Improvements in Voting Machines
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1893-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Voting Machines
I, PATRICK ANDERSON MACDONALD, of 34, Hargrave Avenue, in the City of
Winnepeg, in the County of Lisgar, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada,
Master-in-Chancery, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to improvements in voting machines and the object of
the invention is to design a device of this class whereby the votes of the electors
at an election may be registered with absolute correctness and without it being
known for whom such votes are recorded until the registering devices have been
opened at the end of the poll and the total number of votes cast for each candi-
date disclosed to the returning officer and scrutineers and it consists essentially
of a tube which is suitably supported and arranged preferably at an incline,
one end extending into the compartment in which the returning officer is
located and the other into the private apartment in which the elector records
his vote, the end of the tube in the apartment where the vote is recorded being
provided with branch tubes and suitable registering apparatus for cach, the
branch tubes being preferably of different colors corresponding to the color of
the candidate and having their names on suitable tablets.
In this invention which is designed to be operated by a heavy ball to record
cach vote it may be stated that it would be advisable to have a main tube for
each member to be elected and as many branch tubes for the main tube as there
are candidates running for the vacant office.
The main tube will be preferably curved at its lower end, is designed to be
obliquely arranged, and is provided at the outside of the partition with the
several branch tubes. The partition would be provided with a door at one side
of the tube and a similar door at the opposite side. I would also provide a
receptacle at the lower end of the tube to receive the balls, which are deposited
in the branch tubes. At the upper ends of the branch tubes I provide register-
ing mechanism of the turnstile description.
It is intended in this device to use a ball, which being deposited in the
flanged upper mouth of the tube will fall into such tube and turn the stile
and register the vote.
I would preferably provide two sets of turnstiles, the one nearest the mouth
having the wings projecting into the tube and being controlled through its spindle,
which is connected by suitable mechanism to the returning officer's compartment,
so that the same is under such officer's control. The upper turnstile wings of
course prevent a ball being deposited unless with the consent of the returning
officer. The lower turnstile wings also project into the branch tube and have
arranged in connection therewith registering mechanism by which the ball after
having once passed the upper turnstile wings will turn the lower turnstile wings
and thus register the vote as the ball passes downwardly into the main tube.
The upper ends of the branch tubes herein before premised are preferably

page_text: flared outwardly and have connected to them suitable tablets upon which is sub-
scribed the names of the different candidates. The lower ends of the branch
tubes are suitably connected preferably to telescopic sections of the main tube,
so that one or more of these sections may be removed and as many branch tubes
utilized as there are candidates.
As the upper turn-stile form of wings are controlled by the returning officer
it will be seen that the registering apparatus connected with the lower turn-
stile form of wings cannot be tampered with by the voter.
The details of construction of my machine will be more fully set forth in the
drawings, which I purpose filing with the Complete Specification, when I have
demonstrated to my satisfaction the practical utility of my invention.
Dated the 1st day of November 1897.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Voting Machines.
I, PATRICK ANDERSON MACDONALD, of 34, Hargrave Avenue, in the City of
Winnepeg, in the County of Lisgar, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada,
Master-in-Chancery, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in voting machines and the object of
the invention is to design a device of this class whereby the votes of the electors
at an election may be registered with absolute correctness and without it being
known for whom such votes are recorded until the registering devices have been
opened at the end of the poll and the total number of votes cast for each candi-
date disclosed to the returning officer and scrutineers and it consists essentially of
the main inclined tube or receptacle and the branch tubes leading thereto
arranged in a box or compartment provided with registering mechanism and
controlling mechanism operated through a spindle extending into the returning
officer's compartment as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view showing my improved voting machine placed in
position ready for use.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged perspective view of the ballot box or machine complete,
portion of the side of the box being broken away and portion of the mechanism
being shown in section to exhibit the interior construction.
Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail of the end of the registering cylinder showing
the turn stile and means for holding it in position.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
In this invention, which is designed to be operated by a heavy ball to record
each vote, I employ a ballot box A having at the bottom the main inclined recep-
tacle B converging to a point at one end, which ends in the inclined tube C,
which is designed to extend through a partition D and leads into a receptacle E
in the returning officer's compartment. The tube C is preferably bent, so as to
direct the balls into the receptacle E. The top of the ballot box is provided
with a lid F having extending throughout the length thereof, intermediate of
its width, a tube F1, which has at least two holes finto which the voting balls
are designed to be placed. These holes lead into pockets g, which are made
in the turn stile rod G, which extends through the tube F and is provided at

page_text: one end in the returning officer's compartment with a crank handle g', which
is designed to be under the control of the returning officer. Branch tubes H
lead downwardly from the tube F1 from a point directly opposite the holes f
and pockets g. These branch tubes are provided with side slots h.
The lid F is provided with the usual hinges and closing clasp f¹ and staple f
into which a padlock may be inserted, so as to keep the pockets closed during
the period that the voting is going on.
I are the registering cylinders in which is contained the usual disc registering
mechanism, which is designed to be operated by the turn stile J, the arms of
which extend one at a time through the slot into the branch tubes H. The
spindle of the turn stile has a pinion, which meshes with the corresponding.
teeth on the end registering disc. I do not show this pinion nor the registering
mechanism as such registering mechanism is very commonly understood.
The registering cylinders I are supported on the end of an arm I' secured upon
the tubes H. The spindle is provided with a square portion j' against which
presses a flat spring held on the end of the cylinder. By means of this flat
spring the arms of the turn stile are held perfectly horizontal in the slot and
make a positive quarter revolution upon each ball passing down through a
branch tube.
In order to prevent tampering with the registering mechanism after the poll
has been closed I provide a longitudinal bar K, which is pivoted in the ends of
the box and is provided with an end arm k, which is outside the end and is
provided with an eye k¹. The arm k is normally held vertical, with the
eye д
against the eye 2 secured in the end of the ballot box to the outside, the eyes k¹
and 2 being connected by a padlock 4, so as to hold the arm K vertical from side
to side during the period that the voting is going on. By this means the bar
is held clear of the registering arms of the turn stile.
As the
After the poll is closed the arm K will be thrown down and the eye k¹ locked
to the eye 3 secured in the end of the box by means of the padlock 4.
cross bar would be now in the path and rest above the horizontally set arm it
will be seen that the registering mechanism cannot be tampered with by deposit-
ing a ball in the branch tube even after the box is open unless the returning
officer is apprised of the fact.
The ballot box containing the tubes is supported on a table in the voter's com-
partment on the opposite side of the partition to that in which the returning
officer is placed.
The operation of my invention is as follows. A number of balls is provided
in the voter's compartment from which he can select a ball to record his vote,
or instead of having a supply of balls in the voter's compartment the returning
officer may hand a ball to each voter as he goes into the compartment, which
will of course be returned to the returning officer, immediately the voter goes
into the compartment, through the tube C. The returning officer as soon as
the voter is ready to record his vote takes hold of the crank g and as soon as
the voter has deposited the ball in one of the pockets g he passes from the com-
partment or otherwise intimates to the returning officer that he has voted where-
upon the returning officer turns around the crank handle, so as to throw the
pocket up side down when the ball will be precipitated into one of the branch
tubes and passes down turning one of the arms of the turn stile, thereby register-
ing the vote and then the ball will pass out through the main tube or passage-
way C into the receptacle E in the returning officer's compartment. Such
returning officer will now be positively certain whether the voter has voted
properly or not as only one ball must necessarily pass out of the tube C upon
each vote.
It will thus he understood that the returning officer will have complete control
of the voting. Each vote will be recorded in the register opposite to the re-
spective tube, which will have tablets 5 and 6 such as indicated in the drawing
immediately in front of same, so as to indicate to the voter whom he is to vote

page_text: for. As the box is locked the number of votes recorded for each candidate
cannot possibly be ascertained until the poll is closed and the returning officer
opens the box in the presence of the scrutineers whereupon the number of votes
polled for each candidate will appear upon each register. Thus it will be seen
that not only time is saved at the end of the poll, but my device is such that
each vote must be always properly recorded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A voting machine comprising compartments for the voters and the return-
ing officers, a partition separating such compartments, the balls, the main tube
or receptacle, the branch tubes leading there into and adapted to have the ball
deposited therein, the arrester located in said branch tubes and means for operat-
ing said arrester from the returning officer's compartment as and for the pur-
pose specified.
2. In combination, the inclined main tube or receptacle the branch tubes
leading thereto, the balls, the arresters located in the upper portion of the branch
tubes, means for manually operating solely said arrester, and the registering
mechanism located in the lower portion of the branch tubes automatically
operated by said balls as and for the purpose specified.
3. In combination, the ballot box, the inclined bottom converging to a point
and provided with an exit tube, the lid or top provided with a tube with deposit-
ing holes and the rod provided with correspondingly located pockets and the
branch tubes secured to the top tube on a line with the pockets, a crank handle
on the rod to reverse the pockets to throw the ball into the branch tube, and a
registering device connected to the branch tube and operated by the ball in its
descent as and for the purpose specified.
4. In combination the ballot box, the inclined bottom converging to a point
and provided with the exit tube the lid or top provided with a tube with depositing
holes, and the rod provided with correspondingly located pockets and means for
operating same, and the branch tube secured to the top tube on a line with the
pockets and having a slot therein, the arms projecting from the branch tubes,
the registering device connected to the arms, the turn stile arms supported on
a suitable spindle having a square portion and a spring abutting such square
portion as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination with the branch tubes and turn styles having one arm
at a time extending into the same of the longitudinal bar pivoted in the ends
of the box, the end arm on same, and means for locking such arm in its raised
or lowered position as and for the purpose specified.
T
1
0011 1
TL 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.