Page:Patent for Legislative Voting-Register US27753.pdf/5

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27,753

counting or registering mechanisms, and near through a slot in its side) and forces it the desk of the clerk or secretary, a box or tube out. The other end of this lever carries a table to contain the printing or recording which acts upon a ratchet-Wheel con mechanism; and connect the said mechan detent nected with the clock work of the counting isms with the desk or seat of each member

or voter by a system of wires and bell-crank levers, or other suitable means. The printing or recording mechanism con sists of a series of rocking-levers arranged O parallel to each other and operating very much like the keys of a piano. One end of each of these levers is connected with a wire or cord leading to the desk or seat of a voter; while the other end carries a block 5 or type containing the name of the voter with whose seat it is connected. The whole series of types or blocks should lie in the same horizontal plane. The top or lid of the box acts as the 20 platen of a press (except that in this case the types are movable and the platen fixed the moment of taking an impression) C should be provided with an elastic cushion on the side next the types to prevent injury 25 to them by two violent a concussion against the platen; which latter should be provided with some means for holding the sheet upon which the names of the voters are to be printed. 30 The ballot-balls are contained in a com partment provided for that purpose near the top of the closet or chamber containing the balloting mechanism. This compartment has a horizontal floor with a series of holes 35 in it (there being one hole for each voter) of a size just sufficient to permit a ball to

pass. A plate correspondingly perforated

slides over this floor in such manner that

while in one position its openings correspond with those in the bottom of the compartment, so that a ball might drop through, but while in the other position the openings are cov ered and no balls can pass. This plate is operated by a handle under the control of 45 the speaker or other proper officer. A ballot-box is secured beneath each open ing in the floor, and is made of such capacity as to hold but one ball at a time. Each box is provided with a door, slide or valve, at 50 bottom, which is kept closed by a spring and is operated independently of the others, be ing connected with the desk of some in dividual voter by a cord or wire so that the ballot-ball cannot be released except by some 55 one occupying the seat of the voter. As the balis drop from the boxes they are received upon an apron or floor of leather, or Some other suitable substance to deaden the Sound; which apron is inclined suffi 60 ciently to cause them to run into the mouth of a tube of the same size as the balls, which tube leads into a box provided for the re ception of the balls, which in their descent through the tube strike against the bent end 65 of a rocking-lever (which projects into the 40

or registering mechanism. When the lower 70 end of the rocking-lever is forced out of the tube-as it is by the passage of each ball the detent is released from the ratchet-wheel and the clockwork is put in action and regis ters each ball (as it passes through the tube) 75 upon the index-plate. The accompanying drawings represent a convenient form of apparatus for carrying out my invention; the parts being shown as arranged in a very compact manner. On 80 one side of each desk (A) a sliding-lever or handle (a) is secured. This lever operates the bell-cranklever a to which are connected the wires a' and b, both being operated by the same pull upon the lever a. 85 The name of each voter is set up, cast or engraved on one of a series of blocks or types (b) which types are secured in any suitable manner upon the ends of the rocking-levers b', which turn upon pivots (b). These rocking-levers are arranged horizontally and 90 parallel to each other in the table B, so that the upper faces of the types all lie in the same horizontal plane. The outer ends of the levers b, are connected by means of 95 wires (b,b) and bell-cranks (a b') with the desks (A) of the voters.

The balloting and counting or registering ber C. The ballot-balls are placed in a box (d) the bottom of which is full of openings of just sufficient size to admit the passage of the balls to the ballot-boxes (d). A slide (D), moved back and forth by a handle extending outside of the chamber C, serves to open or close the entrance of the boxes at will. The ballot-boxes (d) are each of a size just sufficient to admit one ball at a time, and are open at top and bottom. Ordinarily the bottom or exit door of the box is closed by a slide valve (d) held in place by a spiral spring (d). These slides are shown in Fig.6, as connected in pairs, but may each be operated independently if preferred. mechanisms are contained within the cham

They slide in grooves in the bottoms of the ballot-boxes. Each slide is connected with the desk (A) of a voter by means of the system of wires and bell-cranks a, a , a, a. a", a', a. E, is a floor, covered with leather, india rubber, or some other material suitable

for deadening the sound of the ballots, and inclined in such manner as to conduct the balls into the tube F (which is of a size just sufficient to admit the balls) down which they pass into the drawer I. The rocking-lever H, is bent at its lower end so as to project into the tube F, a short distance through a slot in its side. This lever is held in place by a spring ยง and its mode of operation will be clearly un

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