Page:Patent for Legislative Voting-Register US27753.pdf/6
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derstood by a reference to the modifications in notion by its spring and moves its index shown in Fig. 7. The upper end of the lever hands a distance sufficient to register one H forms a pawl which acts upon the ratchet vote on the dial plate before it is stopped by wheel (g) of the registering apparatus (G) the detent engaging the next tooth of the 5 and prevents it from moving. ratchet Wheel. This pl’ocess is repeated un The counting or registering apparatus til all the balls have passed through the tube 70 (G) consists of clock-work operated by a F. The dial plate of the register will then spring or weight and put in motion every indicate the number of votes cast, which re time a ball passes through the tube F. In sult may be verified, if required, by count the drawings the movements of an ordinary ing the ballot-balls which have passed 75 clock are shown as adapted to this purpose through the tube F, into the drawer I, and by the removal of the “escape-wheel' and by the reading of the names of the voters the third wheel, and substituting a ratchet by the clerk, from the paper taken from the wheel (g) for the second wheel. When thus platen b”. The paper being reversed (so 5 arranged the movements of the long hand that the yeas and nays may be on different 80 through each space on the index-plate Would sides of the sheet), is replaced on the platen indicate one vote, and that of the short b" and the same process repeated for the hand twelve votes, that is, one revolution of nays as that used for the yeas. if no impression of the names of the vo the long hand would indicate twelve votes 20 on the index-plate while the same movement ters is wanted the lid b may be raised, or of the short hand would indicate one hun the sheet may be omitted, and if an impres dred and forty-four votes. It is evident sion is Wanted but no ballots are required to that this arrangement might be varied so be cast, the speaker may omit to draw the that the movements of one might bear any slide D; which omission will prevent any 25 desired proportion to those of the other; but ballots from entering the boxes d', in which 90 as the details of such arrangement form no event the registering mechanism would not part of my invention I deem any further be operated. description of them here unnecessary, more As the entrance slide D admits the ballots especially as they are well known to persons to all the boxes at once; and the exit slides 30 skilled in such matters. d', act each independently of the other, it 95 The operation of the apparatus is as fol will be seen that all possibility of fraudulent lows: The ballot-balls being placed in their voting is prevented: to say nothing of the box (d) and the hand placed rightly on mutual checks upon each other furnished by the dial-plate of the register (G) the clerk the other parts of the apparatus. 35 places a sheet of paper on the under side of It is evident that my invention might be 00 the lid (b) of the printing-table (B)—where modified in various various ways without de it may be held in place in the manner well parting from the spirit of my invention known to printers, or in any other suitable which modifications would readily suggest Way-and having properly inked the types, themselves to a skillful mechanician after 40 shuts down the lid and fastens it; when Seeing my invention. Some of these modifica L05 everything is ready for action each votel' tions are shown in Fig T, which represents being in his seat, the speaker draws out the an arrangement different from that shown slide (D) which permits a ballot ball to in the other figures. The slide D, is shown drop into each box, and then pushes it back in this figure as arranged to be operated 45 to prevent any more from entering (or it from the front instead of the side of the 10 may be retracted by a spring) and calls for chamber. The slides d', may be made to the yeas. Each person voting in the af operate in various ways, vertically horizon firmative pulls the handle (a) by the side tally or inclined at any desired angle. An of his desk and, by means of the beil-cranks arrangement is also shown in this figure, for 50 a', b, and wires b depresses one end of the preventing a too rapid and simultaneous lever bf which elevates its other end and rush of the balls through the tube F. This causes the types b to strike the paper on the device consists of the wheel J, having blades lid or platen b", and imprint the name of somewhat like those of a propeller-wheel, the each voter thereon. Simultaneously and by shaft of which wheel might be geared to, 55 the same movement (through the medium of and operated by the clock work in such man 120 the wires a &c.) the slides d are withdrawn ner that its rotation would permit one ball from each box (d) and the ballot-balls al Only to pass between each blade-or in the lowed to fall upon the inclined floor E, and present instance-four for each revolution drop through the tube F, each ball, in its of the wheel. When this device is employed 60 turn, forcing out the lever H. (which is in it will be necessary to provide some means stantly thrown back, after the ball has by which to turn the wheel J, enough to per passed, by the spring h) which releases the mit the first ball of the series to pass to the detent on the upper end of the lever from tube F, and put the clock Work in motion; the tooth of the ratchet-wheel 9, with which as, otherwise the balls would be stopped by it was engaged. The clock-Work is then put the wheel. 30