keys, substantiallyT as described..v

3. ln an independent vote mechanism tor voting machines, the combination with a Vpluralit)v ot kehvs having ballot-receiving seats, which are normally ont ol' reach oll the voter but ai'e adapted to be moved within reach of the voter when the said keys are '"sct, and a plurality olE printing devices having compression dies 'representing di'tleient. characters and which devices coi" perate one with each key and opera-te on the independent vote. ballots as the)Y are delivered rotate byjthe. engagement ofy theI peripheral siibstantiall \v as ribs or p'ro'eetions 38 with the ballot or diskl 41 and to ring its die`37 into action upon the said ballot or disk, said printing whe-el is ot' such dia-meter as to be given at least one complete revolution as the ballota or disk 4l passes under the same and thereby 'rint or stamp upon the face of thesaid iisk the l numeral which represents the number as-l signed to the articular slide. The. stamped or printed ba lot.- or disk 41, as the slide is given its final movement to normal position, is dropped onto an underlyingclnite 34, and b v the atter, is directed into the hopper 27. Were it not for these devices for printing, stamping or otherwise vmarking the inde.- pendent vote ballotsor disks, it would be possible, by writing the saine name tor the saine otiiee on a number ot' blank ballots oi' disks, and running them into the nia-chine by diti'erent independent vote slides, to vote several l(.iines for a single candidate and thus -lieat the machine. This, as is evident, cannot be done with the said printing or stamping devices, because each will print or stamp into the machine, b v movements oi the said upon the ditl'erent ballots a numeral which keys trom their set7 to their normal position, substantially las described.

4. In an independent vote mechanism l'oi a voting machiiie, the comlriination with a plurality o'l" kevslides having independent indicates the particular oll'iee to which the co )erating slide is assigned. For instan-ct;- in tie arrangement illustrated in the drawings, a ballot 41, having written thereon olm l)oe,' and having stamped thereon 'i vote ballot receiving seats, ol a coi-respondthe numeral 3, registers a votel'or John Doe t ing plurality ,ol' impression wheels, having for Governor, while if the saine naine should impression devices ol' dillerent character arbe found Written on another ballot or disk ranged to engage and act uponsaid ballots, marked with the numeral 4, the vote would under movements oll said slides hack l'i'oinl be registered tor Lieutenant Governor. All then' set" to their normal positions, subotl the said actuators ot' the. several columns stantiallv as described. are, of course, siinnltaiieousl)Y restored to ln a` vot-ing machine, the combination normal positions. The means described l`or with several columns ol key slides and vote locking the independent vote slides against return move-ments, even though but partlY drawn oiit,. is very important. Without sue-h provision, it might be possible to draw a slide several times about hall'wav out, and each time to pass a check or ballot 4i in to the machine.

From what has been said it will be understood that the mechanism described is capable'otl a large range of inodilication within the scopeoiin v invention as herein set l'orth and claimed. '.l`he means forprinting,stamping 'or otherwise marking the independent vote ballots so as to indicate the ollice l'or which they were voted, l consider as hroadl)vv l new, and desire to claim the saine as a pioneer invention in independent vote :mechanism l'or votii'i'g machines.

What l claim and desire to-secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States is as follows: 1, 'In anindependentvote mechanism tor a voting machine, the combination with akey, b v the .iiianipulat-ioii o'll which an inde-- pendent vote ballot maw7 be deposited, oi'a printing device tor printing a character on tiaiiot deposited by the said slides, one oll the said columns dll slides being assigned to independent votes, and each slide ol said column having recesses l'oi' receiving the independent. ballots. olI a series oi' impression wheels, one l'or each independent vote slide, said wheels having lies ot,I dil.- l'erent character arranged l'oi action on the independeiit vote ballots iindeimovements ol` said independent vote slides l'i'om set" back to normal position, and means l'oi' restoring the said slides to noi-mal position, substantially as described.

(i. ,ln an independent vote mechanism l'oi voting machines, the combination with a plurality o'l` indeiiendent. vote slides. b v the manipulation ot which the independent vole ballots may be deposited, under movements of the Uset slides back to normal positions, Y et means i'or stamping with ditl`erent characters the ballots deposited bv slides, pawl and ratchet devices norma preventing return movements oll said set" or partly set slides, means l'oi siniultaneousl \'Y throwing pawl and ratchet devices out ol` ac.- tion to release said slides, and means i'or sub i' he independent 'vote limiting lock mechanism coi'ipei'atiiig with les ' sequenvtlyireturning iset slides to normalv .which are d'epositegl,v substantially as des plurality oi keys haying mea-ns by the inapositions, substantially as described. scribed. .i 10 7. In'an independent vote mechanism for In testimony whereof I axvmyigature vot-ingi machines, thev combination with a in presence of tivo Witnesses- I SYVER LOE.

nipi'ilati'on.o'l` Whieh independent Vote ballots E Witnesses:

may be depositeiof means operated by the H. D. KILGQRE,

` keys rfoi" automatically printing the ballots 4 F. D. lVIERoHANT.

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