An Improved Ballotting Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Ballotting Apparatus.
We, VLADISLAUS TOTWEX Engineer and ALEXANDER ASTAFIEW Gentleman, both
of Moscow Street 8/4 St. Petersburg, Russia, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of ball ballot boxes wherein the
defects are obviated from which ordinary ballot boxes suffer; namely, that the correct
counting of the votes cannot be relied upon, that the counting causes great loss of
time, and that frequently other objects than balls are introduced in order to create
confusion.
The said improved construction not only accelerates the absolutely correct balloting
operation according to the prescribed rules but it also shews even before the completion
of the balloting any irregularity that may have occurred. These objects are attained
firstly by arranging the action of the apparatus to correspond to ballot balls (of which
there are only two) of an exact predetermined size and weight, so that any other ball
of different size or weight, if introduced, will be of no effect, and, remaining in the
apparatus will stop its action, as the action of the apparatus is such that a proper
ball when introduced, must come out again, being made to pass into a small
compartment behind the apparatus, from which it is taken by the next person for
balloting. Secondly, as the apparatus is worked with only two balls, as stated, which
are numbered or otherwise marked, the presence of any third ball, although it may
correspond as to size and weight with the proper balls, and may therefore act upon
the counter apparatus, will at once show that fraud has been committed.
We will describe the construction of the said apparatus with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shews a front view, Fig. 2 a cross section,
and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section, and Figs. 4 to 7 enlarged details. The apparatus
consists of a box A which is divided horizontally into two parts, an upper one and
a lower one a¹, and vertically into the right hand one band the left land one b.
In front, in the upper part, having the opening B for the introduction of the hand,
there are two receptacles cc; the interior of these receptacles which serve to receive
the balls, is funnel shaped and has at bottom a round orifice d, through which the ball
passes into the lower part of the apparatus. In the projecting part F of the lower
part there are two counters ff (each having three rows of numerals) situated below
the openings o at the front side of the projection. These openings are closed by the
flaps K K carried on a common axis, and closing automatically on shutting up the
apparatus. In the rear part of the apparatus, Fig. 2, there are two small
compartments of which serves to receive the ball falling out of the ballot box and
for containing the balls and the key when the apparatus is not being used. The two
similar counters ff consist each of three discs E, D, C, shewn separately at
Figs. 6 and 7 combined at Fig. 7, the peripheries of which carry the numerals 0 to 9;

page_text: the middle part of the discs are made of wood. At the side thereof are fixed the
ratchet wheels, n n' n each having ten teeth; the wheel n having equal recesses
between its teeth, being fixed to the disc C (hundreds) while n¹ having one recessi
twice as deep as the others, is fixed to the disc D (tens), and n having a recess ¹
three times as deep as the others, is fixed to the disc E (units). All discs of the two
counters are mounted loose upon a common spindle p, Fig. 7, this spindle carries
pins m correspondit.g in number to the discs, and to the inner part of each disc is
fixed a pin r; at the end of the spindle p is a pin g which, on the rotation of the
spindle travels in a helical groove of the fixed socket G.
The counters are carried upon a common metal bearer S, Figs. 3 and 7. Each of
the counters is embraced.by the bridge piece R Figs. 4 and 5, which is connected by
eyes xx to the projections t t of the bearer S, Fig. 3. On the upper part of the
bridge piece R is a fork v mounted on an axis and having three teeth 1, 2, 3 of which
the tooth 1 acts on the ratchet wheel of disc E, tooth 2 on the ratchet wheel of
disc D and tooth 3 on the wheel of disc C.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The counters are set to zero before the commencement of the ballot, and are
enclosed in front by the automatically closing cover K. For setting the counters to
zero, the key of the apparatus is introduced through the opening H Fig. 3, on to the
square end of the spindle p and this is turned to the left, whereby the pin g on the
other end of the spindle situated in the helical groove will effect the longitudinal
motion of the spindle from left to right.
In consequence hereof the pins m on the spindle, situated within each disc, will be
moved against the pius r, so that on the farther motion they will draw the discs
round until the pin has made a complete rotation, and then falls into the recess
under the action of the spring 7 whereupon the spindle p will resume its original
position, thereby rendering the discs loose on the spindle.
This position will correspond to the zero position that is to say the divisions of the
discs opposite the openings o Fig. 2 will be marked with zero. The ball introduced
into the box C will enter the cup k of the lever L, causing this to descend by gravity
to the bottom N, where it runs along a tank path into the drawn out receptacle l,
while the empty cup k is moved back to the opening d by the spring h. By the
downward notion of lever L the bridge piece connected thereto also descends, and
the tooth 1 of fork v, gearing with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel of disc E,
will turn this th of a revolution corresponding to a numeral.
During this motion, the teeth 2 and 3, which are shorter than 1, pass over the
ratchet wheels D and C without actuating these, until the tooth 1 engages with the
deep notch of its ratchet wheel, and in sinking down in the same, allows tooth 2 to
engage with a tooth of the ratchet wheel of disc D, and consequently to turn this one
division, together with disc E. The said division then indicates 10. After the tooth 1
has passed the notch, it will again only effect the turning of disc E until it again
engages with notch i', when D will again be turned one division. This action
continues until the teeth 1 and 2 simultaneously engage with the notches i' and i,
and thereby allow the shortest tooth 3 to engage with a notch of the ratchet wheel
of C, when all three discs will he moved one division shewing the figures 100, and
80 on.
According as the person balloting inserts his ball in the cup of the one lever L or
the other, corresponding respectively to a vote for or against, this will be recorded in
the above described manner upon the respective counter, so that when on the ballot
being completed the covers K of the counters are opened by means of a key
introduced into a hole z Fig. 1, of the projecting part F the number of votes for and
against will be accurately read off on the two counters.
Dated this 12th day of August 1896.

page_text: An Improved Ballotting Apparatus.
We, VLADISLAUS TOTWEN Engineer, and ALEXANDER ASTAFIEW, Gentleman, both
of Moscow Street 8/4 St. Petersburg, Russia, 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:
This invention relates to an improved construction of ball ballot boxes wherein the
defects are obviated from which ordinary ballot boxes suffer; namely, that the correct
counting of the votes cannot be relied upon, that the counting causes great loss of
time, and that frequently other objects than balls are introduced in order to create
confusion.
The said improved construction not only accelerates the absolutely correct balloting
operation according to the prescribed rules but it also shews even before the completion
of the ballotting any irregularity that may have occurred. These objects are attained
firstly by arranging the action of the apparatus to correspond to ballot balls (of which
there are only two) of an exact predetermined size and weight, so that any other ball
of different size or weight, if introduced, will be of no effect, and, remaining in the
apparatus will stop its action, as the action of the apparatus is such that a proper
ball when introduced, must come out again, being made to pass into a small
compartment behind the apparatus, from which it is taken by the next person for
balloting. Secondly, as the apparatus is worked with only two balls, as stated, which
are numbered or otherwise marked, the presence of any third ball, although it may
correspond as to size and weight with the proper balls, and may therefore act upon.
the counter apparatus, will at once shew that fraud has been committed.
We will describe the construction of the said apparatus with reference to the
drawings accompanying our Provisional Specification in which Fig. 1 shews a front
view, Fig. 2 a cross section, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section, and Figs. 4 to 7
enlarged details. The apparatus consists of a box A which is divided horizontally
into two parts, an upper one a and a lower one a', and vertically into the right hand
one b' and the left hand one b.
In front, in the upper part, having the opening B for the introduction of the hand,
there are two receptacles c c; the interior of these receptacles which serve to receive
the balls, is funnel shaped and has at bottom a round orifice d, through which the
ball passes into the lower part of the apparatus. In the projecting part F of the
lower part there are two counters ff (each having two rows of numerals) situated
below the openings o at the front side of the projection. These openings are closed
by the flaps K K carried on a common axis, and closing automatically on shutting up
the apparatus. In the rear part of the apparatus, Fig. 2, there are two small
compartments, of which serves to receive the ball falling out of the ballot box and l'
for containing the balls and the key when the apparatus is not being used. The two
similar counters ff consist each of three discs E, D, C, shewn separately at Fig. 6
and combined at Fig. 7, the peripheries of which carry the numerals 0 to 9; the
middle parts of the discs are made of wood. At the side thereof are fixed the
ratchet wheels, n n' n each having ten teeth; the wheel having equal recesses
between its teeth, being fixed to the disc C (hundreds) while n' having one recessi
twice as deep as the others, is fixed to the disc D (tens), and having a recess i
three times as deep as the others, is fixed to the disc E (units). All discs of the two
counters are mounted loose upon a common spindle p, Fig. 7, this spindle carries
pins m corresponding in number to the discs, and to the inner part of each disc is

page_text: fixed a pin r; at the end of the spindle p is a pin g which, on the rotation of the
spindle travels in a helical groove of the fixed socket G.
The counters are carried upon a common metal bearer S Figs. 3 and 7. Each of
the counters is embraced by the bridge piece R Figs. 4 and 5, which is connected by
eyes xx to the projections tt of the bearer S Fig. 3. On the upper part of the
bridge piece R is a fork v mounted on an axis and having three teeth 1, 2, 3 of which
the tooth 1 acts on the ratchet wheel of disc E, tooth 2 on the ratchet wheel of
disc D and tooth 3 on the wheel of disc C.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The counters are set to zero before the commencement of the ballot and are
enclosed in front by the automatically closing cover K. For setting the counters to
zero, the key of the apparatus is introduced through the opening H Fig. 3, on to the
square end of the spindle p and this is turned to the left, whereby the pin g on the
other end of the spindle situated in the helical groove will effect the longitudinal
motion of the spindle from left to right.
In consequence hereof the pins m on the spindle, situated within each disc, will be
moved against the pins r, so that on the farther motion they will draw the discs
round until the pin g has made a complete rotation, and then falls into the recess
under the action of the spring G whereupon the spindle 2 will resume its original
position, thereby rendering the discs loose on the spindle.
This position will correspond to the zero position that is to say the divisions of
the discs opposite the openings o Fig. 2 will be marked with zero. The ball
introduced into the box C will enter the cup k of the lever L, causing this to descend
by gravity to the bottom N, where it runs along a tank path into the drawn out
receptacle, while the empty cup k is moved back to the opening d by the spring h.
By the downward motion of lever L the bridge piece connected thereto also
descends and the tooth 1 of fork v, gearing with one of the teeth of the ratchet
wheel of disc E, will turn this th of a revolution corresponding to a numeral.
During this motion the teeth 2 and 3, which are shorter than 1, pass over the
ratchet wheels D and C without actuating these, until the tooth 1 engages with the
deep notch of its ratchet wheel, and in sinking down in the same, allows tooth 2
to engage with a tooth of the ratchet wheel of disc D, and consequently to turn this
one division, together with disc E. The said division then indicates 10. After the
tooth 1 has passed the notch 4, it will again only effect the turning of disc E until it
again engages with notch i¹, when D will again be turned one division. This action
continues until the teeth 1 and 2 simultaneously engage with the notches and i,
and thereby allow the shortest tooth 3 to engage with a notch of the ratchet wheel
of C, when all three discs will be moved one division shewing the figures 100, and
so on.
According as the person balloting inserts his ball in the cup of the one lever 1, or the
other, corresponding respectively to a vote for or against, this will be recorded in the
above described manner upon the respective counter so that when on the ballot being
completed the covers K of the counters are opened by means of a key introduced
into a hole Fig. 1 of the projecting part F the number of votes for and against will
be accurately read off on the two counters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In ballot boxes the construction of the counters ff wherein the several dises
showing the consecutive numerals are operated by means of pawls acting on ratchet
wheels having notches or recesses that are respectively twice and three times the
depth of the other notches, substantially as described.
2. In counters such as are referred to in the first claim, the automatic actuation of
the counters by means of the weight of. the balloting ball acting upon a lever
connected to a bridge piece S carrying a fork v with three teeth 1, 2 and 3 of different
length, which work the ratchet wheels of the counter dises, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In counters such as referred to in the first claim, effecting the setting of the
discs in the zero position by turning their common axis 2 whereby pins m on the
latter are made to act upon pins r in the discs, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of June 1897
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.