A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND NUMBERING VOTES, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR REGISTERING FARES OR THE NUMBERS CONSTITUTING DIFFERENT GROUPS OR SETS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Noah Jacobsohn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
November 1874.
I, NOAH JACOBSOHN, of No. 15, Aldridge Road Villas, Westbourne
Park, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND
NUMBERING VOTES, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR REGISTERING FARES OR THE NUMBERS
CONSTITUTING DIFFERENT GROUPS OR SETS," to be as follows:—
My Invention relates to apparatus for taking and numbering votes at
parliamentary divisions, ballots, elections, and the like; the main feature
of which consists in the use of graduated vertical tubes, by preference of
glass, into the upper end of which counters of uniform thickness
corresponding with the divisions on the tube are dropped by the persons
voting, so that the number of counters that accumulate in the tube can
at any time be read off from the number on the division of the tube
corresponding to the height of the column of counters therein.
For parliamentary divisions and other cases where it is also desired to
ascertain the names of the voters, I also mark upon the rim of each

page_text: counter the name of the voter, so that such names can also be read off
from the column in the tube,
According to one arrangement, I construct the apparatus in the
following manner :-At the four corners of a rectangular box or stand
are fitted four such before described tubes, the two tubes on the one side
of the stand serving to register the "ayes" and those on the opposite
side the "noes." On each side of the stand centrally between the pair
of tubes and above the upper ends thereof, is a narrow opening from
which two inclined passages lead into the upper ends of the tubes, so
that on a voter introducing his counter into the opening, the counter will
pass down the one or other passage into one of the tubes. If desired,
similar openings with passages may be provided on the other sides of the
stand, one of which passages leads into a tube representing the "ayes"
while the other leads into a tube representing the "noes," so that if a
voter wishes to leave the decision of his vote to chance he may insert
his counter into the last-named openings, from which it will pass either
into the tube for the "ayes" or into that for the "noes." The lower
ends of the tubes are closed by slides, which when the telling of the votes
has been completed are withdrawn so as to let the counters fall into a
drawer in the bottom of the stand. On the sides of the stand between
the pairs of tubes may be provided dials with numbered divisions corre-
sponding to the total number of votes, so that on completing the counting
of the votes the number of "ayes” and noes may be indicated
upon the respective dials by turning a pointer to the corresponding
$6
"

page_text: tube a cylindrical cage formed of vertical spaced bars or rods may be
used.
When it is desired that the nature of the vote shall not be seen at the
time of inserting the counter the tubes may be enclosed in a caso which
5 can be opened after the completion of the voting.
Instead of flat counters small balls may be used for voting, the
divisions on the tube being made to correspond with the diameters of
the balls.
It well be evident that the said apparatus may also be used for
O registering fares in omnibuses or other public vehicles, tubes being
provided for each description of fare, into which counters given to the
passengers by the conductor are dropped by the former. The apparatus
may also be employed for all similar purposes where it is desired to
ascertain the numbers constituting different groups or sets.