US963105A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 5, 1910.

12 SHBBTSSHEET l.

L. R. WINSLOW.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22, 189B.

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L. R. WINSLOW. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1898. Patented 5 0' 12 SHEETS-SHEEIZ.

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Patented July 5, 1910.

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L. R. WINSLOW. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1898.

Patented July 5,1910.

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L. R. WINSLOW. VOTING MACHINE. APPLIOATION mum SEPT. 22, 1898.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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Patented July 5, 1910.

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L. R. WINSLOW.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILED $2213.22, 1898.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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L. R. WINSLOW. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1898. 963, 105.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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L. R. WINSLOW.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1898.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT.22, 1898. 963,105.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED EEPT. 22, 1898. 963,105. Patented July 5,1910.

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VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED $31 122, 1898.

Patented July 5, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LENNA RYLAND WINSLOW, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Application filed September 22, 1898.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LENNA R. 'WINsLow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Voting-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to voting machines of that class wherein the votes for different candidates are cast by the operation of keys, buttons, or equivalent devices, adapted to be operated either independently or in series, and as the voter may elect, to facilitate discrimination as to candidates without regard to party, or to enable the voter, by a single operation to vote a straight ticket.

My invention relates particularly to an improvement upon the construction and arrangement of parts shown and described in my former Patents 611,403, dated September 27, 1898 and 621,511, dated March 21, 1899.

A. primary object of the present invention is to provide such a construction and arrangement of parts as to adapt the machine to be adjusted to form various combinations of voting keys or elements to suit general ticket voting, class voting, minority representation voting and cumulative voting; and in this connection to provide means for preventing the simultaneous operation of two or more counters except by means of the straight ticket voting device; and also to provide means whereby any desired series of voting keys may be locked or cut out when not required, or temporarily, when a voter who is entitled to vote for certain candidates, amendments or propositions, is not entitled, through some legal restriction, to vote upon certain other questions.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a voting machine and booth constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the voting mechanism showing the casing sectioned 011 the line 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Serial No. 691,621.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section on the line k4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. (3 is a partial vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a top edge view of the booth, folded. Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective, viewed from the rear, of the limiting device. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the connections between the straight ticket voting devices and the rocking shaft of the re setting mechanism, the casing being sectioned on the line 99 of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a detail side view of a portion of the limiting devices. Fig. 11 is a detail view in perspective of the booth door or turn-stile. Fig. 12 is a detail View in perspective of a portion of the straight ticket interlocking rack. Fig. 13 is a similar view of a portion of the secondary interlocking mechanism and cut-out devices. Fig. 14L is a similar view of the means for securing the straight ticket interlocking rack in its adjusted position. Fig. 15 is a similar view of the means whereby the casing supporting table is adjustably connected to the booth-frame. Fig. 16 is a partial face view of the casing. Fig. 17 is a detail vertical section of one of the counting or tally mechanisms, and the connections between the same and a votingkey. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the unit-disk operating pawl applied in the operative position to the counter or tally mechanism. Fig. 19 is a detail view of the amendment or proposition voting-key locking devices. Fig. 20 is a detail view in perspective of the same. Fig. 21 is a detail view in perspective of one of the voting-keys. Fig. 22 is a similar view of one of the spacers. Fig. 23 is a side view of one of the straight ticket slides. Fig. is a detail view of a doorlocking device and counter or tally mechanism. Fig. 25 is a plan view of a portion of the guide for the main interlocking blocks, and one of the guide supporting devices, showing the guide in its forward position. Fig. 26 is a detail perspective view of the same, showing the guide in its rear position. Fig. 27 is a detail view of a portion of the counter-actuating pawl. Fig. 28 is an inverted plan view of one of the voting-keys, showing the returning or replacing rod and the contiguous portion of the counter-actuating pawl in their proper positions with relation to the voting keys. Fig. 29 is a detail view detached, of a portion of the replacing rod.

Fig. 30 is a detail View of a portion of a counter-box, showing an independent slide or key locking latch or button. Fig. 30 is a detail view in perspective of the slidelocking latch or button detached. Fig. 31 is a front view, partly broken away, of a portion of the voting machine to show the independent voting devices, the door of one of said independent voting devices being shown open. Fig. 32 is a partial plan view of the independent voting apparatus showing the casing in section. Fig. 33 is a detail view in perspective of the carriage in which the upper end of the receiving roll is mounted. Fig. 34 is a transverse vertical section of the carriage and the feeding devices for the receiving roll. Fig. 35 is a detail View in perspective of the detachable frame in which the essential features of the independent voting apparatus are mounted, showing a few of the independent voting keys and connections in operative positions. Fig. 36 is a detail view in perspective of the feed-slide, through which motion is communicated from the replacing rock-shaft to the feeding devices of the receiving roll; together with the supporting devices for said slide, and the means whereby the same may be adjusted to throw the slide into and out of operative relation with the feed-lever. Fig. 37 is a detail view of one of the dooroperating arms of the independent voting apparatus. Fig. 38 is a detail plan view of the yieldingly actuated bearing-block for the lower end of the receiving roll. Fig. 39 is an inverted plan view of one of the voting-keys of the independent voting apparatus. Fig. 40 is a perspective view of a portion of the machine looking toward the rear and showing parts broken away. Fig. 41 is a top plan view of the preferred form of tally or counter mechanism showing parts in dotted lines, a slide, main inter-locking blocks and related parts. Figs. 42 and 43 are transverse sections through the tally or counter mechanism showing the parts ar ranged for fractional voting, Fig. 43 illustrating in dotted lines the depression of the interlocking blocks and guide therefor by the replacing frame. Figs. 44 and A5 are figures similar to views 42 and 43, showing the keys arranged for voting full votes, and showing the inter-locking blocks and guides therefor adjusted to the rear so that repeated operation of the same key may be carried on. Fig. 46 is a face view of the ballot.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The casing 1 of the voting mechanism is provided in its front wall with a plurality of transparent panels 2, one for each party I for which votes are to be cast, and in rear of this front wall is arranged a plurality of vertical partitions 3 connected by horizontal supporting rods 4:. These rods support tallymechanisms or counters for registering the number of votes cast respectively for the several candidates for oflice, the tally-mechanism which I preferably employ in connection with the machine being in principle identical with that described and shown in my former patents above mentioned. Therefore, it will be sufiicient to explain that the box or shell 5 thereof is provided with perforated ears 6 to fit upon the horizontal supporting-rods at between the contiguous partitions 3, and that this box or shell is provided in its front wall 7, for exposure through the transparent panels 2, with inspection openings 8, through each of which may be seen a numeral or character of an index or dial '9. Any desired number of these dials may be employed to register a number of units, tens, hundreds, etc., the units-dial being operatively connected with an operating or units ratchet lat, which, however, is provided with half-step teeth or twenty teeth, to the circumference, for a purpose explained hereinafter, and the dials of higher denomination being operatively connected successively with the units dial to provide for the proper communication of motion thereto.

The spindle of each of the dials 9 carries a mutilated or resetting ratchet 9 having a toothless or plain portion 9 and in connection with said resetting ratchets is arranged a reciprocatory resetting frame 9 carrying a plurality of toothed arms 9 arranged re spectively in operative relation with the ratchets 9 and of sufliciently yielding quality to adapt their toothed front ends to slip idly over the teeth of the ratchets 9 when the frame 9 is moved toward the front of the machine. This resetting frame is mounted upon parallel guide-rods 9 extending forwardly from the rear wall of the frame or casing of the tally-mechanism, and is further provided with an operating-stem 9 terminating at its rear end in a head or button 9 Also, coiled upon the stem 9 within the casing of the tally-mechanism and adapted to normally and yieldingly hold the frame 9 in its advanced or forward position, is a spring 9 This combination of devices constitutes a resetting mechanism, whereby, previous to an election the several indicating dials 9 may be disposed with their zero characters opposite the inspectionslots or openings of the front wall of the casing. To accomplish this adjustment of the dials the operating stem 9 of the resetting devices is drawn successively to the rear. At each rearward movement of the resetting frame, the pawls 9 engage teeth, respectively, of the ratchets 9 and turn them through one step, or an interval equal to the distance between two contiguous teeth of said ratchet. When each resetting ratchet has reached a position with the toothless or plain portion thereof contiguous to the resetting arm or pawl 9, further operation of the resetting frame will not affect it, and when the ratchets are thus disposed, the dials 9 will expose the numerals 9 through the inspection openings. Therefore, after all of the tally-mechanisms of the machine have been adjusted to expose the character 9 of each disk, a movement of the voting-key will turn the units-ratchet of each tallymechanism through one step, and will set all of the dials of that tally mechanism at zero. In practice this final movement of the members of the tally-mechanisms to set the dials at Zero is accomplished by means of a straight ticket voting device hereinafter fully described.

The units ratchet is adapted to receive a step-by-step rotary movement from a slide 15, mounted for forward and rearward movement in the box or shell of the tallymechanism, and extending through a suitable opening in the front wall of the casing to form a projection or button 16 having a reduced neck 16, said button and slide combining to form a voting-key.

The means whereby motion is communi cated from the slides of the voting-keys to the units-ratchet 14 consist, in the construction illustrated, of a pivotal pawl 17, fulcrumed upon the arbor 18 of the unitsratchet and carrying a spring-pressed tooth 19 for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet. This pawl is arranged in the path of a pin 20 on the slide 15, whereby at the repression of each key the pawl is swung in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 18 to turn the units-ratchet through a dis tance equal to one full step, or the interval between alternate teeth thereof. The return of the pawl to its normal position, and hence engagement of the tooth 19 with a succeeding tooth of the ratchet, may be accomplished by means of a spring 21, (see Figs. 4, 17, 18, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45) which is detachably secured, as by fastening screws 22, to the wall or shell of the tally-mechanism, and bears terminally against a tail or extension 21 of the pawl 17. As above indicated, this return spring 21 may be used to yieldingly hold the pawl 17 in its normal position, and return it to such position after displacement by means of the voting slide, but, preferably, said spring is used only in connection with cumulative voting, as hereinafter more fully explained. I prefer for general voting, and other class voting wherein the votes for each candidate need not be split, or where the operating ratchet of the units-dial should be moved at each operation through a full step, to employ positive means for returning the pawl 17 to its normal position. Therefore, in the con struction illustrated, I provide said pawl with a depending pin 17 which is engaged with a slot 17 of a replacing rod 17 (see Figs. 27, 40, 42 and 43) the latter being disposed parallel with and below the plane of the voting-slide, and being arranged at its rear end approximately in the vertical plane of the rear end of said voting slide, for engagement by a replacing frame hereinafter described. In operation this replacing rod is repressed rearwardly simultaneously with the voting slide, whereby the operating pawl 17 is returned to its normal position simultaneously with the slide, but, after the operation of the slide, remains in the advanced position, until the slide is returned.

As above described, the voting slide is provided with a pin or projection 20 for engagement with the pawl 17 to communicate motion to the ratchet which is in connection with the units-dial, and which, for convenience in description, I will term the units-ratchet. This pin 20 is so disposed with relation to the length of the slide, and its path of movement, and also with relation to the position of the pawl 17, that the movement of the slide from its advanced or normal position to the limit of its rearward movement will advance the units-ratchet through a full step, equal to the interval between alternate teeth of said ratchet. This movement may be limited by any suitable means such as the contact of the button 16 with the front of the casing. It is desirable, however, in certain classes of voting, particularly cumulative voting, to limit the movement which is imparted to the unitsratchet to a half-step, or the interval between two contiguous teeth of the ratchet. Therefore, I construct the pin 20 to fold into a recess or cavity 20 formed in the underside of the slide, said pin being pivoted, as at 20 and also to provide an auxiliary pawl operating pin 20, arranged upon the slide 15 in front of the pin 20. This auxiliary pin 20 is so disposed with relation to the path of movement of the slide and the position of the pawl 17, that when the slide is moved rearwardly to the limit of its throw, the auxiliary pin will strike the pawl 17 and advance it through the distance only of a half-step. The advantages of this construction and relative arrangement of parts will become apparent as my invention is further disclosed.

Each vertical series of tally-mechanisms is designed for use in casting votes for the candidates of a particular party, or for a series of amendments or propositions (as shown at the left, Figs. 2 and 4, of the machine illustrated in the drawings, this, however, being to the right of a voter facing the machine), all of the tally-mechanisms for the candidates for the same oflice in the several parties being arranged in a common horizontal series, or all of the tally mechanisms for the candidates, in the several parties, for the same office being arranged in common horizontal or single candidate series; and in order to prevent the slides be longing to the tally-mechanisms in either of these single candidate series from being operated in plural, or to prevent more than one vote being cast for any particular oflice, I employ inter-locking mechanisms, whereby when one slide in a single candidate series is repressed to operate its respective tally-mechanism, the remaining slides belonging to the tally-mechanisms in the same series are locked against repression. This locking mechanism, which may be termed the main interlocking mechanism, includes locking members or blocks 26 mounted in a guide 27 provided in its front and rear sides with openings 28 which register with the slides. Each slide is provided with a camblock 29 having a front wedge-shaped camface adapted to cooperate with corresponding cam-surfaces 30 on the contiguous ends of the blocks 26, and the lengths of the blocks are so regulated that when a slide is repressed thereby separating the contiguous extremities of the adjacent blocks sufficiently to allow the cam 29 to pass therebetween, the remote ends of said adjacent blocks are dis posed in the paths of the cams on the remaining slides of the same single candidate series. This relative arrangement of parts continues as long as the cam of the repressed slide remains between the contiguous ends of the separated blocks, and in order to prevent the withdrawal of an operated slide, and the subsequent operation of other slides, or a subsequent operation of the same slide, 1 have devised locking mechanism consisting of retaining pawls 31, one of which is arranged in operative relation with each slide, and ratchet-teeth or shoulders 32, 32 and 33 on the slide. The pawl is normally in rear of the rearmost tooth 32 of each slide, and as said teeth are beveled, the slide may be pushed rearwardly, by pressure applied to its front end, to cause said pawl to engage with the teeth successively, but subsequent withdrawal of the slide is prevented by this engagement until the pawl shall have been disengaged. This pawl is pivoted at an intermediate point, as shown at 34,-, thus providing an extension or tail 31 and the pawl is normally and yieldingly held in operative position with relation to the teeth of the slide by means of an actuating spring 35. As a voting slide is pushed rearwardly, the first operation thereof is to separate the contiguous ends of the adjacent interlocking blocks whereupon the rearmost notch 32 is engaged by the locking pawl 31, thus cutting out all of the remain ing slides in the same single candidate series, and at the same time preventing the withdrawal of the operated slide and the subsequent operation of another. A further repression of the said slide causes the advance of the unitsratchet through one-half step, or the interval between contiguous teeth, to indicate a one-half vote, whereupon the second or intermediate notch 32 of the slide is engaged by the locking pawl 31. A further repression of the slide, necessary to register a full vote, by moving the unitsratchet through a full step, or the interval between alternate teeth of the ratchet wheel, will be followed by the engagement of the pawl 31 with the foremost toot-h 33 of the slide.

lVhen it is desired to lockout the slide for any reason, as when. a candidate has not been nominated for a given office by a certain party, I employ an independent locking device consisting, in the construction illus trated, of a pivotal latch 31 (see Figs. 30 and 30) pivoted to the rear wall of the tallymechanisin box or shell by means of spindle 31 and adapted to terminally engage a seat 31 in the underside of the cam 29 of the slide. Said latch is preferably pivoted in contact with the front or inner surface of the rear w ll of the box or shell, and the spindle thereof projects through the wall to the rear side where it is fitted with a head having a transverse lrerf or key-seat 31, with which a key may be engaged to turn the latch into or out of operation with the slide, as may be required by the conditions of the election.

After a voter has cast his votes for the several candidates, and before the following voter is allowed access to the machine, it is necessary to return the slides to their normal or extended positions, and in order to accomplish this I employ a replacer, consist ing of a frame 36 having vertical bars which are adapted to bear against the projecting rear ends of the slides, and by movement toward the front of the machine, advance all of the slides simultaneously, this frame being supported by upper and lower swinging arms 37 and 38, of which the former are carried by a rock-shaft 39 with which is connected operating means, hereinafter explained, for throwing the replacing frame. in order, however, to prepare the slides for this shifting or replacing movement, it is necessary to release them from the pawls 31, to attain which I provide a trip or releasing frame, comprising upper and lower norizontal bars 41 connecting a plurality of vertical 3 or upright bars i2, which carry pairs of spaced lugs 43 and L3 between which the tails 31" of the pawls 31 are adapted to be arranged. This trip-frame is supported at upper and lower arms lt and l-l between which are arranged cams 46 on the rockshaft 39, whereby, as the rock-shaft is turned to actuate the replacing frame, the releasing frame is either elevated or depressed. Said cams are provided with upper cam-faces 46 and lower cam faces 46*, and when the rock shaft is turned to depress the replacing frame, or swing it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the upper cam surfaces 46 engage the upper arm er of the bifurcation, and, by elevating the rear ends of the rocking levers a l, depress the releasing frame to correspondingly depress the tails of the locking pawls 31 and remove their engaging extremities from con tact with the ratchet teeth or shoulders of the slides; whereas when the rock shaft is turned in the opposite direction, to return the replacing frame to its normal position, the lower cam face 46 comes in contact with the lower arm 44" of the bifurcation, and depresses the rear end of the rocking lever to elevate the releasing frame, and thereby return it to its normal position. The continued movement of the replacing frame, after the slides have been returned to their normal positions, brings the same into contact with an arm 47 on the knocker $8 of an alarm mechanism, which includes a gong 49, see Fig. 3.

The column of tally mechanisms at the right of the machine to the voter (or at the left, as shown in Fig. 2) is designed for voting upon constitutional and other amendment-s, and upon propositions, etc., as indi cated above, said mechanisms being arranged preferably in pairs, to provide for voting for and against an amendment, or for voting for contradictory or opposing amendments. Hence, it is necessary to provide locking devices for preventing the operation of more than one of a pair of tally-mechanisms which relate to the same or opposing amendments, and as the tally-mechanisms relating to the same proposition are ar ranged in a vertical plane, the slides 15 thereof are preferably arranged in operative relation with a locking bolt 26 and have upper and lower cam-faces 29 adapted to co-act with shoulders 3O on the bolt, to provide for locking one slide against repression when the companion slide has been operated.

In connection with the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, I have also shown straight ticket voting devices, consisting of an actuating rod 50, arranged contiguous to each vertical series of voting keys, and attached at its upper end to an operating lever 51 terminally provided with a loosely attached handle 52, and attached at its lower end to a link 53. Each operating pawl is provided with an extension 17 Fig. 27, projecting beyond the contiguous slide 15 in the path of the actuating rod 50, whereby, when said rod is actuated by the operation of the voting lever 51, all of the pawls 17, in the vertical series contiguous to said rod, are swung upon their fulcruins to advance the units-ratchet one full step, but in order that one or more tally-mechanisms of a vertical series may be disconnected from the straight ticket voting devices, for a purpose which will be understood as the invention is morefully disclosed, said extension is preferably of foldable or displaceable construction, or is foldably mounted upon the body-portion of the pawl, as by a hinge 17 to adapt it to be dropped out of, or removed from the path of, the actuating rod 50. The inner end of the foldable section or extension 17 if flat-faced, with its sides arranged in perpendicular planes, and in operative relation with these faces is a holding spring 17 whereby the extension is held either in the normal extended position indicated in full lines in Fig. 27, or in the folded position, indicated in dotted lines in the same figure, said dotted line position indicating that in which the extension is arranged when out of the path of the operating rod of the straight ticket voting device. The means for registering the number of straight tickets voted, consist of a slide 15 similar in construction to the slides 15 and 15, with the exception that it does not project beyond the face of the casing to form a key; and a tally mechanism or counter actuated by said slide and constructed as those which are used in connection with the slides hereinbefore described. This straight ticket slide is provided with a plurality of lateral pins 54;, 5st (Fig. 23) between which the actuating rod is arranged, to provide for communicating rearward motion from the actuating rod to the slide 15 An opaque shield 55 is preferably arranged between the front faces of the tally boxes and the contiguous front wall or transparent panels of the casing, said shield being provided at intervals with openings spaced apart to suit the intervals between the tally-boxes, and having their body portions normally arranged out of registration with the inspection openings thereof. These openings 55f are of L-shape, with their long arms or body-portions arranged horizontally, and of a length sufficient to expose all of the inspection openings in the front wall of a tally box, while the short upwardly extending arms of said openings in the shield extend a sufiicient distance above the body portions or long arms thereof to permanently expose the inspection openings of the units-dials of the several tally mechanisms. Thus, when the shield is in its depressed or normal position, all of the inspection openings, with the exception of those through which the units dials of the tally mechanisms are exposed, are concealed, while the unit-s dials of the tally mechanisms are permanently visible to indicate to a voter, who has operated a key, that his vote has been tallied. When it is desired to expose all of the dials of the tally mechanisms, to show the whole number of votes cast for the different candidates, and thereby disclose the result of the election,

this shield is shifted, to cause registration of the transverse or long arms of its openings with the openings in the tally-boxes, by means of a shifting lever 56, exposed outside of the casing, and having its spindle 56 provided with an arm 57 which is terminally attached to the shield (see Fig.

In order to count the number of voters who have access to the voting machine, and who are supposed to have cast votes for candidates for the several offices, I employ a voter counting device, similar in construction and operation to that shown and clescribed in my said former patents, and including a suitable tally mechanism 59 (not shown in detail in the drawings), which is placed in an exposed position at the top of the casing, where the number is permanently exposed, and actuated by the replacing devices, or those means which are employed for returning the voting keys to their normal positions after each voter has left the booth. In the construction illustrated, connection is established between the tally mechanism 59 and the rock shaft 39 by means of a slide 64, which is connected by means of a link 65 with an arm 66 carried by the rock shaft. It will be seen that each operation of the replacing frame, necessary to rearrange the slides after each voter has left the machine, will be accompanied by the operation of the slide 64:, and hence by corresponding adjustment of the tally mechanism 59, whether a voter, after gaining access to the machine, has cast a vote, or not. Furthermore, I have found in practice that it is necessary to employ means, which are independent of the replacing mechanism, for registering the number of actual voters, or, in other words, to provide means for registering the total number of first votes cast by parties having access to the machine, so that the officers of the election can tell from the outside whether a vote has been cast, or not. To accomplish this, I employ the voter counting and indicating devices described and shown in my former patents, the latter remaining exposed throughout the time that the occupant of the booth is casting votes subsequent to the first one cast by him. It is unnecessary to describe and show in detail these devices, but in order that the operation of these parts in connection with the others forming the subject matter of the present invent-ion may be understood, it will be sufficient to explain that, contiguous to each horizontal series of movable parts or slides 15, is arranged a rock shaft 70 mounted in suitable bearings depending from the undersides of the guides 27, and each provided with a plurahty of ears 7 2 which are arranged respectively in the paths of the slides 15, or the camblocks 29 thereof, whereby the repression of a slide in either horizontal series, including that in which the straight ticket voting slides are arranged, will operate one of the rock shafts. Vertically disposed, contiguous to the vertical plane of the rock shafts, is a plunger 73 having projections 7% arranged in the paths of crank-arms 75 on the several rock shafts, whereby the movement of either rock shaft will cause its crank arm to apply upward pressure to the corresponding projection 74, and thus raise the plunger. Operatively connected with this plunger is a display plate 76 adapted to normally occupy a position within the casing, and adapted to be extended through a slot 77 in the top thereof. This display plate is carried by a lever 78 fulcrumed upon a stationary bracket 7 9 projecting from a fixed bar 80, and having a sliding connection at an intermediate point with the plunger. Each elevation of the plunger causes the extension of the display plate, which, constituting a vote-indicator, is displayed exteriorly of the casing, to the public, said indicator, however, being non-distinctive, in that it does not disclose for whom or for what oflice a vote has been cast. Connection is established between the amendment voting devices, and said display plate by means of swinging arms 83 pivoted to said fixed bar 80 and resting upon the upper sides of the slides 15 said arms 83 being also connected with the plunger 73. The cam faces at the upper sides of the amendment voting slides come in contact with and raise the swinging arms when the slides are repressed.

In certain classes of voting hereinafter described, wherein the voting slide is with drawn after casting a vote, and hence cannot be relied on to hold the rock shaft 70 in that position necessary to maintain the plunger 73 in its elevated position, it is necessary to provide auxiliary means for holding said plunger, and in the construction illustrated, said means consist of a spring holding tongue '73 arranged in operative engagement with a series of notches or seats 7 3 formed in the plunger, preferably near its lower end. As the plunger is elevated, the tongue 73 slips from one notch or seat to the other, and as the plunger and attachments are light, I have found that a device constructed as described will efliciently hold them in their adjusted positions.

The vote counting devices above referred to, include a counter or tally mechanism 84:, which may be of any suitable construction (not illustrated in detail), and which is connected with the plunger 73 by means of an arm 87, whereby said tally mechanism is actuated to cause an advance step of its ratchet for each elevation of the plunger, but re ceives no motion from the succeeding operations of voting keys repressed by a voter after the depression of the first key. The plunger is returned to its normal position, in preparation for a second operation under the conditions above mentioned, by the ac tuation of the replacing devices. The means whereby the return of the plunger is positively accomplished include a foot 93 on the lower end of the plunger, arranged in the path of the replacing frame, said foot being hinged, and being adapted to be withdrawn from the path of the replacing frame, when the mechanism connected with the plunger is not required, by means of a hand-wheel 97 connected with the foot by a wire or rod 94.

In general ticket voting where each political party has a single candidate for a given office, the mechanism thus far described is adequate for ordinary purposes, but it is well known that in closs voting, or in voting for a number of candidates for a similar office, as for presidential electors, constables, and the like, each voter has the privilege of selecting from all of the parties, that is, of casting a specified number of votes, corresponding with the number of representatives, such as electors, or constables, and choosing one or more candidates from each of two or more part-y tickets. It is therefore necessary to provide means for varying the adjustment of the parts of the mechanism and limiting the number of votes which may be cast between two successive operations of the replacing mechanism. In the same way, it is desirable to provide means for controlling the number of votes cast in minority representation voting, where the number of candidates put in the field by each political party is in excess of the number of candidates to be elected, as when three candidates have been nominated, and but two are to receive oflice; and in addition to this it is desirable, and necessary in some States, to provide for casting a cumulative vote, wherein the voter is entitled to cast a certain number of votes, corresponding with the number of candidates in a given group, but is also entitled to cast the whole number of votes for a single candidate, or to split his vote, as he may elect, as, for instance, where three candidates have been nominated by each political party, and three are to be elected, thus allowing the voter to cast three votes, each voter is entitled to cast one vote for each of three candidates, or three votes for a single candidate, or one and a half votes for each of two candidates, or two votes for one candidate and one for another.

The means whereby votes may be cast and controlled under these several conditions form essential features of my present invention, and the construction, whereby the machine is adapted for adjustment to suit these conditions, is as follows: The main interlocking block guides 27 are carried by the releasing frame, comprising the uprights 12 and connecting bars 11, said guides being fitted to slide forwardly and rearwardly in ways 101 projecting rearwardly from the uprights 12, and, therefore, being capable of two positions, which will be referred to hereinafter as front and rear. In order that the guides may be fixed in either of their adjusted positions I provide them with rearwardly extending tongues 102, each provided with front and rear perforations 103, for engagement by a spring actuated pin 10% of which the spring arm 10% is attached to the releasing frame above the guide. Obviously, the engagement of said locking pin with the rear perforation of one of the tongues 102 will secure the guide in its front or forward position, while the engagement of said pin with the front perforation will secure the guide in its rear position. For general ticket voting, the guides are arranged in their rear positions, and under these circun'istances, the repression of a voting key will cause the cam 29 to pass between the contiguous ends of the blocks 20 and separate them, said cam however, remaining between the separated extremities of the blocks and thus locking all of the remaining slides in the same horizontal or single candidate series. Between each cam 20 and the contiguous body portion of the slide, however, is formed a space or recess 105, of a width approximately equal to the guide, and adapted to receive the contiguous ends of the locking blocks, and when the guides 27 are in their front positions, the repression of a voting key to the limit of its rearward movement, which is indicated by the engagement of the locking pawl 31 with the front notch 33, causes the alinement of the recess 105 with the locking blocks, and hence allows the endwise movement of the latter, and, therefore, the subsequent operation of another voting key in the same horizontal series. Obviously, however, the separation or spreading of the above-described locking blocks of the main interlocking mechanism by the cam of a repressed voting key will prevent the simultaneous operation of two keys in the same horizontal series, but it is also desirable to prevent the simultaneous operation of two voting keys in different horizontal series and in the same or different vertical series of a group and the means which I have devised for accomplishing this object consists of a secondary interlocking mechanism and includes a vertical guide 106 in which is arranged a series of secondary locking members, or blocks 107 for vertical sliding movement, said guide being provided at its opposite sides with alined vertical slots 108 connected in series by reduced throats 109, at opposite sides of which are disposed stops or ears 109 (see Fig. 13). Connected to the terminal main interlocking block 26, by means of a stem 110, is a spacer 111, which is pivoted to said stem for vertical swinging movement, and projects through one of the openings or slots 108 of the vertical guide 106 to normally rest upon the upper edges of the ears 109 at the lower end of said slot. The spacer which rests for sliding movement upon the ears is thereby limited in downward swinging movement, and the superjacent locking block 107 rests upon and is supported by the spacer. Each spacer is provided with a cam-faced enlargement 113, normally arranged outside of the guide 106, but adapted, when the locking bolts are moved by the repression of a voting key, to pass into said guide and thereby elevate the superjacent block 107.

In connection with the locking block I arrange fastening devices for securing it in either a depressed or an elevated position, and, in the construct-ion illustrated, said means include locking pins 11% carried by spring shanks 115 and adapted to engage either of a pair of upper and lower sockets 116 in the contiguous block. When the locking pin is engaged with the upper socket of a secondary interlocking block, thus preventing the upward movement of the latter, the series of main interlocking blocks in the corresponding single candidate series are locked against endwise movement, and hence the counters, which are arranged in operative relation with said single candidate series of main blocks, are cut out, or locked against operation. When it is undesirable to secure a secondary block in either its elevated or depressed position, the locking pin 11 1 may be sprung over to one side (as shown in Fig. 13), to occupy a position at the edge or the guide, and hence out of the path of the block.

Mounted for sliding adjustment upon each spacer is a filling block 117, actuated by a feed screw 118, of which the terminal head 119 projects into an end compartment of the casing, where it is accessible by opening a door 120 formed in the end wall of the easing. This filling block may be guided in any suitable manner upon the spacer, as by means of a pin 121, operating in a longitudinal slot 122, and by the operation of the feed-screw, which is terminally swiveled in the filling block, the latter may be adjusted to occupy a position above the upper end of the next lower secondary block of the series. Hence, in order to prevent the operation of two or more voting keys in the same or different vertical series, the uppermost secondary locking block is elevated and secured in that position by the engagement of the pin 114 with the lower socket 116, and the filling blocks, each of which is equal in thickness to the interval between the upper end of a locking block and the under surface of the superjacent spacer, are adjusted to arrange them within the guide. Each locking block when the fillers are displaced, or outside of the guide, is capable of movement, independently of the superjacent spacer, a distance equal to the thickness of a cam 113, but when the filling blocks are adjusted in the paths of the locking blocks, as above indicated, the only unfilled interval within the guide is that between the uppermost spacer and the lower end of the uppermost locking block. Hence, it endwise movement is imparted to the main interlocking blocks of the uppermost series, the cam 113 of that series will pass under the lower end of the uppermost secondary interlocking block, thus entirely filling the guide and locking out the cams of all the other single candidate series in that group. In the same way, if the main locking blocks of a lower series receive endwise movement by the actuation of a voting key, the cam on the spacer of that series will pass into the vertical guide 106, and will elevate all of the secondary locking blocks above the plane of said operated spacer, with the exception of the uppermost locking block, which, as above described, is secured in position to limit the throw of the lower locking blocks. Obviously, this movement of the secondary locking blocks will cause an upward swinging movement of all the spacers above that which receives the endwise movement.

In connection with class voting, which will be explained more in detail hereinafter, it is necessary not only that voting keys be the same, but also in different single candidate series, shall be capable of successive operation, and in order that after the movement of a voting key, the spacer should receive a reverse endwise movement to withdraw the cam 113 thereof from the-block guide 100, T employ yielding means, such as springs 123, for maintaining the terminal main locking block 26*, and the spacer in their normal positions with the enlargements 113 outside of the guide. This spring is introduced between one end of the terminal locking block and the contiguous end wall of the guide 27. Assuming, for example, that it is desired to arrange the machine to vote for presidential electors, of which there are three to be designated, the locking block guides 27 in three horizontal series are adjusted to their front positions, whereby when a voting key is repressed its cam 29 will pass between and beyond the main locking blocks to release the latter for subsequent endwise movement by another

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