US728045A - Voting-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATBNTBD' MAY 12, 1903.

W. .A. SWAREN.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED IAN. 13, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Y 5 Moms vzrzns co, swmo-uwo WASHINGTUN u No. 728,045. PATEI ITED MAY 12, 1903-" W. A. SWAREN. VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIONI'ILED JAN. 13, 1902.

N0 MODEL. v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. x

I PATENTED MAY 12, 1903. W. A. SWAREN.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN, 13, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

jizor fia ys.

UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

? PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM A. SWAREN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SEECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,045, dated May .12, 1903.

Application filed January 13, 1902. Serial No. 89,590. (No model.)

10 all whom, it 717/07 concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM'A. SWAREN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen is in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of my invention are to provide an improved voting-machine which is capable of counting and registering the votes fora plurality of parties and candidates and at the same time permitting and registering the voting for an unlimited number of irregular parties and candidates, to pro vide efficient means for preventing a voter from repeating his vote, to provide improved means to prevent a voter from accidentally casting votes for more than one candidate for the same office, to provide simple means for voting for an entire party at once, permitting the scratching a vote for a particular candidate and the substitution of an opposing candidate after the machine has been set for such party vote and permitting the voter to make changes in his vote or rearrange same with absolute freedom up to the time of the final action by which he permanently registers such vote, to provide improved means for informing the voter when his vote is complete" that is, when he has cast a vote for one candidate for each officeto provide improved means for notifyingthe judges of the election when the voter has completed his vote, to provide improved means for preventing access to the voting mechanism by a voter after his vote has been permanently registered, and to provide improved means whereby the judges of election may have a limited control over the use of the machine. I accomplish these objects by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan, partlybroken away, of a voting-machine constructed according to my invention and having the cover'reinoved. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, being also partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a transversesection of the same along the line 3 3, also partly broken away. Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the counting-wheels ofa registering device,

the door5 is in its closed positionl 17 is normally held in engagement with the illustrating the operation of the controllingpinions of'said registering device. Fig. 5 is a plan'of a pair of counting-wheels, showing the relative position'of such wheels and their controlling-pinion. The pinion is shown at one side for the sake of clearness. Fig. 6'is an enlargement of that part of the section shown in Fig. 3 which refers to the devices for receiving irregular ballots and showing an irregular ballot in position. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the pawl 17.

The device shown consists of a casing 4, having a movable cover 5 hinged along the edge 6 and having a removable bottom 7 @hinged along the edge 8. Within the casing '4 and near its upperpartisasliding platform or key-plate 9.

v The key-plate 9 is horizontally disposed and restsupon the ledges 10, which are secured to the sides of the casing 4. The key-plate 9 is considerably narrower than the inside of the casing 4and is transversely slidable upon the ledges 10. The key-plate 9 is guided and held against its removal from the ledges 10 by means of the guides 11. A

i roller 12 is secured to one side of the key-plate '0. A cam 13 is'seoured to the cover 5 in such a plate 9 to be slid forward, so that its forward edge 15,will be brought into contact with the wall16 of the forward part of the casing 4when A pawl teeth 18 of the cam 13 by means of the spring 19 and prevents the lifting ofthe cover 5 after the same has been closed. An electromagnet 20 is secured within the casing 4 in suitable position to draw the pawl 17 out of engagement with the teeth 18 when an eleccuit, including an electric bell 22 or other signal, the switch 25, the push-button 23, and the battery 21, is adapted to indicate when the cover 5 is opened. The switch 25 is held normally open by means of the spring 26, thus preventing the action of the signal 22 except when the cover 5'is in its closed position and the parts of the switch 25 are forced into contact with each other by means of the lug 27 on the cam 13. When the wiring is arranged as shown in Fig. 3, the bell 22 will ring when the button 23 is pressed, butwill cease ringing as soon as the cover 5 is opened and the circuit broken by the spring 26.

A series of keys 28 are disposed upon the key-plate 9 and are preferably arranged in tabular form of intersecting rows, which will hereinafter be distinguished as rows and columns. A separate voting-key is provided for each regular candidate, said keys being arranged so that those representing candidates in the same party will'occur in the same column and those representing candidates for the same office will occur in the same row.

The keys 28 are secured to the key-plate 9 by means of the guides 29. The keys 28 are provided with cylindrical shanks 30, extending through the key-plate 9, and each is provided with a shoulder 31, which bears against the lower side of the key-plate 9 and prevents the key from tilting or becoming shaky. Two of the guides 29 extend longitudinally along each of the columns of voting-keys and serve to hold the shoulders 31 in contact with the key-plate 9. The shank 30 of the key 28 extends a considerable distance below the shoulder 31. In the vicinity of each key 28 the key-plate 9 is provided with a slot 32, extending in the direction of the column and limiting the movement of the shank 3O relatively to the key-plate 9. A cam-plate 33 extends along each row of keys and is provided with a camslot 34 for receiving each of the shanks 30. The cam-piates 33 are slidable along the key plate longitudinally of the rows of keys, but are secured against transverse movement by means of the guides 35. These cam-slots are preferably made in the form shown in Fig.1,which consist of-a branch 36, extending in the direction of the row, and a branch 37, extending at an angle to both rows and columns of keys. The branches 36 of each cam-plate 33 are in alinement both with themselves and with their respective row of keys when said keys are in their normal position. The angle between the branches 36 and 37 in the same column is identical; but each column has a distinct angle of its ownthat is, no two cam-slots in the same cam-plate, and therefore in the same row, are alike. As shown in the drawings, each of the cam-slots 34 in each cam-plate 33 has an angle between its branches 36 and 37 which is slightly more acute than that of any of the cam-slots to the left of the same. Since the keys 28 are seated in parallel slots 32 in the key-plate 9 and are confined against lateral movement with respect to said slots, itis evident that the varying angles of the branches 37 of the cam-slots 34 will prevent the simultaneous movement of two keys in the same row. The cam-slot 34 is provided with an additional branch 38 in order that the cam-plate may be moved still farther to the left after said cam-plate has been moved to the left by the movement of its respective key 28 along the branch 37. The purpose of the branch 38 will be hereinafter explained in the description of the irregular-voting mechanism. A bar 40 extends along each column of keys 28 and is slidable along said column of keys, but is confined against lnovement laterally of said col= urnn. Each of the bars 40 is provided with a plurality of slots 41, each of which engages the shank 30 of one of the keys 28. The slots 42 of the bars 40 are adapted to receive the shanks of the screws 43, which serve to limit the movement of the bars 40 longitudinally of the direction of the column. The bar 40,which will hereinafter be cailed the party-bar, is provided with a knob 44, which is rigidly secured to the bar 40, so as to move with it, and which is also provided with a shank 30, like those of the keys 28. When the knob 44 is moved toward the bottom of Fig. l, the bar 40 carries all of the keys of the column with it, and consequently operates every register in such column, as will be hereinafter described. Between the bars 40 the cam-plates 33 are covered by the plates 45, which are secured to the key-plate 9 and upon which are pasted the names of the offices and candidates to which the respective keys apply, each of the columns being headed by the name of the party and each key having at the right thereof the title of the office and the name of the candidate to which said key applies, all candidates for the same office being placed in the same row and each in the column of the party to which he belongs.

The particular device shown in the drawings makes a provision for four regular parties. Other parties and other candidates running independently of parties are provided for by the fifth column of keys, which move in the slots 41 in the piate 40. Alist of the most prominent irregular candidates may be pasted inside of the cover 5 for convenient reference by the voter.

Within the casing 4 and disposed in parallel relation to the key-plate 9 isa bed-plate 46, to which are secured a series of registering devices 49, one of same being in connection with each of the knobs 28 and 44 when the key-plate 9 is in the position shown in the figures. Connection between the shanks 30 and the wheels 47 of the registering devices 49 is had by means of the pins 48, which project horizontally from the wheels 47. The pins 48 are of such length that when the key-plate 9 is moved forward by means of the cam 14 the shanks 30 will no longer be in mesh with IIO the pins 48, and the keys 28 may then be returned to their normal position without affecting the count of the registers 49.

Each of the registering devices 49 consists of a frame 50, within which are journaled on the shaft 51 a series of counting-wheels 47 and 52, each riding loosely on said shaft and having on its rim the numbers from 0 to 9, as is common in devices of this class. The wheel 47 is held against a shoulder on the shaft 51 by means of the spring 53. The wheels 52 are provided on their left-hand side with the gear-teeth 54 and on their righthand side with a single tooth-space 55 and a cam 56, surrounding said tooth-space. EX- tending parallel to the shaft 51 and seated in slots 57in theframe 49isasmallshaft 58,which carries the pinions 59, by means of which motion is transmitted from the wheel 47 to the successive wheels 52. The pinions 59 are each provided with six teeth, all of which are in engagement with the teeth 54 of therighthand counting-wheel. The alternate teeth 60 are somewhat narrower than the teeth 61, so that the teeth 60 will not come in contact with the rim of the left-hand wheel. The cam 56 is adapted to engage the narrow teeth 60 and cause the tooth-space 55 to mesh with one of the teeth 61 of the pinion 59, turning same and driving the next wheel to the left through one-tenth of a revolution. When the cam 56 is not in engagement with the pinion 59, two of the wide teeth 61 of said pinion will bear upon the rim of the righthand wheel, and thereby lock the left-hand wheel against rotation. The shafts 58 are seated in the slots 57 and are preferably connected together by a frame which is not shown, so that all of the pinions 59 may be thrown out of engagement with their respective wheels to permit said wheels to be set to zero before the commencement of the voting. The crossbar 63 of the frame 49 is so located as to engage the teeth of the pinions 59 and prevent their turning while the counting-wheels 47 and 52 are being reset. Suitable apertures 64 are provided in the bed-plate 46 for the purpose of permitting the reading of the register 49, and the whole bed-plate is covered by a glass plate 65. Secured to each of the cam-plates 33 and insulated therefrom is a pin 66. A series of clips 67 are secured along the ledge 10 at the front of the casing 4 and are adapted to engage the pins 66 when their respective cam-plates 33 are moved forward, as shown at 68 in Fig. 1. The first and last of the clips 67 are connected by wires to the battery 69 and the bell 70 in such manner that when all of the cam-plates 33 are moved forward the succession of clips 67 and pins 66 will complete an electric circuit and cause the bell 70 to ring. To permit an irregular ballot to be cast, the following device is employed:

Each of the cam-plates 33 is provided with 33 may be moved forward after the knob 28' has already moved said cam-plate as far as the same will be thrown by the action of the cam 34. is provided to permit said forward movement of the cam-plate 33. The branch 38 is made sufficiently long so that the cam-plate 33 may be moved by the knob 71 until the aperture 72 is brought into conjunction with the receptacle or tube 73, thus permitting the insertion of a ballot 74 into the tube 73. forward movement of the key-plate 9, due to the partial closing of the cover 5, will bring the tube 73 and also the aperture 72 still farther to the left and into direct line with the aperture 75 in the bed-plate 46 and permit the ballot 74 to fall into a compartment 76, which is provided in the lower part of the casing 4 for the receipt of such ballots. Continued closing of the cover will bring the ends 68 of the cam-plate 33 into contactwith the wall 16, and thereby return the plates 33 to their normal position with respect to the keyplate 9. A partition 77, connected with the tube 73 and moving forward with same, will cause the ballots 74 to be pushed into the forward part of the compartment 76 and prevent their accumulating below the aperture 75. A bar 78 is rigidly connected with the knob 44 and is provided with a succession of slots 79,1'nto which the pins 71 move when irregular votes are being cast. When an entire irregular ticket is to be voted for, the knob 44 will be pulled downwardly. This will bring the aperture 80 in line with the tube 81, permitting the introduction of the ballot. The bar 78 will then be in position across all of the slots 82 to prevent movement of the pins 71, thus looking all of the plates 33 and preventing the movement of any other key. The pin 83 is secured to the under side of the bar 78, and the movement of the knob 44 will bring the pin 83 into the position 83. When the cover of the box is now closed, the key-plate 9 will be moved toward the left and bring the aperture 80, the tube 81, and the aperture 84 into exact alinement. The groove 14 of the cam 13 is so formed at 14 that the movement to the left of the key-plate 9 will stop for a sufficient length of time to assure the safe deposit of the ballot through the aperture 84 and intoa compartment provided therefor similarly to the case of voting forirregularindividual candidates. The cam 85 is rigidly secured to the casing and immovable and in position to coact with the pin 83 on the bar 78. Continued movement of the plate 9 to the left brings the pin 83 on the bar 78 into contact with the cam 85 and forces the pin 83 to the position 83. Opening of the cover therefore returns the bar 78 and all of its connections to their normal positions.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: As the voter enters the voting-booth one of the judges of election by pressing a knob 71, by means of which the cam-plate upon the key 23 will energize the magnet 20 The branch 38 in the cam-slot 34 The IIO

and withdraw the pawl 17 from engagement with the cam 13, thus unlocking the cover. As soon as the voter has opened the cover the signal-circuit will be broken at 25 and the bell 22, which was set to ringing by the pressure upon the key 23, will cease ringing, thereby notifying the judges that the votingmachine is open. After the push-rod 23 is released the machine will be automatically locked when the coveris closed. If the voter wishes to vote for an entire party, it will simply be necessary for him to pull the knob 44 which corresponds to his party toward the bottom, Fig. 1. The bar 40 moving with the knob 44 will force all of the keys 28 in the same column with said knob into voting position. If the voter desires to votea mixed ticket, he may first move his party-bar into voting position, and then if he desire to scratch a particular candidate he may return theknob 28 of such candidate to its normal position and move such other knob 28 as corresponds to the candidate whom he Wishes to substitute for such scratched candidate. The return movement of any of the knobs 28 carries back the bar 40, returns the knob 44 to its normal position, and sets back the corresponding party-register. It will thus be seen that only straight tickets are counted on the party-register, While each individual candidates register counts every vote cast for such candidate. If the name of the desired candidate does not appear in any of the regular parties, the voter will move the knob 28' corresponding to the office in question and will push to the left the knob 71 until the aperture 72 comesinto conjunction with thetube 73. Aregular printed ballot supplied by the judges of election may now be taken by the voter and properly marked toindicate the candidate for Whom he is casting his vote. This ballot will then be rolled, preferably over a mandrel of definite size, sealed, and inserted into the tube 73. If the voter desires to vote for an entire irregular party, he will move the knob 44 into voting position. This will actuate the register for the irregular party. The arm 86, connecting the knob 44 with the bar 78, will move the bar 78 so that the aperture 80 will be brought into conjunction with the tube 81 and all of the apertures 72 will be closed by the bar 78. The bar 78 also confines all of the pins 71 into the slots 82, and thereby locks all of the plates 33 and prevents the movement of any other key while the key 44 is in voting position. The irregular-party ballot may now be inserted in the tube 81.

Whenever any one of the voting-keys is moved into voting position, the corresponding cam-plate will be moved into the position shown at 68 and all of the other voting-keys in the same row will be confined in the branches 36 of their respective cam-slots and locked against movement into the voting position. This positively prevents a voter from accidentally casting a vote for more than one candidate for the same olfice. When every office has been voted forthat is, when one key in each office-row has been moved to the voting positionall of the cam-plates will be thrown to the left, as at 68. All of the pins 66 will therefore be brought into contact with the clips 67, and the bell 70 will give a signal informing the voter that his vote is complete. If the voter is now entirely satisfied with his vote, he will close the cover 5 and his vote will become permanently registered. When the cover 5 closes, the roller 12, moving in the cam-slot 14, will force the key-plate 9 to the left. With the key-plate 9 all of the keys 28 will be moved and disconnected from their registering devices and the wall 16 will push all of the cam-plates 33 to their normal position, thus returning all of the keys to the upper end of their key-slots 32. When the cover 5 is opened for the next voter, the key-plate 9 will be returned to the position shown in the drawings and each of the keys 28 will be brought into mesh with its respective register and in its normal location out of voting position. Further, during the closing of the cover 5 the tubes 73 are brought into alinement with the apertures 75, and similarly the tube 81 is brought into alinement with the apertures 84, and such tubes as contain ballots will deposit their ballots into compartments 76 in the lower part of the casing during the time that the roller 12 traverses the part 14' of the slot 14. The ballots 74 are of such length that when placed in the tube 73 they will project upwardly above the cam-plate 33, and would therefore prevent the respective key 28'from being thrown back out of voting position by the voter without removing the ballot 74 from the receptacle 73 or mutilating said ballot, so that same will be void. When the voter has closed the cover 5, the pawl 17 will lock said cover in its closed position and prevent the voter from again having access to the votingkeys. The closing of the cover will also bring the lug 27 into suitable position to close the switch 25. When the next voter enters the booth, the judges by pressing the key 24 will close electric circuits and cause the bell 22 to ring and the magnet 20 to become active. This will release the pawl 17 from the teeth 18 and permit the voter to raise the cover 5 to its open position. As soon as the lug 27 is released from the switch 25, the bell-circuit will be broken and the bell Will cease ringing and give notice to the judges that the voter has opened the cover and that the push-button 23 may be released. The spring 19 will now draw the pawl 17 into position for locking the cover when same is closed. The bottom of the casing 7 is locked into position by an ordinary lock and key, and the cover 5 is also provided with a lock and key, so that the machine may be entirely locked against access after the voting has been completed. These locks are not shown in the drawings.

To read the registers, it is necessary to turn the machine upside down and unlock the bottom cover, when the counts of the various registers will be seen through the apertures 64. To reset the registers, the pinions 59 will be thrown out of mesh with the countingwheels, which may then be readily set to read zero at the apertures 64. The bars 63 will hold the pinions 59 in proper position to assemble correctly with the countingwheels when again thrown into engagement with same.

It will be seen that numerous details of the device shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not confine myself to such details except as hereinafter limited. in the claims.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a voting-machine, the combination of a key-plate having therein a series of parallel slots arranged in rows and columns; a voting-key seated in each of said slots and slidable along same; a bar extending along each column, having therein a series of corresponding slots engaging said voting-keys, each of said bars being slidable along said column and adapted to simultaneously move all of the keys in said column or permit the independent movement of said keys; a camplate extending along each of said rows, being slidable transversely of said bars and having therein a row of cam-slots each engaging one key in each column; each camslot in each cam-plate being of different shape and so formed that, when one of said keys is moved, its respective cam-plate will be moved so as to prevent the movement of any other key in the same row with said key; a series of registering devices corresponding with said voting-keys and each adapted to be advanced one count by a certain movement of its respective voting-key and adapted to be reset to indicate its previous count by a certain return movement of said key, and means for returning said key to its normal position Without resetting its registering device.

2. In a voting-machine, the combination of a casing, a compartment for ballots in said casing, a receptacle adapted to contain but one ballot at a time and having a movable plate covering same,a key for moving said plate to allow the insertion of a ballot into said receptacle, a registering device connected with said key and adapted to increase its count when said key is moved to open said receptacle, and to reset to its previous count when said receptacle is closed by means of said key, means for preventing the closing of said receptacle while a ballot is contained therein, and means for ejecting said ballot from said receptacle into said compartment and simultaneously closing said receptacle and returning said key to its normal position without resetting said registering device.

3. In a voting-machine, the combination of a key-plate having therein a row of parallel slots, avoting-key seated in each of said slots and slidable along same; a cam-plate slidable transversely of said slots and provided with a cam-slot engaging each of said keys; said cam-slots being each of difierent shape and so formed that,when one of said keys is moved along the key-plate, said cam-plate will be drawn across the remaining slots in the keyplate and prevent the movement of any of the other keys of said row, a series of registering devices corresponding with said voting-keys and each adapted to be advanced one count by a certain movement of its respective voting-key and adapted to be reset to indicate its previous count by a certain movement of said key, and means for returning said key to its normal position without resetting its registering device.

4. In a voting-machine, the combination of a frame; a series of party-bars mounted in said frame and each having therein a series of slots disposed longitudinally of said bar; a series of cam-plates slidable transversely of said bars and each provided with a row of cam-slots; a plurality of voting-keys slidably mounted in said frame and each engaging one slot in one of said bars and one cam-slot in one of said cam-plates; said cam-slots in each cam-plate being each of different shape and so formed that, when one of said keys is moved along its bar, its cam-plate will be drawn across the corresponding slots in the other barsand prevent the movement of any of the other keys in such cam-plate, a series of registering devices corresponding with said voting-keys and each adapted to be advanced one count by-a certain movement of its respective voting-key and adapted to be reset to indicate its previous count by a certain movement of said key, and means for returning said key to its normal position without resetting itsregistering device.

5. In a voting-machine, the combination of a-casing, having a movable cover, a votingkey adapted to be moved into or out of voting position, a registering device normally in engagement with said key and adapted to increase its count when said key is moved into voting position, and suitable means connecting said key with said cover so that the closing ofsaid cover will disengage said key from said registering device and the opening of said cover will return saidkey to engagement With the registering device and out of voting position without resetting said register.

6. A voting-machine, comprising a casing, having a-movable cover, a series of votingkeys disposed within said casing, a corresponding series of registering devices, each adapted to be operated by a certain movement of its respective key and adapted to be reset to its previous count by a certain return'inovement of said key, suitable guides for controlling the movements of said keys, and suitable mechanism so connecting said keys with said cover that the closing of said cover will disengage said keys from said registering devices and the opening of said cover will return said keys to engagement with said registering devices and out of voting position without resetting said registering devices.

'7. In a voting-machine, the combination of asupporting-frame; aregistering -wheel journaled therein and having a series of pins or shoulders projecting from one side thereof; and a voting-key slidable on said frame substantially in the direction of the axis of said wheel into and out of engagement with said shoulders, and also slidable transversely to the axis of said wheel, and,'through contact with one of said pins, changing the count of said wheel.

8. In a voting-macl1ine;tl1e combination of asupporting-frame; a registering-wheeljournaled therein, and having a series of pins or shoulders projecting from one side thereof; and a voting-key slidable-j on said frame substantially in the direction of the aXis of said wheel, into and out of engagement With said shoulders, and also slidable transversely to the axis of said wheel, and, through contact with one of said pins, changing the count of said wheel; said key being of suitable length to bear against two of said pins and hold the wheelin a fiXed position when the count has been changed.

9. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of ballots all having the same size and dimensions; a casing; a compartment within said casing for receiving such ballots; a receptacle secured to said casing adapted to contain but one of such ballots at a time, and having a relatively movable cover controlling access to same, said receptacle being of such proportions as to 'only partly inclose the ballot, so that said ballot will project therefrom and prevent the receptacle from being closed while said ballot is contained therein, without mutilating the ballot; means for opening the receptacle to allow the insertion of a ballot; a registering device arranged to increase its count when said receptacle is opened by said means, and to reset to its previous count when said receptacle is closed by said means; and mechanism for releasing said ballot from said receptacle and causing its passage into said compartment and simultaneously closing said receptacle without resetting said registering device. 7

10. In a voting-machine, the combination of a frame; a compartmentfor ballots in said frame, having an aperture in the upper part for receiving ballots; a movable verticallydisposed receptacle open at its ends and adapted when in alinement with said aperture to permit a ballot to be passed into said compartment; a movable plate adapted to control access to said receptaclejmeans for moving said plate to open or close said receptacle; means for moving said receptacle into alinement with said aperture; and a registering device adapted to increase its count when assess mounted in said frame above said compart-' ment; and having therein a slot; a voting-key seated in said slot and slidable along same into and out of voting position; a registering device secured to said frame and adapted to increase its count when said key is moved into voting position; a vertically-disposed tubular receptacle, open at its end and secured to said key-plate and movable therewith; a camplate slidably mounted on said key-plate, having therein a cam-slot engaging said key and of suitablefform to cause said cam-plate to move along said key-plate when said key is moved alongisaid slot, said cam-plate extending across the top of said receptacle and having therein an opening so located that said receptacle will be opened or closed when said key is moved respectively into or out of voting position; means for moving said keyplate to bring said receptacle into alinement with said aperture, releasing said key from its registering device and returning said parts to their normal positions without resetting said registering device, substantially as described. V

12. In avoting-machine, the combination of a frame; a compartment for ballots in said frame; a plurality of ballots all having the same size and dimensions; a receptacle secured to said frame and adapted to contain but one such ballot at a time; a voting-key movably mounted in said frame; means operated by said key for opening or closing said receptacle to permit the insertion of one of said ballots therein; a registering device adapted to increase its count when said receptacle is opened by said key and to reset to its previous count when said'receptacle is closed by said key; mechanism for causing the passage of a ballot from said receptacle into said compartment and simultaneously closing said receptacle and returning said key to its normal position without resetting said registeringidevice; and means whereby any such ballot contained in said receptacle will be defaced if said receptacle is closed by said key before the operation of said mech' anism.

Signed at Chicago this 11th day of January, 1902.

wILLIAM A. SWAREN. Witnesses:

WM. R. EUMMLER, EUGENE A. RUMMLER.

IIO

Images