IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING, COUNTING, AND RECORDING VOTES BY BALLOT
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Stone, of Dulwich Hill, in the
County of Surrey, Member of Parliament, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING,
COUNTING, AND RECORDING VOTES BY BALLOT."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Stone
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd July 1869.
I, WILLIAM HENRY STONE, of Dulwich Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Member of Parliament, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS AND APPARATUS FOR
TAKING, COUNTING, AND RECORDING VOTES BY BALLOT," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to enable votes to be taken and
registered by self-acting machinery actuated by the ballots or balls in
such manner as to preclude the possibility of fraud, and at the same time
to ensure perfect secrecy to voters. For these purposes a suitable apart-
ment or chamber is provided for the reception of the voter, who is

page_text: thereby entirely screened from other parties whilst recording his votes,
which is done by feeding the ballots or balls (all of which are alike in
size and color) through openings in the sides of suitable guide tubes
or receptacles, whose tops are by preference closed to preclude the
thrusting therein of anything that might damage the apparatus, and
when two or more members are to be elected arrangements are made
whereby the opening of the barrier for the admission of a voter into the
apartment or voting chamber is caused to complete the setting of the
entire apparatus in position for receiving and recording votes.
.
For recording the votes in favor of each candidate I employ a
counting apparatus of ordinary or other construction, which for the
sake of simplicity in construction may be made capable of counting up
to one thousand, and in combination therewith I employ a wheel.or
disc having vanes or projections upon which the ballots or balls operate,
in such manner as that each will record one vote only, for which purpose
the ball is fed by the voter into a slotted guide tube or channel pro-
'vided with a pivotted arm, lever, or equivalent device which actuates
a suitable catch or stopper, so as to prevent the wheel or disc from
turning on its axis excepting at the proper times and to the proper
extent.
Where there is only one member to be returned the ball after being
fed by the voter into the guide tube or channel first comes in contact
with a projecting portion of the pivotted arm, lever, or equivalent device
already mentioned, so as to relieve the wheel from the restraint of the
'catch or stopper, after which the ball strikes one of the vanes or pro-
jections, and thereby causes the wheel or disc to rotate sufficiently to
move the counter so as to register one unit, after which the ball in its
farther progress operates upon the other end of the arm, lever, or device
by which the catch or stopper is again brought into operation, in such
manner as to prevent the wheel from moving the counter through a
second unit. The balls, from each tube or channel after passing down
the tubes are received into and led away by suitable guide channels,
which deliver them to the officer in charge, who can thus check the
number of balls fed by each voter.
Where there are several candidates some of the receptacles and record-
ing machines may be situated at a shorter distance than others from
the aperture by which the balls finally escape. In such cases in order

page_text: that the length of time occupied by the ball in escaping may afford no
evidence as to the nature of the vote given, I provide return channels
so arranged that the distance through which the ball has to travel before
it reaches the exit aperture, and consequently also the time which it
occupies in making its final escape, are about the same whatever may
be the position of the guide tube or receptacle into which it was
originally fed by the voter.
In cases where two members are to be elected, in order to prevent
the voter from voting twice for the same candidate, which in the
election of members of Parliament is illegal, I provide a valve or
valves so arranged that the ball in passing down to the vane or
projection of the wheel or disc causes the valve or valves to close
the upper portion of the guide tube or channel leading to the vanes
of the wheel, and to open another or branch tube, so that any sub-
sequent ball fed into the same tube by the same voter will escape
down the branch tube without actuating or in any way affecting the
recording mechanism.
Where three members are to be elected, and each voter is allowed
to give two votes to one candidate, I employ an upper and a lower
valve and divide the receiving tube into three branches, the first and
second of which reunite after passing the valves and communicate
with the wheel while the third passes direct to the outlet channel.
According to this arrangement the first ball placed in the tube will
pass down the first branch, moving the wheel or disc, and turning
the upper valve in its passage so as to close the first branch and
open the second; the second ball will pass down the second branch,
moving the wheel and turning the lower valve in its passage, so as to
close the second branch and open the third, while the third ball will
proceed along the third branch without touching the vanes or projections
of the wheel or disc.
In cases where more than three members are to be returned the
arrangement of the guide tubes or channels and valves may obviously
be modified accordingly. For setting the whole of the apparatus again.
in position to receive and record fresh ballots for all the candidates
after each voter has recorded his votes, the valves of the guide tubes,
receptacles, or channels into which the balls are fed are provided with
bent arms, levers, or equivalent devices, which are operated upon by
adjustabi arms or projections on a horizontal rod or rods capable of

page_text: moving endwise, and which can be shortened or lengthened as required,
and is or are brought into operation by the movement of the barriers
during the exit and entrance of the voters.
In order to render tampering impossible, I prefer that the whole of
the apparatus with the exception of the feeding tubes and dials of the
counters should be contained within a suitable casing or casings, which
may form the wall or walls of the voting chamber, and that while any
voting is going on the dials or faces of the counting mechanism should
be obscured by means of shutters or doors properly fastened by means
of suitable locks.
In carrying out this Invention the dials are so placed as to enable
the public and parties interested to witness the setting of the counting
apparatus before the recording of the votes commences, as also to
inspect the positions of the indicators on the conclusion of the voting.
It will be evident that by the employment of the arrangements de-
scribed great facility is afforded for the taking of votes in such manner,
that the public and parties interested may be fully assured as to the
accuracy of the results, which cannot be the case where the voting is
conducted according to the ordinary system of placing the balls or
tickets in a box, so that they have to be subsequently counted by the
returning officer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Stone in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY STONE, of Dulwich Hill, in the County of Surrey, Member of
Parliament, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Stone, Her
special licence that I, the said William Henry Stone, my, executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William

page_text: Henry Stone, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to. time and at all times.
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING,
COUNTING, AND RECORDING VOTES BY BALLOT," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Stone, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Stone, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to enable votes to be taken and regis-
tered by the action of ballots or balls in such manner as to preclude.
the possibility of fraud, and at the same time to ensure perfect secrecy.
to voters, and it relates to self-acting machinery of that class wherein a
special apartment for screening the voter from view is provided with,
guido tubes or receptacles through whose openings the ballots: or balls.
are fed, and being properly guided are caused to operate upon mechanism
connected with counting apparatus, whereby the passage of the ballots
or balls is duly recorded, any illegitimate application thereof being either
unrecorded or duly detected..
My improvements are designed to render such machinery more
efficient and reliable in its operation than heretofore, and relate to,-
Firstly. The application of a simple. valve arrangement herein-after
described, which is actuated by the entry and exit barriers of the voting
apartment for opening and closing the guide tubes or channels of the
recording mechanism.
Secondly. The peculiar construction and application partially within
the guide tube or channel of the pivotted arm or lever, with a catch or
stopper arranged to be moved into position by the positive and direct

page_text: action of the ballots or balls for effectually locking the vane wheel
or disc to prevent its turning too far when operated upon by a ballot or
ball.
Thirdly. The peculiar arrangement and application of two sets. of
valves to a guide tube or channel, with branches as. herein-after described
providing for two votes being given for one candidate when three
candidates are to be elected.
Fourthly. The arrangement of the exit passages as herein-after
described for regulating the time occupied by each ballot or ball in
travelling from the guide tubes or channels to the exit aperture.
And, lastly. The arrangements whereby tampering with the mechanism
is precluded, and which enable the public and parties interested to
witness the setting of the counting apparatus before the recording of
the votes commences, as also to inspect the positions of the indicators
on the conclusion of the voting without entering the voting apartment.
In carrying out this Invention the ballots or balls, which should all
be alike in size and color, are fed through openings in the sides of the
guide tubes or channels, whose tops are by preference closed to preclude
the thrusting therein of anything that might damage the apparatus or
impede its operation, and when two or more members or other persons
are to be elected arrangements are made whereby the opening of the
barrier for the admission of a voter into the apartment or voting chamber
is caused to complete the setting of the entire apparatus in position for
receiving and recording votes.
For recording the votes in favour of each candidate, I employ a
counting apparatus of ordinary or other construction capable of being
worked by rotative motion, and which for the sake of simplicity in con-
struction may be made capable of counting, say, up to one thousand, and
in combination therewith I employ a wheel or disc having vanes or
projections, upon which the ballots or balls operate in such manner as
that each will record one vote only, for which purpose the ballot or ball
is fed by the voter into a slotted. guide tube or channel provided with a
pivotted arm or lever formed with a suitable catch or stopper, which by
the action of the arm or lever prevents the wheel or disc from turning
on its axis excepting at the proper times and to the proper extent.
When only one vote is to be given by each voter for any candidate
the ballot or ball, after being fed by the voter into the guide tube or
channel, first comes in contact with an inclined projection on the
>

page_text: pivotted arm or lever already mentioned, so as to relieve the wheel from
the restraint of the catch or stopper, after which the ballot or ball
strikes one of the vanes or projections, and thereby causes the wheel
or disc to rotate sufficiently to move the counter so as to register one unit,
after which the ballot or ball in its further progress operates upon. the
other end of the arm or lever, by which the catch or stopper is again
brought into operation in such manner as to prevent the wheel from
moving the counter through a second unit.. The balls from each tube or
channel after passing down the tubes are received, into and led away by
suitable guide channels, which deliver them to the officer in charge,
who can thus check the number of balls fed by each voter.
When there are several candidates some of the receptacles and record-
ing machines may be situated at a shorter distance than others from
the aperture by which the balls finally escape. In such cases in order
that the length of time occupied by the ball in escaping may afford no
evidence as to the nature of the vote given, I provide return channels.
so arranged that the distance through which the ball has to travel before.
it reaches. the exit aperture, and consequently also the time which it.
occupies in making its final escape, are about the same whatever may be.
the position of the guide tube or receptacle into which it was originally
fed by the voter..
In cases where two members are to be elected, in order to prevent the
voter from voting, twice for the same candidate, I provide a valve or
valves so arranged that the ball in passing down to the vane or projection
of the wheel or disc causes the valve or valves to close the upper portion.
of the guide tube or channel leading to the vanes of the wheel, and to
open another or branch tube, so that any subsequent ball fed into the
same tube by the same voter will escape down the branch tube without
actuating or in any way affecting the recording mechanism..
If at any time three persons are to be elected, and each voter is
allowed to give two votes for one candidate (as. has sometimes been
proposed for parliametary elections), I employ an upper and a lower
valve, and divide the receiving tube into. three branches, the first and
second of which reunite after passing the valves and communicate
with the wheel, while the third passes direct to the outlet channel.
In cases where more than three persons are to be returned, the
arrangement of the guide tubes or channels and valves may obviously
be modified accordingly..

page_text: For setting the whole of the apparatus again in position to receive
and record fresh ballots for all the candidates after each voter has.
recorded his votes, the valves of the guide tubes, receptacles, or channels.
into which the balls are fed are provided with bent arms, levers, or
equivalent devices, which are operated upon by adjustable arms or pro-
jections on a horizontal rod or rods capable of moving endwise, and
which can be shortened or lengthened as required, and is or are brought
into operation by the movement of the barriers during the exit and
entrance of the voters.
In order to render tampering impossible I prefer that the whole of
the apparatus with the exception of the feeding tubes and dials of the
counters should be contained within a suitable casing or casings, which
may form the wall or walls of the voting chamber, and that while any
voting is going on the dials or faces of the counting mechanism should
be obscured by means of shutters or doors properly fastened by means
of suitable locks. The dials are so placed as to enable the public and
parties interested to witness the setting of the counting apparatus
before the recording of the votes commences, as also to inspect the
position of the indicators on the conclusion of the voting.
The apparatus constructed as herein-after more particularly described
is, with great advantage, made in parts so constructed relatively one
to the other that the complete apparatus if arranged, for instance, for
voting for two candidates with two sets of voting and recording apparatus
can be easily adapted for voting for three or more candidates. This
is effected by adding one or more compartments and connecting the
compartment or compartments in such a manner that the adapted
apparatus can be used for three or more candidates.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in elevation the
front part of the interior of a voting apartment for five candidates
arranged according to my Invention for use at elections in which each
voter is not entitled to give more than one vote for any individual
candidate. In this view one of the doors of the inner casing is shown
open to illustrate the arrangement of the balloting apparatus, which
is repeated for each candidate. Figure 2 is a sectional plan (through
the line A, B, Figure 1) of the entrance end of the voting apartment.
. Figure 3 is an elevation drawn to. a larger scale and partly in section
shewing a slotted guide tube and branch (or waste) tube with corre-
sponding valve arrangement, pivotted lever, and vane wheel. Figure 4

page_text: is a view taken at right angles to the foregoing, the slotted tube being
shown in section through the line C, D, of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a side
elevation of the valve and its bent arm or lever full size.
Figure 6, a
full size view of the valve at right angles to the foregoing. Figure 7,
a full size elevation of the locking lever and its pivot; and Figure 8,
an elevation of the same at right angles to the foregoing.
a is the outer casing of the voting apartment; a¹ the entrance, and a²
the exit openings; a³ the inner casing, and a* its lock up doors forming
chambers or cupboards for containing the recording mechanism; a³,
end screens for screening voters from the view of the officers or other
persons near the entrance and exit openings. b are the guide tubes
or receptacles, secured in position by metal bands 6* attached to the
plate ; b, openings in the tube b through which the balls are fed; c,
the branch or waste tubes communicating with the valve chambers
of the guide tubes b; d, the valve spindles. The valves are formed with
parts against which the balls strike in their descent, and with other
parts which then close their corresponding guide tubes b, and open
the waste tubes c, in each case guiding the balls into their proper
channels; d, bent arms or levers attached to the valve spindles d and
actuated by the adjustable arms of the horizontal rod hercin-after
described in connection with the barriers; e, fixed stops for preventing
excessive movement of the arms or levers d and the valves; 62, slots in
the sides of the tubes b; f, levers pivotted at f¹ upon the ends of the arms g
whose other ends are secured to the plates h attached to the framing of
the cupboards; fs, the inclined projections of the levers against which
the balls strike; f³, the projecting catches or stoppers formed upon the
upper arms of the levers for preventing excessive rotation of the vane
wheels, and f the lower arms of the levers; ³, slots in the guide
tubes b; i, wheels provided with vanes i', which take into the slots 6³,
as seen best in Figure 3; 2, axles of the vane wheels i. Upon these
axles toothed wheels are to be secured, which must gear into the wheels
of the counting apparatus, so that every time the wheels i are caused
by the balls to move through a space equal to the distance apart of
the vanes such movement being communicated through the axles *
to the toothed wheels shall cause the counting apparatus in connection
therewith to indicate one unit. The toothed wheels and counting
apparatus are not shown in the Drawing because they are well known
mechanical contrivances, various modifications of which can obviously

page_text: be adapted with facility to the rotating axles of the wheels i so as to
accurately record the number of votes given according to my Invention.
k, k, indicate the positions of the counting apparatus, and the
locked shutters or doors of their dials; is the main channel or
conduit by which the balls. after passing down the guide tubes b and
waste tubes c (and channels ) are conducted to, the exit aperture;
are the return channels for regulating the time occupied by each
ball in reaching the exit aperture, so. that the balls from every guide
tube shall occupy the same time in escaping. The bottoms of the
channels and are to be covered with vulcanized india-rubber or other
suitable material for deadening sound. is a pocket similar to those used
in ordinary billiard tables for receiving the balls. to be counted by the
official in attendance; m is the entrance barrier, and m¹ the exit barrier;
they are hinged at me to the main frame of the casing a, and are provided
with curved parts m³ faced with metal and are formed with apertures m
for the purposes herein-after described;, n is the horizontal rod, and n
are its adjustable ends provided with antifriction rollers, as shown.
This rod is supported at intervals by the framing and is. capable of
moving endwise therein when operated upon by the curved parts. m³
of the barriers. n are the adjustable arms of the rod. n,, one such arm
being provided for each valve..
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The voter being provided
with two balls, if he wishes to vote for two candidates. he places each
ball in the proper opening 6', each ball then turns the corresponding
valve on its spindle d, causing the part d to close the guide tubo b
leading to the wheel i and opening the waste tube c, and at the same
time throwing the bent arm or lever d into the position indicated by
the dotted line in Figure 3; the ball proceeding down its guide tube b
comes in contact with the incline f so as to draw back the catch or
stoppers from the vane wheel, after which the ball strikes. the vane ¹,
causing the wheel i to rotate sufficiently to move the counter, so as to
record one vote for the respective candidate, after which the ball operates
upon the lower arm f* of the lever f, thereby causing its upper arm to
return with the catch or stopper and so to arrest any further rotation of
the wheel i. The ball passes away by the channels into the pocket ²,
and the number of balls proceeding from each voter may be checked by
the officer in attendance. If the voter wishes to plump he places
one ball as before in the proper opening 6'; this ball moves the counting

page_text: apparatus and records a vote as in the last case.
The voter in this case
then places his second ball in the same opening 6', this ball passes down
the waste tube c and does not move either the valve or the counting
apparatus but passes away by the channels to the pocket . The
result is that the voter "plumping" records but one vote as required by
law in elections for members of Parliament, while the fact of his having
plumped remains unknown. On leaving the voting apartment each
voter has to raise the exit barrier m³, whose curved part m³ ensures the
instantaneous corresponding movement of the sliding rod n towards the
entrance barrier until it has been moved sufficiently far, when the hole
2 comes opposite to the end n' of the rod, whose endwise movement
then discontinues. The curved projections m³ of the barriers by coming
in contact with the framing of the entrance and exit openings also
prevent the raising of the barriers into a vertical position, and thereby
ensure their falling down so as to close the openings after the entry or
exit of a voter. By raising the exit barrier the voter pushes the sliding
rod n and its adjustable arms n² sufficiently far to ensure their coming into
contact with and replacing in their original positions (as seen in Figure 3)
any of the bent arms or levers & which have been moved, and thus sets
the valves in position for opening their guide tubes and closing their
waste tubes c, but no ball can now pass, as the bent arms or levers d³
are held by the adjustable arms 22. The next voter by raising the
entrance barrier pushes back the sliding rod n and sets free the bent
arms or levers d and their valves. When one candidate only is to be
elected the apparatus may consist only of the dials, counting apparatus,
wheels with vanes, the peculiar pivotted levers with stoppers, a single
guide tube 6 for each wheel, and the channels 7 and 1, the sliding rod n,
barriers m, m³, valves, and waste branches c being unnecessary. The
normal apparatus in such a case will contain two counting machines, that
being the smallest number of candidates requiring a poll. Supplemental
compartments, each containing one set of receiving and recording
apparatus with corresponding channels 1, 1, arranged so as to be readily
attached to other compartments, may in all cases be provided and kept
in stock so that one or more of them can be added if the number of
candidates requires it. The length of channel in the supplemental
compartments must be so placed as to correspond to the ends of the
channels as used in the apparatus as it was before arranged for voting
for the fewer number of candidates. The supplemental compartments
must be added at the end at which the balls enter the pocket 1, and are

page_text: to be fitted with projecting plates for the purpose of screwing them on,
and the whole can be set up at the end or side of any room. The
channels of the supplemental compartments may be made adjustable
by means of horizontal pegs, so that any such compartment may be
placed in any position required; the top of each may have a projecting
arm to fit into the outer jamb. of the doorway of the voting apartment..
Each voter will be furnished with as many balls, as there are members
to be returned, and if he attempts to give an additional vote by means
of a ball taken in by himself he will at once be detected by the officer
in charge when that ball rolls. out. The only precaution required will
be that only one voter shall be allowed to be behind the screen at a
time. When three members are to be returned the apparatus may be
made expressly to contain six counting machines, or additional com-
partments may be added to a simple double voting apparatus. In
other respects the arrangements will be similar to those described with
reference to Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 9, Sheet 2, is a full size view with the tubes in section showing
the arrangement of apparatus I employ when two votes may be given
for one candidate. According to this arrangement the first ball placed
in the tube b will be guided by the upper valve so as to pass down the
lower portion of that tube, which for clearness I will call the first
branch, moving the wheel i and turning the upper valve in its passage
so as to close the first branch 6 by the part d² of the valve and to open
the second branch 6. The second ball will pass down the second
branch 6, moving the wheel i and turning the lower valve in its passage
so as to close the second branch 6 by the part d' of the valve and to.
open the third or waste branch c. The third ball will pass along the
third branch c and proceed by the channels 7 (described with reference.
to other Figures) to the pocket 3 without touching the vanes or
projections of the wheel or disc. It will be observed that in this case a
separate adjustable arm n³ to the rod n is provided for each valve, and
that each valve has a bent arm d³, similar to those described with
reference to previous Figures. The same method may be applied to
allow of any given number of votes for each candidate.
In carrying out my Invention care must be taken to have the balls
sufficiently heavy to actuate the voting mechanism.
It will be evident that by the employment of the arrangements
described, great facility is afforded for the taking of votes in such manner

page_text: that the public and parties interested may be fully assured as to the
accuracy of the results, which cannot be tlie case where the voting is
conducted according to the ordinary system of placing the balls or
tickets in a box so that they have to be subsequently counted by the
returning officer.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to point out that I
claim, the combination of parts forming the improved voting apparatus
constructed and arranged as herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Stone, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
W. H. STONE. (L.S.)
Witness,
W. LLOYD WISE,
Memb. M. Inst". Engineers,
Chandos Chambers,
Adelphi, W.C.,
Agent for the Patentee.