Patent GB-427400-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in voting apparatus
Inventor: HOPKINS NEVIL MONROE
Filed: 1933-10-16
Abstract: 427,400. Voting-apparatus. HOPKINS, N. M., 111, East 10th Street, New York, U.S.A. Oct. 16, 1933, No. 28625. [Class 106 (iv)] [See also Group XL] Voting by electric signalling means. The voters are provided with keys or other selectable means, which determine the amount of electric energy supplied to a meter furnished with means for adjusting the scale to bring the reading equivalent to all voters registering their votes to 100. Consequently when the question is put and those in favour vote, the instrument will give the result as a percentage. Various arrangements as detailed below, for giving a total indication at the central instrument, corresponding with the actions of the voters at the individual stations, are described. (1) The ammeter 25, Fig. 1, is interposed in a circuit connected with the mains 34 and including a number of voting points each consisting of an impedance 42 adapted to be put across the pair of conductors 38 by the voter pressing a button 45. In series in the circuit is also a rheostat 30 by means of which the pointer reading can be varied. The circuit may be extended by connectors as at 41<a>, 41b to include a larger number of voting-points. (2) Light or other radiant energy may be employed as shown in Fig. 3. Projectors 73 direct the energy at the audience, the individuals of which are provided with hand reflectors by means of which they may influence lightsensitive cells, thermo-couples &c. mounted at the foci of parabolic mirrors 78 and connected by wires 80 with an amplifier 81 and with a meter disposed in a projector 54 to throw the results upon a screen 50. If infra-red rays are used the individuals are provided with discs black on one side and covered with gold or bronze on the other. In a modification the ray projectors are in the plane of the screen, and to equalize the effects as between near and distant voters the hand discs have their reflecting surfaces of different areas. (3) A wireless broadcasting system may be utilized. The individual listeners transmitting their votes by wireless and the result being received and indicated by a ballistic galvanometer at the broadcasting station. Alternatively as shown in Fig. 6, power lines 107 may be used for wired-wireless transmission. The power lines are fed from the power station 103 connected also by lines 105 with the broadcasting station 100. At the power station are a recording wattmeter 116 and also a more sensitive recorder in series with the master rheostat 120 and with a duplicate recording instrument 121 at the broadcasting station. As shown at the lower right-hand corner a voter's station includes a crystal-detector and head-phone receiving-set and also three voting buttons 143, 144, 145. The button 143 is used to place the impedance 146 across the power supply conductors to register " present." The button 144 is the " vote yes " button and controls the similar impedance 148 while 145 is a dummy button for voting " no." 150 represents a theatre equipped with an audience voting installation as described under (1) or (2) above and the results of voting are telephoned to the broadcasting station and incorporated in the results obtained from the recording apparatus. Details. Votes may be recorded by perforating a clock-driven strip 154, Fig. 7, the perforation being subsequently read by a feeler 164 which thus puts an impedance 167 across the power line to affect the galvanometer 125 at the central station. By such means votes may be recorded but their registration deferred until a suitable " light-load " period. Radio receivers may be furnished with the three voting buttons adapted to punch a clock-driven disc. A Wheatstone bridge may be used, as in Fig. 10 to control a reflecting galvanometer 191. A portion of the power load is inserted at 196 and a balancing current at 197, while correction of scale is obtained by a potentiometer slider 195 adjusted along a resistance wire 199 in parallel with arms 198.