Page:Patent for Ballot-Box US28339.pdf/2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. GILBERT L. BAILEY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE. BAL LOT - BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2S,389, dated May 22, 1860. To a?7 ??????i, it may conce7°??: ing on said head. This spring also serves to Be it known that I, GILBERT L. BAILEY, of prevent the too free revolution of dial P. Portland, in the county of Cumberland and Dial P carries on its surface near the periph State of Maine, have invented a new and use ery and equidistant from one another num ful Improvement in Ballot-Boxes, by which bers from one to ten, twenty, inclusive, the votes of a deliberative assembly or of an or more, according as the boxthirty, is intended associalion are registered as.fast as they are register 100, 200, 300, or more, and betwuento

given; and I do hereby declare that the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box with the cover standing open. Fig. 2 shows a plan, and Fig. 3 an elevation, n f the operat ing mechanism.

the first and last number is a blank space as large as that occupied by any one number. This blank space, when you commence to ballot, is exactly opposite the cipher om dial O, and both are seen through an aperture in partition X, while all other parts of the dials are covered by said partition, as in Fig. 1. Dial P has gear-teeth projecting The Sanne letters have reference to like from its under side in number corresponding with the numbers and space on the top side. parts. Dial O has a single spur F on its under side, The nature of my in vention consists in pro so as to take into the teeth on dial P viding a box with suitable mechanism, which onceplaced in every revolution, and moves P just being operated by the hand of the voter, or the distance that its numbers are apart. Thus of the person holding the same, causes the starting at blank and cipher, when Ohas made number cf votes “yes” or “no to be plainly one complete revolution, P will exhibit the fig indicated to the person carrying or holding ure 1 through the aperture, which, in connec the box. . with the cipher on O, which will then be To enable others skilled in the art to make tion in sight, read 10, and at the next move and use my invention, I will proceed to de ment of Owill its figure 1 will be brought opposite scribe its construction and operation. that on P and will read 11, while at the next I construct my box of any convenient form complete revolution of O, P will be made to and of a size varying according to the num exhibit the figure 2, and in connection with ber which te mechanism to be contained cipher on O, which will again be in view, therein is calculated to register, which num the will read 20, and so to any number desired, in ber may also vary from ten to one thousand cluding, of course, all intermediate numbers. or more. w By this arrangement the single numbers on The box B is made of wood usually, but each so combined by the uuited ac may be made of other substances, and has a tion ofdialtheare dials as toaremake double numbers cover or lid N opening on the top. Directly when such numbers desired. beneath this lid is a thin partition N of metal is rotated by means of the slide or dropped slightly below the top of the box and pullDialE, Owhich pawl A, which takes on dividing the space inside horizontally. The ratchet-wheel L.carries Pull E projects through the operating mechanism consists of a vertical front part of the box is furnished with spindle S, carrying a dial () and a ratchet a knob F., by which itB,isand out to a stop wheel I, the latter placed under the former, provided on the inside adrawn sufficient distance having its bearing at the top end in partition to bring a number on O in view, and when N and its lower end in the bottom of the box. let go is returned by a spring T, also on the Dial O has ten figures, including a cipher, inside the box. A light spring also keeps placed at eitual distances apart near its pe A in contact with the ratchet-wheel, and riphery. Another dial I, which may be pawl return of pull E carries the hooked end larger, is placed opposite dial Oil juxtapo thethe pawl beyond the teeth in the ratchet sition to it, and is supported on pin I, which of wheel, by means of the nut D' on the has a head on the under side of partition X top endsoofthat spindle S dial O may be turned and is kept in position by a spring II press back to commence a now ballot. Spindic S