Page:Patent for a Voting apparatus US1219053.pdf/3

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. MARSHALL F. THOMPSON AND ARTHUR L. TownsenD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SAID TOWNSEND ASSIGNOR TO SAID THOMPSON.

1,219,053.

voTING APPARATUs. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed March 15, 1915. Serial No. 14,426.

in any desired place, either in the chamber To all whom it may concern. IBe it known that we, MARSHALL F. or at a point distant therefrom, which will indicate how the individual members are THOMPsON and ARTHUR L. TowNSEND, citi voting. zens of the United States, residing at Wash Still another object of our invention is to 60 S ington, in the District of Columbia, have SO invented certain new and useful Improve construct the apparatus that the act of a ments in Voting Apparatus; and we do member in closing a switch at his designated hereby declare the following to be a full, voting station will not result in immedi clear, and exact description of the invention, ately recording or counting his vote, but 65 O such as will enable others skilled in the art will cause certain mechanism in a central cabinet to be placed in such condition that to which it appertains to make and use the the subsequent action of the clerk, or person Sae. charge of the cabinet, and designated to The present invention relates to certain in novel and useful improvements in voting operate the apparatus, will then result in 5 apparatus and is adapted especially for in the recording and totaling of such vote. 70 dicating, recording and counting the votes Furthermore, in the preferred form of our a member may, if he so desires, of members of legislative bodies, although apparatus we wish it to be understood that it is not change the condition of the mechanism at limited in its useful application to this par the central cabinet during the designated 75 20 ticular purpose, as it may be employed in voting period of time, so that the subse any connection where its use will be found quent action of the clerk will cause his vote to be recorded and counted according to the advantageous or desirable. It is our object to provide an apparatus Way he last caused the mechanism at the to be placed. In other of this class through the agency of which central acabinet member may change his vote at 80 the members of a voting body may vote Words, will during the voting period of time, and simultaneously and their votes visually in when the recording and totaling mechanism dicated, and at the end of the period of to operate his vote will be recorded time, which will hereinafter be termed the isandcaused voting period, a permanent record will be voted.counted according to the way he last 85 Furthermore, when a member 30 made of the vote of each member accord his vote during the voting period ing to its character, and it will be counted changes time, he not only changes the mechanism according to its character, that is to say of at the central cabinet, but also changes the whether such member voted “Aye,” “Nay’ visual indicators opposite his name at his 90 or “Present,” or otherwise; and further 35 more, such recording, counting and indicat voting station and on all visual indicators. It is also our purpose to employ in con ing of all the votes is accomplished with nection with our apparatus counting mecha extreme rapidity and absolute accuracy. nism of any improved type which is de A further object of our invention is the signed to be actuated to count the number 95 provision of an apparatus wherein a per 40 manent record of a vote may be made, and of votes cast and according to the nature of during the time such record is being made such votes, for instance the total number of the individual voting units of the appa “aye' votes and the total number of “nay' ratus, or the parts thereof controlled by the votes, and the total number of those voting individual members, are rendered inopera “Present.’ It is also our purpose to provide a 100 45 tive so that interference with the recording simple, efficient, reliable and accurate appa of the vote through operating the indi ratus of this class which may be manufac vidual units is impossible. Another object of our invention is the tured, marketed, installed and operated at provision of means for visually checking a relatively low cost. With the above recited objects and others 105 50 the vote of the member by means of visual indicators, such as small signal lamps, placed of a similar nature in view, our invention in the construction, combination in alinement with each voting switch at each consists and arrangement of parts set forth in and member's voting station. Furthermore, falling within the scope of the appended 0. visual indicators, such as indicator boards, 4. 55 equipped with electric lamps, may be placed claims.