Improvements in Voting Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1896
IDIONATO M
[Communicated from abroad by ADRIAN O. ABBOTT, Manufacturer, of Hudson,
in the County of Lenawee and State of Michigan.]
Improvements in Voting Machines.
I, JOHN LIDDLE, of 154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, North Britain, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a machine wherein are arranged a series of slides
representing various offices to be filled, or questions to be answered and containing
the names of various candidates for the offices, or answers to the questions, adapted
to be shifted at will to bring any part into registering position, and in combination
with mechanism for registering the vote. The slides are provided with a series of
sets of registering devices, which are associated with the names of the candidates
to be voted for, or questions to be answered, and which can only be actuated when
brought into the registering position, and when located in such position the register,
on any slide which is thus located, can be operated to register one vote. The
indicating devices of the registers always announce the aggregate of votes cast for
any candidate.
When a vote is to be registered the slides are manipulated until all the candidates
to be voted for, or answers to questions to be given or blanks for those offices or
questions not to be included are grouped in the registering line, after which the
push-rods of the grouped registering devices are depressed. Suitable details of
construction are also embodied to make the device more convenient and expeditious
in operation.
The machine is constructed of a suitable frame, in which are mounted a number
of slides having a series of pointers and movable longitudinally between parallel
guides. These slides are suitably inscribed on their faces with the names of persons
to be voted for, or answers to questions to be voted on. There is a registering line
in the machine, and the slides may be manipulated so that any portion of them may
be brought into said line. The subject-matter shown on the slides is that appropriate
for electing candidates, one slide being engrossed with the names of the parties,
while on the others are enumerated the different offices to be voted for, and the
candidates for said office. If a straight ticket, that is to say, one naming all the
regular candidates in a particular party is to be voted for, then the slides are moved
simultaneously until the roll of candidates for the offices is brought into the
registering line. In order to facilitate moving the slides I provide a bar which has
a bearing on a rod and carries an arm which is adapted to engage all of the slides,
and upon which is mounted a handle or knob for moving it. On the rod is a stop
for limiting the movement of the bar. In order, after registering, to return all
the slides to normal position, a second bar, having bearing upon the rod, is provided,
and this bar has an arm which is adapted to engage all the slides when forced
against them by its handle. The bar is likewise limited in its movement by a stop.
The two shifting bars have bearings upon the same rod, but they are so formed that
they overlap, and each freely slides independently of the other. The arms are
guided at their free ends by retaining bars. Groups of dials are located on the
slides for registering units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc. of votes.
These groups
of dials are geared together in series in such a manner that each one is advanced
one step after the one behind it has completed a revolution, and each group

page_text: is associated with a name of a candidate, and operated through the medium of a
push-rod kept normally in elevation by a spring and having a pawl and ratchet
connection with the group of dials. On their lower ends, the push-rods have hooks,
which normally abut against the bass-plate of the frame and make it impossible to
depress the rod and register a vote, but when the slide carrying any push-rod is
shifted to bring the rod above the registering opening, then the rod can be depressed,
and a vote registered. In order to prevent repeating, the hook when projected
through the opening engages the edge of the plate and retains the push-rod in its
depressed position until released by a spur-wheel under the control of the officer in
-charge.
It will be understood that the opening extends transversely across the machine,
and each slide may be manipulated to bring one of its push-rods thereover. To
facilitate registering after parts of all the slides have been grouped over the
registering opening, a transverse bar is mounted above the opening, and is of such
construction and so arranged that through it all the push-rods thereunder may be
engaged and depressed simultaneously. Each hook has beneath it a releasing spur-
wheel, and all of these spur-wheels are mounted upon a common shaft under control
of the officer, so that he may simultaneously release all of the depressed push rods.
The bar has a central handle and is kept normally in elevation by springs under its
opposite ends. The numbers of registering dials brought to position can be seen at
all times through the opening unless it is desired to conceal them.
Dated this 20th day of February 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.
I, JOHN LIDDLE, of 154 St. Vincent Street Glasgow, North Britain, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
⚫ statement :-
My invention relates to a machine, wherein are arranged a series of slides,
representing various offices to be filled or questions to be answered, and containing
the names of various candidates for the offices or answers to the questions, adapted
to be shifted at will to bring any part into registering position, and in combination
with mechanism for registering the vote. The slides are provided with a series of
sets of registering devices which are associated with the names of the candidates to
'be voted for, or questions to be answered, and which can only be actuated when
brought into the registering position, and when located in such position, the register
on any slide which is thus located, can be operated to register one vote. The
indicating devices of the registers always announce the aggregate of votes cast for
any candidate. When a vote is to be registered the slides are manipulated until
all the candidates to be voted for or answers to questions to be given (or blanks for
those officers or questions not to be included) are grouped in the registering line,
after which the push-rods of the grouped registering devices are depressed.
Suitable details of construction are also embodied to make the device more
convenient and expeditious in operation.
The invention will be fully described in reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved voting machine. Figs. 2 and 3 are
respectively partial longitudinal and transverse sections of that shown in Fig. 1, on
an enlarged scale.
1 represents a frame in which are mounted a number of slides 2 having a series

page_text: of pointers 2ª and movable longitudinally between parallel guides 3. These slides
are suitably inscribed on there faces with the names of persons to be voted for or
answers to questions to be voted on. There is a registering line X-Y in the
machine and the slides may be manipulated so that any portion of them may be
brought into said line. The subject-manner shown on the slides is that appropriate
for electing candidates, one slide being engrossed with the names of the parties,
while on the others are enumerated the different officers to be voted for and the
candidates for said office. If a straight ticket, that is to say, one naming all
the regular candidates in a particular party, is to be voted for, then the slides
are moved simultaneously until the roll of candidates for the offices is brought
into the registering line.
.
In order to facilitate moving the slides, I provide a bar 5, which has bearing 6 on
a rod 7 and carries an arm 8 which is adapted to engage all of the slides and upon
which is mounted a handle or knob 9 for moving it.
10 represents a stop on the rod 7 for limiting the movement of the bar 5.
11 represents the registering opening between the guides, opposite which the.
names are brought for registering.
In order, after registering, to return all the slides to normal position, a second
bar 17 having bearing 18 upon the rod 7 is provided and this bar 17 has an arm 19
which is adapted to engage all the slides 2 when forced against them by its
handle 20. The bar 17 is likewise limited in its movement by the stop 10. The
bars 5 and 17 have bearings upon the same rod 7; but they are so formed that
they overlap and each freely slides independently of the other. The arms are
guided at their free ends by retaining bars 3ª.
35 represents groups of dials located on the slides 2, for registering units, tens,
hundreds, thousands, &c., of votes. These groups of dials are geared together in
series in such a manner that each one is advanced one step after the one behind it
has completed a revolution, and each group is associated with a name of a candidate,
and operated through the medium of a push-rod 36, kept normally in elevation by
a spring 37 and having pawl 38 and ratchet 39 connection with the group of dials.
On their lower ends, the push-rods have hooks 40, which normally abut against
the base-plate 41 of the frame and make it impossible to depress the rod and
register a vote, but when the slide carrying any push-rod is shifted to bring the
rod above the registering opening 11, then the rod can be depressed and a vote
registered. In order to prevent repeating, the hook 40, when projected through the
opening 11, engages the edge of the plate 41 and retains the push-rod in its
depressed position until released by a spur-wheel 42, under the control of the officer
in charge.
It will be understood that the opening 11 extends transversely across the machine
and each slide may be manipulated to bring one of its push-rods thereover.
To facilitate registering after the parts of all the slides have been grouped over
the registering opening, a transverse bar 43 is mounted above the opening and is
of such construction and so arranged that through it all the push-rods thereunder
may be engaged and depressed simultaneously. Each hook 40 has beneath it a
releasing spur-wheel 42 and all of these spur-wheels are mounted upon a common
shaft 44 under the control of the officer so that he may simultaneously release all
of the depressed push rods. The bar 43 has a central handle 45 and is kept
normally in elevation by springs 46 under its opposite ends.
The numbers of the registering dials 35 brought to position can be seen at all
times through the openings 47 unless it is desired to conceal them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what. manner, the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A voting machine comprising a frame having parallel guides, a transverse
opening extending across the frame, and a registering line, a series of slides, one
slide containing the names of the parties to be selected at will and voted for, and

page_text: the other slides containing the names of the offices to be filled and the names of
the candidates for the offices to be selected at will and voted for; said slides being
bodily and independently movable laterally of the frame between the guides, and
having a series of points to indicate the alignment of any of the names of the
parties and any of the names of the candidates across the registering line over the
transverse opening, registering mechanism co-operating therewith and means for
operating the registering mechanism; substantially as described.
2. A voting machine comprising a frame having guides and a registering line, a
series of slides, one slide containing the names of the parties and the other slides
containing the names of the officers and the names of the candidates for the offices,
the rod, a bar having a bearing on the rod and an arm for advancing the slides
bodily across the registering line over the transverse opening, a second bar having
bearing on the rod and an arm for returning the slides to normal position; the
slides being movable bodily, and independently, laterally of the frame to bring the
other names than those of a party into alignment; substantially as described.
a
3. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides,
provided with a series of independent registering devices, arranged longitudinally
thereof, each having a push-rod for operating it independently of the other deviceя
and means located over the registering line of the machine for operating the push-
rods; substantially as described.
4. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides
and provided with a series of independent sets of registering wheels, arranged
longitudinally thereof, cach set having a push-rod for operating it independently
of the other sets, and means located over the registering line of the machine for
operating the push-rod; substantially as described.
5. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides,
having a series of names or answers, and a series of independent sets of registering
wheels, arranged longitudinally thereof, each set being associated with a name or
answer and provided with a push-rod for operating it independently of the other
sets and means located over the registering line of the machine for operating the
push-rods; substantially as described.
6. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides,
provided with a series of independent registering devices, arranged longitudinally
thereof, each having a push-rod for operating it independently of the other devices
and ineans for preventing the operation of the push-rods except at the registering
line of the machine; substantially as described.
7. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides
and provided with a series of independent sets of registering wheels, arranged
longitudinally thereof, each set having a push-rod for operating it independently
of the other sets, and means for preventing the operation of the push-rods except
at the registering line of the machine; substantially as described.
8. The combination of the guides, a slide moving laterally between said guides,
having a series of names or answers, and a series of independent sets of registering
wheels, arranged longitudinally thereof, each set being associated with a name or
answer and provided with a push-rod for operating it independently of the other
sets, and means for preventing the operation of the push-rods except at the
registering line of the machine; substantially as described.
9. The combination of a series of slides each having names or answers to be
selected at will, and a series of suitable registering devices mounted on and moving
with said slides, each of said registering devices being associated with a name or
answer and adapted to be operated when it is moved into registering position, and
suitable operating mechanism; substantially as described.
10. The combination of a series of slides, each slide having names or answers to
be selected at will, and a series of sets of registering wheels, each set of registering
wheels being associated with a name or answer and adapted to be operated when
it is moved into registering position, and suitable operating mechanism; substantially
as described.

page_text: 11. The combination of a series of independently movable slides, each having a.
series of sets of registering wheels and adapted to be moved into registering
position, and suitable operating mechanism; substantially as described.
12. The combination of a series of independently movable slides, each having a
series of sets of registering wheels, and adapted to be moved into registering
position, and suitable operating mechanism for each set of registering wheels,.
means for rendering the operating mechanism inoperative when out of registering
position; substantially as described.
13. The combination of a series of independently movable slides each having a
series of sets of registering wheels, and adapted to be moved into registering position,.
suitable operating mechanism for each set of registering wheels, and means for-
operating one set of registering wheels of each slide simultaneously; substantially
as described.
14. The combination of a series of independently movable slides each slide.
having a series of independently acting registering mechanisms and names or
answers associated with each registering mechanism and each slide adapted to be
moved laterally into registering position, and means for operating simultaneously
the registering mechanisms which are in registering position on each of the series.
of slides, substantially as described.
15. The combination of a series of independently movable slides each slide
having a series of independently acting registering mechanisms and names or
answers associated with each registering mechanism and each slide adapted to he
moved laterally into registering position, means for operating simultaneously the
registering mechanisms which are in registering position on each of the series of
slides, and means for moving the slides into registering position in unison ;.
substantially as described.
16. The combination of a series of independently movable slides having a series:
of sets of registering wheels and adapted to be associated at a registering position,
suitable operating mechanism and means for locking the operating mechanism at.
each operation and means for unlocking the registering mechanism, substantially
as described.
17. The combination of a series of independently movable slides having sets of
registering wheels and normally out of registering position and means for moving-
the slides bodily into registering position; the slides being free so as to be
moved singly over the registering position; substantially as described.
18. The combination of a series of independently movable slides, having
registering devices, the arm for moving the slide into indicating position, the arm.
for returning the slides to place after registering, and suitable operating mechanism,.
substantially as described.
19. The combination of a series of independently movable slides each containing
names or answers to be selected at will and registering devices and adapted to be
associated at a registering position, the arm for moving the slide into registering
position, the arm for returning the slides to place after registering, and suitable
operating mechanism, substantially as described.
20. The combination of a series of independently movable slides, each containing
names or answers to be associated with the names and answers of each of the other
slides at will, and adapted to be associated at a registering position, the arm for
moving the slides into registering position, and suitable registering mechanism
mounted on the slides and co-operating therewith; substantially as and for the-
purpose set forth.
21. The combination of a series of independently movable slides each containing
names or answers, to be selected at will, and adapted to be associated at a registering
position, the arm for moving the slides into registering position, the arm for
returning the slides into place after registering the vote, and suitable registering
mechanisms mounted on the slides and co-operating therewith; substantially as.
and for the purpose set forth.
22. The combination of a series of independently movable slides, the arm for

page_text: moving the slides together and suitable registering mechanisms mounted on the
slides and co-operating therewith; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
23. The combination of the frame having guides, the series of slides, movable
between the guides, carrying sets of dials having numbers, and geared together,
the push-rods associated with each set of dials, the pawl and ratchet connections
between the push-rods and the first dial of each set of dials and means for operating
simultaneously the push-rods placed in registering line; substantially as described.
24. The combination of the frame having guides, the series of slides, movable
between the guides, carrying sets of dials having numbers and geared together, the
push-rods associated with each set of dials, the pawl and ratchet connections,
between the push-rods and first dial of each set of dials, and the bar for depressing
the push-rods when brought into registering position; substantially as described.
25. The combination of a frame having guides and a base-plate formed with a
registering opening, the series of slides movable between the guides, carrying sets
of dials having numbers and geared together, the push-rods having hooks, and
associated with each set of dials, the pawl and ratchet connection between the
push-rods and dials and the shaft located beneath the registering opening having
spur-wheels for disengaging the hooks from the base-plate; substantially as
described.
Dated this 20th day of November 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.