US960956A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

W.. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

Patented June '7, 1910.

8 SHEETSSHEET 1,

wwweweo 40 auowu W. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

8SHEETSSHEET 2.

M :0 FNOTO-LITHOGRAPNERS wasummom uu W. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M GUM/M213 Q PNOTo-UTNOGRAPHERS WASHINGTON D C W. I. KIRK. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

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3140mm fez w. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

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'M'lliamlfii'rk ANDREW a, GRAHAM c0" wom-umocmmins, WASNINGYDN, u c

W. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

l M e Jm am as e LHIM P v q h t'mwoeo W. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910] aw'uemlioz M'lliamllfl r1 8 SHEETS-SHBET 7.

,,' flttomxm W. I. KIRK.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET s.

WwMQM ANDREW a GRAHAM c0. Puoruumocmvnm, WASHINGTON, n o

WILLIAM IRWIN KIRK, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1909.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Serial No. 528,099.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM I. KIRK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to voting machines by means of which the use of ballots is dispensed with, and the votes are mechanically registered by the voter and the number of votes cast for the several candidates of different parties are registered.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved voting machine of this character by means of which the voter can mechanically record his vote for any or all of the several candidates, and by means of which also he may mechanically record his vote for all the candidates of a party at one operation, or mechanically record his votes for individual candidates of the same or different parties.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved voting machine of this character by means of which repeating is prevented, and also by means of which no two candidates for the same office may be voted for by a voter.

This invention comprises other novel constructions, devices, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the ofiicial drawings, Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of a voting machine constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail View of one of the reciprocating guide bars attached. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line y-y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of an end of one of the reciprocating locking bars. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View in perspective with parts broken away, showing a portion of the mechanism for mechanically recording at one operation an entire party vote. Fig. 7 is a view in vertical section of the machine on the line 0cm, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a rear view in vertical section of the machine. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view, with parts broken away, of one of the recording devices and a portion of the mechanism for recording an entire party vote.

Fig. 10 is a detail View in transverse section of the hinge connection of the pawls with the registering wheel. Fig. 11 is a detail view in transverse section of the registering wheels. Fig. 12 is a side view of the machine on the right thereof. Fig. 13 is a side View of the machine on the left thereof.

In carrying out the invention, the mechanism is mounted in a suitable frame, consisting of the sides 1 connected at their rear end by cross bars 2 and at their front end by a face plate 3 which is preferably a thick plate as shown in Fig. 2. The face plate is provided with several vertical columns or rows of push keys 4, said keys being mounted on voting rods constructed and arranged as hereinafter set forth. The keys normally project out from the front of the plate 3, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 7 and 13, and are adapted to reciprocate through holes or passages 5 extending through the plate 3. The keys may have the names of the several candidates in each party arranged next to them on the face plate 3, as shown, the key at the top of each column being used to mechanically record by a voter his vote for all the. candidates of a single party. As shown herein, the upper row of keys is operated for three different parties and the several rows of keys beneath are employed to mechanically record the votes for the individual party candidates for difierent offices, each row being used for the different party candidates for the same oflice.

Mounted in the sides 1 of the frame and spaced at a little distance from the rear of the face plate 3 are cross bars 6 in each of which is mounted a row of tubular sleeves 7, projecting forwardly therefrom, there being as many of the cross bars 6, as there are rows of keys 4, and as many sleeves 7 as there are keys in a row. The keys 4 are connected to and are adapted to operate voting rods, each of which is constructed as follows:

Each voting rod consists of a cylindrical head 8 which projects into and is adapted to reciprocate in a tubular sleeve 7, the head 8 having a rod 9 which projects from its rear through a hole in a plate 10 secured to the inner face of the plate 3, and through the passageways into the key 4, which is preferably in the shape of a thimble, the end of the rod 9 being secured to the outer end of the key 4. The rear end of the head 8 abuts against the plate 10 in its normal position.

A coiled spring 11 is mounted on the rod 9 I anism of a common type is employed conwith its rear end adjacent to the outer end of the key 4, and its forward end against a plate 12, between the plates 10 and 3 and having a hole through which the rod 9 is movable. The spring 11, when compressed, serves to retract the voting rod and its key to normal position, when the voting rod is released. The head 8 is provided with a tapering end 13, and an annular groove 141 in the rear of said end forming a shoulder, for a purpose hereinafter set forth, the normal position of the head 8 being as shown in Fig. 4;. Located in rear of each row of sleeves 7 is a guard bar 15, having its ends projecting through slots 16 in the sides 1 of the frame, and adapted to have a slight longitudinal movement which may be limited by any suitable spring connection and as shown by means of springs 17 mounted on projections 18 in an opening 19 at each end of the bar 15, the inner end of each spring 17 abutting against the side 1 of the frame.

The guard bar 15 is provided with a row of openings 20 corresponding in number to the sleeves 7, and of a size to permit the passage of the heads 8, and normally out of alinement with the ends of the sleeves 7, and in such relative position thereto that when the head 8 is pushed forward by the key 1, its tapering end 13 will wedge against the side of the opening 20 and push the bar 15 laterally, compressing the springs 17. Located next to the bar 15, is a lock bar 21 having its ends projecting through slots 22 in the sides of the frame, said bar 21 having openings 23 corresponding in number to the openings 20 in the bar 15 and being out of alinement with the openings 20 and still more so with the ends of the sleeves 7, so that when a head 8 is pushed rearward through an opening 20 in the bar 15 and moves the latter to the right, the taper end 13 of the head 8 will be brought against the opposite side of an opening 23 in the lock bar 21, and move the latter to the left, thereby compressing the spring 2 1 on the end of the bar 21 against the side 1 of the frame, the tapering end 13 advancing through the opening 23 until the lock bar 21 is snapped into engagement with the shoulder formed by the annular groove 14 in the head 8, as shown in Fig. 7. In this position when a head 8 is in locked engagement with the bar 21, the bar 15 will be locked thereby with its remaining openings out of alinementwith the ends of the sleeves 7 and the openings in the bar 21, thereby preventing the remaining keys in the same row from being operated. In this way, only one candidate for the same oflice can be voted for by a single voter.

A suitable registering mechanism is employed with and operated by each voting rod, and as shown here a registering mechsisting of several. wheels 25, numbered from zero to nine, having ratchets 2G and loosely mounted on the shaft 27 secured in the sides 1 of the frame.

The registering wheels are steadied by friction springs 28 and the extent of movement of the wheels 25 is limited by spring actuated pins 29, and a shouldered groove 30 in shaft 27. The wheels 25 are operated with a step by step movement by pawls 31 mounted in a frame hinged to a bracket 33 depending from a reciprocating plate having guide rods 35 at its forward end which extend and are adapted to reciprocate through a cross bar 2 of the frame. A coiled spring 36, located on one of the rods 35 between the bar 2 and a shoulder 37 on the plate 34, serves to hold the latter in its normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 7; and when compressed, as shown in Fig. 7, to return plate 34 and its adjacent voting rod when released to normal position. The plate 34: extends over the locking plate 21 and the guard plate 15, and has a reduced end portion 38 which extends through a slot in the upper edge of the cross bar (3 and is adapted to slide therein, its forward movement being limited by a shoulder 39 which abuts against the bar (3.

The extension 38 of the plate 3 1 is held in place by a rod 10 above the same and secured to the sides 1 of the frame. In order to move each plate 3% forward by a voting rod to operate the registering device, each plate 3 1 has a depending plate or bracket 11, located in front of an opening 23 in a locking plate 21 as shown in Fig. 7. lVhen a voting rod is pushed in, as the taper end 13 of head 8 passes through an opening 23, it impinges against the depending plate 41, and presses thereon until the shouldered portion of head 8 engages the locking bar 21. By this means the plate 34 is moved forward, thereby causing a pawl 31 to. move a register wheel 25 forward one number.

In order to simultaneously operate the registering mechanisms of all the candidates of one party, the following mechanism is employed in conjunction with the upper i row of voting rods. The upper row of voting rods and plates 34 are similar to those in the other rows, but no registering mechanism is employed. Journaled in the upper and lower cross plates 42 and 41-3, secured to the sides 1 of the frame are vertical rotary shafts 44, corresponding in number to the vertical columns of voting rods, each of said shafts having a number of brackets 4-5, on

which are mounted the diagonally-disposed elastic arms 16, having a curved head 47 which is located above the plate 3%. and in the path of movement of horizontal projections 48 on the locking bar 21 and having tapering ends 49 over which the curved heads 47 are adapted to ride when the bar 21 is moved forward (see Figs. 3 and 9). The arms 48, when the bar 21 is moved forward, pass above the plate 34. Each of the upper plates 34 is provided with a laterally extending arm 50, and with forwardly projecting arms 51, which extend and are adapted to reciprocate through a cross bar 2 of the frame. Loosely hinged to the upper end of each shaft 44 is an arm 52 having a tapering lower edge 53, the arm 52 narrowing in depth toward its inner end and normally resting at its inner narrow portion on the arm 50 of plate 34. Extending across the main frame above the outer ends of the arms 52 is a plate 54 having its ends extending through slots in the sides 1 of the frame and adapted to reciprocate therein.

The plate 54 is reciprocated by means of a handle 55, on the upper end of a rotary shaft 56 journaled in the plates 42 and 43, and an arm 57 on the shaft 56, and a rod 58 having one end hinged to the arm 57, and its other end hinged to a frame or bracket 59 projecting from the plate 54. Depending from the under side of the plate 54 is a row of pins 60 corresponding in number to the arms 52, and each having a lip or projection 61 at its lower end which is adapted to engage a slot 62 in an arm 52 when the latter is raised by an arm 50. Normally, the arms 52 lie below the plane of the path of movement of the pins 60, so

that the plate 54 may be reciprocated without any of the pins 60 engaging any of the arms 52. Upon each of the plates 34 is a vertical lug or projection 63 adapted to be engaged by a head 47 of a lever 46, as hereinafter explained. If a voter desires to record at once his vote for all the candidates of a party, he depresses one of the upper keys 4 and the voting rod connected therewith is pushed forward into locking engagement with the locking bar 21. The plate 34 being moved forward by the voting rod, its lateral arm 50 rides under the inclined side 53 of the arm 52, and raises the latter so that the slot 62 in its outer end is brought into alinement with the lip 61 of the adjacent pin 60. As the remaining plates 34 have remained idle while the particular plate referred to has been moved forward, the remaining arms 52 have not been moved but remain in their normal position and out of the path of movement of the pins 60 on the plate 54. The voter having pushed in a party voting rod at the top of the machine as aforesaid, a person in control of the machine operates the handle 55 which moves the plate 54 causing one of the pins 60 thereon to engage the arm 52 which has been raised and swing it to partly rotate its shaft 44. As the shaft 44 rotates the heads 47 of all the arms 46 thereon are swung into engagement with the projections 63 on the several plates 34 in the same vertical line, and pushing said plates forward cause the registering devices of all the candidates of that particular party to record the vote of the voter who operated the party voting rod.

In order to automatically move back the arms 46 to their normal position, the outer shaft 44 is provided at its lower end with a slotted lever arm 64 through which extend the rods 65 and 66 in the sides of the frame, the rod 65 serving as a guide rod with a head 65 at its end to limit the outward movement of the arm 64 and the rod 66 serving as a retracting rod, it having a collar 66 hearing against the arm 64 and a retracting spring 67 which when compressed serves to move the rod 66 back to normal position and thereby move the shaft 45 and the arm 46 to normal position.

When any individual candidate has been voted for, as hereinbefore described, in order to release the voting rod from the locking bar 21, the following means is employed: Each of the locking bars 21 is provided with an opening 68 at one end, and the shaft 56 is provided with pins 69 each adapted to move into an opening 68 when the end of the lock bar is in projected position adjacent to said pin. Then a pin 69 is swung into an opening 68 by rotating the shaft 56, upon further rotation of the shaft the pin 69 will pull forward the plate 21, and release it from engagement with a head 8 of a voting rod which will then be snapped back by its spring into normal position.

In order to permit the elector to vote for a candidate running for office under another party, after having actuated the party voting rod of a certain party, the lock plates 21 for locking the individual voting rods are provided with the inclined projections 48.which engage the spring arms 46 of the party rock shafts. Each of said lock plates has as many inclined projections as there are candidates for a certain office. After having actuated a party voting rod and it is desired to vote for a candidate for a certain office under another party, the individual voting rod for said candidate is actuated which causes the lock plate of the candidate for said oflice to be shifted. The actuation of said individual voting rod causes the cotiperating register actuating plate to actuate the register of the individual voted for, and the second shifting of said lock plate causes the inclined projections 48 thereof to engage the cotiperating spring arms 46 of the several party rock shafts and elevate the same to a plane above the projections 63 on the register actuating plates of all candidates for the same oflice. Now, on actuating the operating rod 56, which in turn actuates the party rock shaft of the party whose voting rod was previously actuated, the spring arm on the can didate for the office voted for separately under another party passes idly over the projection 68 on the register actuating plate representing said candidate without actuating the same, while the remaining spring arms engage the projections on the register actuating bars of all other candidates under said party and cause them to register the vote on their respective registers. From the foregoing, it will be seen that the vote cast for a candidate was registered separately and before the actuating of the operating rod 59, and that the remaining votes cast by actuating the party voting rod were not registered until the operating rod was actuated.

Simultaneously with the registering of the vote upon the registers by means of the operating rod 56, the various members are returned to their normal position. This is accomplished by releasing the lock plates 21 from the voting rods actuated, and for this purpose the lock plates are each provided with the aperture 68 at that end adjacent the operating rod or rock shaft 56 which has pins 69 thereon adapted to enter said apertures and engage the several lock bars at the outer ends of said apertures so as to draw said bars to the full extent of their outward movement, thereby causing disengagement of said bars from the circumferential grooves in the voting rod or rods actuated and releasing the voting rods therefrom. The voting rods and locking plates are returned to their normal position by the respective springs controlling the same.

Having thus described the construction and arrangement of the several parts, the operation of the machine as a whole will be described. It is understood that the machine is to be inclosed with the face plate only exposed so that the operating handle and voting rods are accessible which may be done in any manner desired.

Vhen a voter wishes to vote a straight party ticket, he simply depresses the party voting rod of the party he desires to vote for. This action causes the conical end of said rod to engage the guard and lock bars and shift the same so that the rod may pass through the cooperating apertures in said bars, which so posit-ions the apertures cooperating with the remaining party voting rods that actuation of the latter is impossible. The party voting rod actuated is held in depressed position by the lock bar 21 engaging the circumferential groove in said voting rod. The actuation of a party voting rod does not register the vote for said party but simply positions the parts between said rod and the registers of all candidates under said party so that when the operating rod 56 is actuated, it registers the vote of all candidates under the party whose voting rod is actuated. When said party rod is actuated, it engages its cooperating register plate 34: and forces the same rearward so that the lateral extension 50 thereof engages the arm 52 of the corresponding rock shaft 44 and elevates the said arm. The parts are now set to register the vote, which is done by operating the voting lever or handle, thus causing it to rotate the operating rod and as the latter has connection with the slide plate 54:, the corresponding pin 60 on said slide plate engages the elevated arm and causes the shaft 4st to which said arm is secured to rock. The rocking of said shaft causes the spring arms 46 thereon to engage the lips (33 of the individual register plates of all candidates under the party whose voting rod was actuated, forcing said register plates forward and causing the pawls thereon to operate the individual registers.

After a party voting rod is actuated, any individual voting rod may be actuated. under said party or under any party but the ac tuation of an individual voting rod. under the actuated party voting rod simply causes the register of the individual candidate to be actuated individually, and before the registers of the other candidates in said party are actuated. \Vhen the operating rod is actuated it simultaneously releases the individual voting rod actuated and the remaining vot ing rods under said party. Vhen it is desired to vote for a candidate under another party after having actuated the party voting rod for oneparty, it is simply necessary to actuate the voting rod of said candidate under said other party, whereupon the lock plate 21 corresponding to the otlice for which each individual is running is actuated, said lock plate locking the individual voting rod actuated in depressed position on the inclined extensions 4-8 and said lock plate engaging the cooperating spring arms L6 on the rock shafts 4H; so that upon actuating the rock shaft corresponding to the party voting rod actuated, the spring arm thereon corresponding to the oflice for which a candidate was voted for under another party will move over and be free of the lug 63 on the register plate 34.

hat I claim is In a voting machine, a frame having forwardly extending guide sleeves, spring retracting keys voting'rods having heads with a tapering shouldered end slidable in said guide sleeves and having stems extending into and connected to said springretracted keys, registers for said voting rods, slidable register plates actuated by said rods, apertured guide bars for said heads of the voting rods, apertured locking bars adapted to engage said heads, and means for releasing said heads from said locking bars.

2. In a voting machine, a frame having forwardly extending guide sleeves, voting I shaft normally out of the path of the pins rods having heads with tapering shouldered ends slidable in said guide sleeves, means to keep the voting rods in depressed position after being depressed, registers for said voting rods consisting of numerical wheels having ratchet teeth, slidable register plates actuated by the voting rods and having at their forward ends actuating pawls to actuate said registers, and means for releasing the voting rods from their depressed position.

3. In a voting machine, party voting rods, individual voting rods, a register for each individual voting rod, a slidable register plate for each of the party and the individual voting rods, a rock shaft for each party voting rod having spring arms in contact with the register plates of all individual voting rods under the corresponding party to actuate the same and having also a pivoted arm normally out of contact with the register plate of the corresponding party voting rod, a slide plate normally out of operative relation with said rock shaft, and means to cause the pivoted arm of the rock shaft corresponding to the actuated voting rod to be moved in operative relation to said slide rod, thus causing the corresponding rock shaft to be actuated on movement of said slide bar, and move all the slide plates and operate all the registers of the several candidates of one party.

4. In a voting machine, party voting rods, individual voting rods, a register for each individual voting rod, a slidable register plate for each of the party and the individual voting rods, a rock shaft for each party voting rod having spring arms in contact with the register plates'of all individual voting rods under the corresponding party to actuate the same and having also a loosely hinged arm normally out of contact with the register plate of the corresponding party voting rod, a slide plate normally out of operative relation with said rock shaft, and means to cause the hinged arm of the rock shaft corresponding to the actuated voting rod to be moved in operative relation to said slide plate, thus causing the corresponding rock shaft to be actuated on movement of said slide plate.

5. In a voting machine, party voting rods, individual voting rods, a register for each individual voting rod, a slidable register plate for each individual voting rod having a lug or projection and a pawl adapted to actuate the corresponding recording device, a rock shaft for each party voting rod having spring arms in contact with the register plates of the'individual voting rods of the corresponding party and adapted to engage the lugs or projections thereon to actuate said register bars, a slide bar having depending pins, and a hinged arm on each rock of said slide bar and adapted to be raised by the lateral arms on the slidable register plates of the party voting rods to lie in the path of said pins.

6. In a voting machine, party voting rods, individual voting rods, a register for each individual voting rod, a slidable register plate for each party voting rod having a lateral arm, a slidable register plate for each individual voting rod having a lug or projection and a pawl adapted to actuate the corresponding register, a rock shaft for each party voting rod having spring arms in contact with the register plates of the individual voting rods of the corresponding party and adapted to engage the lugs or projections thereon to actuate said register plates, and means for moving any of said spring arms out of engagement with the cooperating register plate when actuating the corresponding individual voting rod under any other party.

7. In a voting machine, depressible party voting rods, depressible individual voting rods arranged in groups representing candidates for the same office, a lock plate to retain any one of the party voting rods in depressed condition, a lock plate for each group of individual voting rods to retain any one of the individually actuated voting rods in depressed condition and having inclined projections thereon, a register for each individual voting rod, a slidable register plate for each party voting rod having a lateral arm, a slidable register plate for each individual voting rod having a lug or projection and a pawl adapted to actuate the corresponding register, a rock shaft for each party voting rod having spring arms adapted to engage the lugs or projections on the register plates of the corresponding individual voting rod and also adapted to be engaged by the inclined projections on the lock plates of the individual voting rods, and mechanism to cause actuation of the rock shaft corresponding to the party voting rod actuated.

8. In a voting machine, party and individual voting rods, locking means to lock said voting rods when actuated, a register for each individual voting rod, registering mechanism for each individual voting rod, operating mechanism for each party voting rod and connecting it with the registering mechanisms of all individual voting rods under each party and including also a rock shaft having a hinged arm thereon, a slide plate having pins thereon for engagement with the hinged arms on said rock shafts, said arms being adapted for engagement with said pins on actuation of the corre sponding party voting rod, a registering rock shaft having a crank arm and pins adapted to engage the locking means for said voting rods for releasing the latter,

and a rod connecting said crank arm with said slide plate.

9. In a voting machine of the class described, a series of rows of recording mechanisms, spring retracted slidable plates for operating said mechanisms, spring retracted voting rods adapted to operate said plates and each having a shouldered head with a tapering end, roWs of sleeves in which said heads are located, spring retracted slidable guard plates, each located in rear of a row of sleeves, and having apertures out of .alinement with said sleeves, slidable spring retracted locking plates, each located in rear of a guard plate, and having apertures out of alinement with the apertures in the guard plate, said locking plates being adapted to engage and lock the voting rods, and means for releasing said locking plates from the voting rods.

with a retracting coiled spring mounted on said stem, a number of longitudinally movable guard plates each provided with a retracting spring and having a number of apertures corresponding to the number of sleeves, each aperture being out of alinement with the end of the sleeve, a number of longitudinally movable locking plates located adjacent to said guard plates each of said locking plates having a retracting spring and apertures out of alinement with the apertures in the guard plates and adapt-- ed to be engaged with and lock the heads of the voting rods, said locking plates each having longitudinally inclined projections corresponding in number to the openings in said plate, a number of vertical rock shafts each having a number of elastic arms having their ends adapted to ride over said inclined projections on the locking plates, and a mechanism adapted to operate any one of said rock shafts and move the elastic arms on said rock shaft into engagement with the o i) r

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