Patent GB-319196-A (GB)
Abstract: 319,196. Millar, S. May 15, 1928. Voting-apparatus. - A vote registering and recording apparatus comprises a casing with a locked compartment and a hinged lid under the control of an official, means for attaching to the top of the box a list of names of candidates or issues to be voted upon, a corresponding series of keys adapted on depression to actuate a corresponding counting mechanism and means for causing through the medium of the depressed key a record of such vote to be impressed upon a record-strip on which the voter's roll number has autographed. The recording operation releases the lid to permit the parts to be restored and set for the next vote. Means are also provided to prevent more than one key being depressed at one time. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the casing 1 has a hinged lid 2 the opening and closing of which is controlled by a lever 3 and underneath the lid is a platform 4 on which is secured a paper strip 5 having printed thereon the names of the candidates. The names are arranged in groups and each group, except the first, is covered by a hinged flap 6 the voting of the exposed group being finished before the next is proceeded with. Opposite each name is arranged a key 7 mounted on a spring arm secured to the platform. The free ends of the arms form pawls 7B adapted on depression to actuate the ratchet wheels 8 of corresponding counters 9. To prevent more than one key being depressed at a time a slotted plate 12, Fig. 6, is provided suspended from the top of the casing and having cam members 13 arranged between each pair of the pawls 7B. Where more than two keys are grouped together the cam members 13 are connected by links 14 pivoted to one member and movable in the slot in the adjacent member. To effect a record a paper roll 17 passes over a partition 15 to a receiving roll 18. A set of type members 16 is mounted in the partition 15 and over the type faces is arranged an ink-ribbon mechanism of usual construction. One edge of the paper extends beyond the keyboard and a portion is visible through an aperture 19 so as to enable the returning officer to write the voter's roll number on the strip. The key is held depressed by the end of the pawl 7B engaging a tooth of the ratchet wheel 8 and to impress the paper strip on to the type the depressed key is acted upon by one of the arms 20, Fig. 4, which are pivotally connected to a bar 22 coupled to the cranked inner end of a shaft 24 provided with an operating handle 25 under the control of the official in charge. When the shaft 24 is rocked a projection 27, 28, Fig. 7, thereon moves a slide 29 so as to cause a projection 29A thereon to operate a bar 30 and free a catch 26 from the operating lever 3 so that the latter can be lowered to close the lid. At the same time movement of the slide 29 through a pin 37 moves a bar 36 with hook-shaped projections 38 to effect the return of the flaps 6 to conceal the names. The lid is raised by the lever 3 through arms 33 and curved links 34 with cam portions that cooperate with sliding bars 35 connected by a bar 11 carrying the counters 9, the arrangement being such that on closing the lid the counters are moved away from the pawls 7B to free the latter and permit, their return. The paper strip is fed by a pawl 18B on the operating lever engaging a ratchet wheel on the receiving roll.