Page:Patent for a Voting apparatus US1219053.pdf/7

1219,053

arm. With the closing of the switch W current flowing to the switch through the conductor 39 also passes through the contact 44 of the switch, to the contact 45, and thence through the conductor 46 to the mo tor M', and from the motor through the con ductor 47 to the return R, thus completing a temporary motor circuit. When this occurs, the motor being energized, the shaft m O thereof is rotated and the rotation of the commutator arm begins, this arm traveling from the left to the right, or clockwise. in its movement the commutator arm. 29, with its brush 6, leaves the segmental contact 5 strip 35, while the brush 48 of this arm moves onto the commutator ring 38. This commutator ring 38 is at this time alive or energized by the current flowing from the motor lead 46, through the branch conduc 20 tor 46' to the ring, the circuit, of course, being closed by the closing of the switch button W. When the commutator arm reaches the commutator ring, so that the brush 48 is brought into contact with this 35 ring, the clerk may release the pressure on the button switch W and permit the latter to open, because the motor circuit will now be closed from the feed line F, through the conductor 49, brush 48, commutator ring 38, 30 conductor 46, through the motor M', and through the conductor 47 to the return R. Thus it will be seen that the clerk need only momentarily depress the button to start the motor, for when once the brush 48 has con 35 tacted with the energized commutator ring 38, the working circuit for the motor will be established and the temporary circuit con trolled by the button W may be broken by the clerk releasing the pressure on the 40 button. This commutator arm is also provided with three brushes y, p and n', which are adapted to contact with the rows of seg mental contact plates gy", p' and n' respec 45 tively. Now, for instance, in the example given, where the member has voted “Nay,” as the brush n, on the commutator arm comes into contact with the segmental con tact plate n', electric circuits will be com 50 pleted to the punching or recording device N, and the counting device N to operate these two devices. That is to say, as here tofore mentioned, the current which passes from the main feed line F through the con 55. ductor 27, armature 23, contact blocks 24 and 25, conductor 13, conductor 12 to the sole noid magnet of the punch N, will pass through this magnet, to and through the conductor 50, to the corresponding segmen 60 tal contact plate n°, and thence through the brush n', and through the conductor 51 to the solenoid magnet of the counting device N, energizing the latter, and moving the counting mechanism one step, the current 65

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device N through the conductor 52 to the

return R, thus completing the circuit. The result will be that both the punching device . N and the counting device N are energized, and the punch n of the punching or record 70 ing device will punch the proper place to register a “nay' vote on a card or sheet to be placed beneath the same, while likewise, the plunger of the counting device N will be operated to move the counting mecha 75 nism to register one “nay' vote. Of course, the instant the brush in moves off of the contact plate n", the circuits to the punch ing or recording devices N and to the count ing device N are broken, and these devices 80 are restored to their normal inoperative po sitions. Thus it will be seen that the mem ber's vote is counted and recorded, while the indicating or signaling lamp N at his desk continues to remain lighted as does the indicator lamp N opposite his name on the indicator board. The letter L indicates a pilot light at the clerk's desk, and so long as the switch S is closed, and the brush 6 of the commutator 90 arm 29 is in contact with the segment plate 35, this lamp L will remain lighted, for the current wili pass through the conductor 5, brush 6, segment plate 35, conductor 52, lamp L, and conductor 53 to the return wire 95 R. The instant, however, that this arm 29 starts on its travel over the split commutator ring 38, and the switch leaves the segment plate 35, this lamp will be extinguished, for its circuit will be opened, but when the com 100 mutator arm has completed its travel over the split commutator ring 38, so that the brush 6 again contacts with the segment plate 35, the lamp circuit will be reestab lished and the lamp L lighted. This pilot 05 light is to indicate to the clerk the starting and completion of the recording and count ing operations, for the lamp is not lighted during the recording and counting. After all the votes have been recorded and 0 counted, the signal lights at the members' seats or desks, and the indicator lamps on the indicator board are extinguished, and in fact the whole apparatus restored to its nor mal position ready for the next voting 5 period, by the act of the clerk in opening the switch S, thus breaking the main circuit from the battery B. It may be that during the voting period or before the clerk operates the button switch 20 W to total and record the votes, a member who has voted “Nay,” as just described, may desire to change his vote to "Yea,” for ex ample. This he may do by again inserting his key in the slot in of his switch N and 25 turning the Switch so that the lug 54 at the end of the arm 9 will strike the armature 17 and move the latter outward to the right, thus breaking the engagement of the con passing from the magnet of the counting tact blocks 15 and 16 at the “nay' voting 30