Improved Construction of Ballot Boxes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Ballot Boxes.
I, ALBERT REPPMANN of Mokhovaia Strasse, Haus Schelaputin, Moscow, Russia,
State Councillor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
It is well known that with ordinary ballot boxes not only is intentional fraud
possible, but also, accidental mistakes may occur irrespective of other inconveniences
incidental to the distribution and counting of the balls. My present invention
relates to an improved method of registering the votes in ballot boxes in which
the above defects are obviated by doing entirely away with the use of balls.
The ballot box consists for this purpose of two compartments separated by a
partition, the front compartment serving to receive the hand of the person balloting
and containing a pendulum or crank handle which the operator seizes and moves
at will either to the right hand or to the left to a certain point and at the moment
when this point is reached, the vote of the operator is effected in the second
compartment by means of such motion. The handle is locked in this position so
that the operator cannot move it back again in order to repeat the operation and
thus give a double vote, and it is only set free again when the hand of the operator
is withdrawn from the hole, thereby allowing a covering plate to move in front of
the same and thus effecting the release.
The back compartment is divided into three parts; in those at the right and left
hand are situated counter mechanisms, and in the middle division is contained the
mechanism actuating the counters.
This mechanism is as follows: The before mentioned pendulum or crank handle
is fixed on a horizontal spindle which carries in front a disc with three notches,
one at the top, diametrically opposite the handle, and two at bottom at a small
angle on each side of the vertical centre line; bearing against the top and bottom
of the disc are two spring catches, the top one being made to enter the top notch
when the crank handle in the central position, so that it cannot be moved by the
carrying or tilting of the ballot box.
The before mentioned flap that closes the hole of the ballot box is connected by
a rod to a slide in such manner that when the flap is pushed or pulled open, as the
case may be, for inserting the hand of the operator, the slide is raised, and thereby
raises the upper catch out of its notch, so that the handle is then free to be moved
to either side.
When the handle has been so moved to the full extent, the lower spring catch
will enter the one or other of the lower notches, and will consequently prevent the
handle from being moved back again, as stated.
When the hand is withdrawn from the hole of the box, the flap in closing, causes
the slide to descend, and by such motion to disengage the lower spring catch from
the notch in the disc, whereupon the crank handle will swing back into the central
position and will be held there as above described.
The spindle of the crank handle carries an arm extending downwards and
having a pin entering a slot in a horizontal sliding piece working in fixed guides.
This sliding piece carries two opposite fingers with inclines which, on the move-
ment of the crank handle in one direction or the other are made by the said arm
to advance towards one or other of two discs or wheels having teeth with inclines
corresponding to those of the fingers, so that as the finger advances, say, to the right
hand, it acts upon a tooth of the right hand wheel and effects the turning of the same
through a distance equal to one tooth, or nearly so, and this motion of the wheel
is communicated to the counter mechanism in the right hand division of the
compartment, which may be of any known construction for registering the votes,
D

page_text: by indicating by means of numerals the sum of the successive movements imparted
in the above described manner to the right or left hand wheel.
To these wheels are fixed other toothed wheels of somewhat smaller diameter,
with which gears an arm formed as a semicircular disc fixed on the top part of
the spindle of the crank handle, such arm being so formed that when the crank
handle is in the central position it gears with both the said smaller toothed wheels,
and thus locks both the counter mechanisms.
When the crank handle is moved to record a voto as described, the said arm turns
so as to come out of gear with the toothed wheel on the side towards which the
handle is moved, before the incline begins to act upon the registering wheel with
inclined teeth, thus rendering this free to move. At the same time the other side
of the arm moves further in gear with the wheel on the other side and, the teeth
hereof being also formed with inclines, the arm causes it and also the registering
wheel to move through a small distance, so as to complete the previous movement of
the latter which had been commenced by the incline of the finger.
With the above described arrangement it might happen that in moving the crank
handle first to a limited extent to the right, the registering disc is moved partly
round, effecting an incomplete registration, and that the handle is then moved to
the left so as to effect a complete registration. As this would be disadvantageous if
it occurred with the last voter, the following modified construction of the registering
wheel and finger may be used to obviate this.
The wheel, instead of having teeth with inclines, is formed with a series of inclined
grooves communicating at their one end with a second set of grooves parallel with
the axis of the wheel, and the finger has a pallet with inclined faces projecting from
it, which, when the finger is slid towards the wheel enters an inclined groove and
moves the wheel round as previously described.
If the movement of the handle and finger is continued to its extreme limit, the
pallet, after passing along the inclined groove, is in position to pass back through the
parallel groove on the return motion, and consequently does not then impart any
further motion to the wheel thereby. If however the handle and finger do not make
a complete stroke, the pallet, remaining in the inclined groove will, on the return
motion, move the registering wheel back again into its original position, so that no
incomplete registration can be effected.
The numerals registered by the counters, are visible through sight holes in the
ballot box, which are covered during the process of balloting.
To enable the counter mechanisms to be set to zero again after the balloting is
complete, the beforementioned semicircular arm that locks the counters is connected
to its spindle by a spring attachment which can be disengaged by inserting the key,
whereupon by turning the key first in one direction and then in the other, the arm
is turned in a corresponding manner so as to free the counters successively and enable
them to be set to zero.
Dated this 31st day of July 1889.
ADEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Ballot Boxes.
I, ALBERT REPPMANN of Mokhovaia Strasse, Haus Schelaputin, Moscow, Russia,
State Councillor, 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 :-
It is well known that with ordinary ballot boxes not only is intentional fraud
possible but also accidental mistakes may occur irrespective of other inconveniences,
incidental to the distribution and counting of the balls. My present invention relates
to an improved method of registering the votes in ballot boxes in which the above
defects are obviated by doing entirely away with the use of balls. 心

page_text: The ballot box consists for this purpose of two compartments separated by a
partition, the front compartment serving to receive the hand of the person balloting
and containing a pendulum or crank handle which the operator seizes and moves at
will either to the right hand or to the left to a certain point and at the moment when
this point is reached the vote of the operator is effected in the second compartment by
means of such motion. The handle is locked in this position so that the operator
cannot move it back again in order to repeat the operation and thus give a double
vote, and it is only set free again when the hand of the operator is withdrawn from
the hole thereby allowing a covering plate to move in front of the same and thus
effecting the release.
The back compartment is divided into three parts: in those at the right and left
hand are situated counter mechanisms, and in the middle division is contained the
mechanism actuating the counters.
On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a section of the ballot box shewing the
back compartment with a front view of the recording mechanism.
sectional plan of the box shewing a plan of the entire mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a
Fig. 3 shews a side view of the mechanism by which the counters are actuated.
Fig. 4 shews an enlarged view of such mechanism.
Fig. 5 an enlarged view of the crank handle and parts in connection therewith for
preventing fraud, Figs. 6 and 7 shew a modified construction of the mechanism for
actuating the registering counters.
A Figs. 2 and 3 is the circular opening in the box for the introduction of the hand,
B is the vertically hanging disc closing the opening A.
This disc may be arranged either inside the box as shewn, or outside, so as to open
either inwards or outwards.
To the disc D is connected a lever O which has an oblique slot at its other end
(Fig. 3) and in being pushed through the opening by the inward motion of the
disc B on the introduction of the hand, it raises a sliding bar D having pins D'
and D (Figs. 3 and 5).
These pins bear against spring catches E E¹ having teeth F F with which they
bear at diametrically opposite points on periphery of the disc G fixed on the axis H
of the crank handle J K and having three notches into which the teeth can enter
when disc is brought into certain positions. Of these notches one is at top
diametrically opposite the crank handle J, K, so that when this is in the central or
normal position the upper catch E in entering the notch, prevents the handle from
moving.
The other two notches are situated at equal angles on either side of the vertical
centre line, so that on the catch E being raised out of its notch and the handle being
moved to either side until either of the lower notches is in the vertical centre line, the
lower catch E will enter it and thus lock the handle in the position into which it has
been moved. The raising of the catch E out of the top notch is effected by the upper
pin D₁ of the sliding bar D when this is raised by the opening of the disc B on the
introduction of the hand, as above described.
If the handle is then moved to the one side or the other for recording a vote,
it will be locked in such position by the lower catch as described, so that it is not
possible to move the handle back again in order to repeat the vote, the handle
being only released from the locked position upon the withdrawal of the hand from
the hole, as the disc B in closing again will draw back the lever C, thereby causing
the slide D to descend and disengage the catch El from the notch of G by means
of the pin D so that the handle J K can then swing back into its central position,
where it will be again locked by the upper catch E.
At the moment when the catch E' enters the one or other of the lower notches, a
registration of a vote on the one or other of the counter mechanisms will be effected,
and the voter will know whether he has moved the handle far enough for this purpose
by the fact that it then becomes locked in position, whereas if it is not moved
sufficiently far to effect a registration it will swing back again when let go of. As

page_text: the disc G catches E E¹ and slide D are situated behind the partition of the box they
cannot be tampered with by the hand of the voter.
The mechanism for actuating the one or other of the counters is as follows:-
The spindle H of the crank handle carries in addition to the crank handle J K and
dise G an arm L having a pin N (Figs. 4 and 7) entering a slot in a sliding piece P
the ends of which are of rectangular section and slide in correspondingly shaped
guide holes in supports R Fig. 3. The slide P carries a bar or double finger S
having inclines formed at its ends. Opposite these inclines are wheels T T fixed on
the axes of the two counter mechanisms a a, which wheels have teeth formed with
inclines corresponding to those of the fingers, and they have also annular pro-
jections with a number of teeth or notches corresponding to that of the teeth on
the wheels T. Into these notches take the ends of the segmental shaped arın M
carried by the spindle which arm thus locks both wheels T and prevents them from
turning the counters. The apparatus operates as follows:-
On moving the crank handle J K say to the right, the consequent movement of the
arm L also moves the slide P with finger S to the right, while the arm M turns to
the left, thereby passing out of gear with the ring U of the right hand wheel T, and
consequently leaving the latter free to turn. By the time this is effected the incline
of the finger S reaches a tooth on the wheel T and in sliding inward. upon the same
causes the wheel to turn through a distance equal to the spring of the teeth, or nearly
So. When the crank handle J K has been moved to the extreme angular position,
the spring catch E¹ enters the notch on disc G and prevents the handle from being
moved back, as already described, and at the same time a spring pawl V gearing with
the teeth of a ratchet wheel W,Fig. 3 prevents the wheel T from turning back
again. When, on the release of the crank handle as described this swings back to
its central position, the disc M will again enter the next tooth or notch of the ring U,
and will in consequence of the inclined surface of such notch, turn the right hand
wheel T to a slight extent further round in the same direction as that in which it was
moved by the finger S, so that this may correctly act on the following tooth when it
is again moved in the same direction.
When the apparatus is in the normal condition of rest, all parts of the mechanism
assume a symmetrical position, in consequence of which the two wheels T, being both
locked by the arm M, no movement of the counter mechanism can take place during
the carrying, tilting or shaking of the ballot box.
To enable the counter mechanisms to be set to zero, there is provided in the back
inclined surface of the box (Fig. 3) an opening X through which a key can be intro-
duced upon the end of the spindle H, so that on compressing the spring Y by the key,
the disc M will thereby be made loose on the spindle H. If now the key be turned
first to the left, the arm M will be turned so as to free the right hand counter
mechanism, so that this can be set to zero, after which by turning the key to the right,
the same can be effected with the left hand counter.
The numbers registered by the counters are read off through openings Z covered
with glass, and also enclosed in any suitable manner during the process of balloting.
The counter mechanism can be of any suitable known construction.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew a modified arrangement for actuating the wheels T of the counter.
When using wheels with teeth having inclines as described actuated by inclines on
the finger S, it would be possible to move the one finger say only about half way, and
then to move it back again and move the other finger the full distance so as to record
a vote on the other side.
This circumstance would be of no importance if the balloting were continued after-
wards; but if this action should be effected by the last person balloting, the unit wheel
of the counter on the side on which the imperfect action was effected would be moved
only partly through the required distance, and consequently the numeral of the units
would not be in line with those of the ten and hundred ; thus for example they might
stand thus: 2. 4. 6.

page_text: In order to prevent the possibility of this occurring the wheels T instead of being
formed with teeth having inclines, may be formed with inclined and horizontal grooves
of the form shewn at Fig. 6, and the fingers S be provided with projecting studs of
rhomboidal shape as at R b, the inclined faces being parallel with the grooves of the
wheel T. On moving the finger towards the wheel, the stud in entering the groove
opposite it will effect the turning of the wheel, and consequently also the unit wheel
of the counter. If the finger be moved through its full stroke, the stud Rb will on
the return motion pass along the horizontal part of the groove, and will consequently
impart no motion to the wheel thereby; if on the other hand, the finger were moved
back again before completing its stroke the stud, remaining in the inclined groove,
would cause the wheel T to move back again the same distance which it had moved
forward, so that the counter would continue to show the previously registered unit.
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 ballot box in which balloting balls are dispensed with, the registration of the
votes being effected by one or other of two counters that are actuated, by a crank
handle moved to the right hand or to the left by the hand of the voter inserted
through a hole in the ballot box substantially as herein described.
2. In balloting mechanism such as is referred to in the preceding claim, preventing
the recording of two votes by one and the same operator, by causing the bandle to be
locked in the position into which it is moved for voting until the hand has been with-
drawn from the ballot box substantially as herein described.
3. In balloting mechanism such as is referred to in the first claim, effecting the
locking of the crank handle in the central position until the hand of a voter is inserted
through the hole of the ballot box, and thereby also locking the counter mechanism so
as to prevent its being shifted by the carrying tilting or shaking of the ballot box
substantially as herein described.
4. In balloting mechanism such as is referred to in the first claim the combination
of the disc B, lever C, sliding bar D with pins D1 D2 crank handle J K, spindle H,
notched disc G, spring catches E, E¹, arm L, slide P, finger with inclines S,
wheels TT, U U, and segment shaped arin M, arranged and operating substantially
as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.
5. In balloting mechanism such as is referred to in the first claim, the use for
actuating, the counter mechanisms, of wheels T with inclined and horizontal grooves
instead of teeth, into which take studs Rb on the fingers S actuated by the crank
handle J K, and so arranged as to cause the wheels T to be moved back again into
their former position when the finger has not been moved far enough to complete the
recording of a vote, thereby preventing the unit numeral of the counter from
appearing otherwise than in line with the other numerals, substantially as described,
with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings.
6. The improved construction of ballot box combined and operating substantially as
herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of April 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.