US857993A - Ball-feeding mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

W. 0. GILMORE. BALL FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1905.

3 SHEETSr-SHBET l.

W36 a n PM E Fllli' y K W 4 I w/am 16b M A T\ n C. THE NORRIS FETIR: ca WASHINGTON,

PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

W.'C. GILMORE. BALL FEEDING MECHANISM. I APPLIOATIOHIILEII) SEPT.18,1905.

OOOOQWOOOOOO 3 SHEETS-411E111 3. F11 1111 FIE-O13! FIIIFF, 114l- Ea on a rm: mamas PEIERS can. WASHINCT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILMER O. GILMORE, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVER- SAL VOTING MAOHIN E COMPANY, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF MAINE.

BALL-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILMER O. GILMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Ball-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said inventionl My invention relates to means for supply- I ing balls one at a time to the ball receivers of voting machines or other similar machines in which balls are used as counters to be deposited in suitable ballot boxes or ball receptacles.

The purposes of my invention are to provide means adapted to feed one ball at a time into the ball receivers and to provide means adapted to retract erroneously placed balls from the receivers before they are deposited by the ball depositing devices.

WVith these ends in view my invention con sists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings I and hereinafter particularly described and finally recited in the claims.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference letters designate like parts in the several views, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and an end elevation of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3.3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section 011 the line 4.4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section on the line 5.5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6.6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7.7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a partial vertical section on the line 8.8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9.9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an isometric projection of the ballretracting plunger. Fig. 11 is a reduced horizontal transverse section on the line 11.11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a vertical section on the line 12.12 of Iiig. 11. Fig. 13 is a reduced top plan of i1: odified arrangement of the voting slides, the dropping plate and the ballot boxes. Fig. .14 is a transverse section on the line 14.1.4. of Fig. Fig. 15 is a vertical section on the hi: 15.15 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 16 is a vertical section on the line 16.16 of Fig. 2 and illustrates a modified arrangement of the means for running the dial plate back to zero. 1

Similar reference letters designate like parts in the several views. M

I have shown in the drawings and will hereinafter describe the feed-mechanism in operative relation to the voting slide of a voting machine employing balls as counters, only such parts of the voting machine being shown as are necessary to illustrate the oper ation of the ball-feeding mechanism.

The operating parts are supported on a beam 1 which also supports a ball reservoir 2 of any suitable construction containing a supply of balls. The mechanism is housed in a suitable housing 3 secured on the beam 1. A shaft 4 having a crank 4* extends through the beam 1 and the housing 3. A dial plate 5 turns on the shaft 4. The dial has a removable pin 6 (Figs. 1 and 15) which may be set in any one of a number of holes 7 in the back of the dial plate. On the face and on the back of the dial plate are inscribed numerals from 0 to 15 inclusive corresponding in number and position to the holes 7 on the back of the dial plate. A shell, 8 secured on the beam 1 incloses the dial-plate and has an opening 9 through which the numerals on the front of the dial plate are visible. On the back of the dial plate is a stationary pin 1 1 which stops against a stationary pin 10 on the beam 1 to limit the turning of the dial plate to the left as viewed from the front of the machine. The pin 11 is so situated on the dial plate that the numeral 0 on the front of the dial plate will be visible through the opening 9 of the shell 8 when the pin 11 stops against the pin 10. The numerals on the back of the dial plate are so arranged relative to the numerals on its front that when the pin 6 is set in any given hole on the back the front numeral of the same value as that which designates the hole on the back in which the pin is set will be visible through the opening 9 in the shell 8, and the pin 6 may be set in the different holes of the dial plate to limit the turning of the dial plate to the right by the pin 6 stopping against the pin 10 according to the setting of the pin 6, that is to say; if the pin 6 be set to correspond to the numeral 7 on the dial plate the numeral 7 will be visible through the opening 9 in the shell 8 when the pin 6 stops against the pin 10, and so on for the other numerals on the dial plate, according to the setting of the pin 6.

A ratchet wheel 12 has a long hub 13 which turns 011 the shaft 4. The end of the hub 13 interlocks with the hub 14 of the dial plate so that the wheel 12 and the dial-plate 5 always turn together. A plate 15 (Fig. 4) is secured on the shaft 4 and has an integral curved arm 16 and an integral finger 17. A pawl 18 is mounted on the arm 16 and has at its lower end members 18 and 18 which respectively engage with the teeth of the feed wheel 25 and the teeth of the ratchet wheel 12. A spring 23 has one end secured to the arm 16 and its free end acts to press the pawl 18 downward. A fixed pin 24 on the wall of the housing 3 extends inward under the pawl 18 in such position that when the parts are at rest as shown in Fig. 4 the pawl 18 will be supported on the pin and the points of the pawl will be raised above the teeth of the wheels 12 and 25. If the shaft 4 be then turned to the right (as indicated by the arrow Y) the arm 16 will carry the pawl away from the pin 24 and the spring 23 will then press the pawl downward and cause the points of the pawl to engage the teeth of the wheels 12 and 25; and further movement of the arm 16 will cause the pawl 18 to turn the wheels 12 and 25 in the same direction. If the plate 15 be turned to the left, as indicated by arrowX the pawl 18 will be carried back onto the pin 24 and traveling thereon will be lifted out of engagement with the teeth of the wheels 12 and 25, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

A rod pivotally connected with the plate 15 extends upward and slides in a hole through the top wall of the housing and has a fixed collar 21. A spring 22 surrounds the rod 20 between the collar and the top wall of the housing. If the plate 15 be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow Y Fig. 4 the rod 20 moving upward will compress the spring and the spring will act to turn the plate back to its original position and if the plate 15 be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow X the finger 17 will raise the frame 27 to compress the spring 33 and the spring 33 will act to turn the plate back to its original position. The plate 15 being secured on and turning with the shaft 4 it is obvious that no matter which way the crank 4 is turned the spring 22 or the spring 33 as the case may be will act to always return the crank to its vertical position shown in Fig.1.

A conducting tube 26 communicates with the interior of the ball reservoir and terminates just above the slide 34. The slide 34 which serves as a ball receiver and carrier has a series of holes or chambers 35 preferably corresponding to the number of pockets in the circumference of the feed wheel 25' and the chambers receive the balls as they are successively fed downward through the tubes. In this case there are fifteen pockets in the feed wheel and the same number of holes in the slide each adapted to contain one ball; but feed wheels having a greater or less number of pockets may be used. in cooperation with slides having a greater or less number of holes than there are pockets in the feed wheel. In the drawings T have shown in detail one feed wheel and one cooperating slide but a single voting machine may embody a number of feed wheels and a greater or a less number of slides. The slide or slides 34 may be slid inward and outward at pleasure to bring the holes 35 in registry with the bore of the tubes 26, so that the balls 36 may pass from the tube into the holes. The tube 26 has tongues 26 which fit in the channel 25" of the wheel 25 and prevent displacement of the balls in the tube during the turning of the wheel.

Inside of the tube 26 is a spring 26 which normally serves to support the balls 36 in the tube (Figs. 5 and 9). hen the wheel 25 is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow Y it forces the balls downward in the tube and the spring yields to permit the balls to pass from the tube one at a time into the holes in the slide and when a ball is withdrawn from a hole in the slide as hereinafter explained the spring yields'to let the ball pass upward and then springs back under the ball to support it and the other balls lying above it in the tube.

The slides 34 (Figs. 4 and 1].) are slidable longitudinally and transversely on a plate 37 or equivalent supporting device. The plate 37 is pierced by a series of holes 38 corresponding to the series of holes 35 in the slide 34. Ballot boxes 39 (Figs. 12 and 14) underlie the plate 37 and have openings 40 registering with the holes 38 in the plate 37. The slides 34 are separately slidable longitudinally inward. or outward by the voter and are slidable transversely in the direction indi cated by the arrow Z by an officer of the election as hereinafter explained, to bring the holes 35 into registry with the holes 33 and cause the balls to drop through the holes 38 and 40 into the ballot boxes 39. Preliminary to dropping the balls the slides must be set in such position that the holes 35 will be transversely in range with the holes 38; this setting of the slides may be determined by a stop 41, or equivalent device limiting the out-. ward or inward movement of the slide as the case may be.

In Figs. 13 and 14 I have illustrated a modified arrangement of voting slides 34, a dropping plate 59 and ballot boxes 39 in which the slides 34 have longitudinal movement only and the plate 59 is slidable transversely to the slides 34 to bring the holes 38 in the plate into registry with the holes 35 in the slides and the openings 10 in the ballot boxes. Either of the arrangements shown and described or any other equivalent arrangement of slides or equivalent ball. receiving device and cooperating plates or equivalent ball depositing devices and ballot boxes may be used without departure from my invention it being essential only that the parts shall be so arranged that all of the balls placed one at a time in the holes of'the ball receiving devices shall remain therein until the predetermined number of balls have been placed and thereupon all of said balls may be simultaneously deposited in the'ballct boxes by suitable movement of the ball receiving devices or by suitable movement of the ball depositing devices, according to the arrangement of the parts. The construction of the ballot boxes is not an essential feature of this invention. They may be of any approved construction adapted for the use set forth.

The retractor frame 27 (Figs. 4 and has an integral stem 30 sliding in a vertical hole in the lower wall; of the housing and integral rings 28 which surround and slide freely on the tube 26 and a laterally projecting finger 29 which rests on top of a finger 17 on the plate and a downwardly extending pin 61 which strikes against the wall of the shell 3 to limit downward movement of the frame. Secured on the stem 30 is an arm 31 provided with a vertical pin 32 which lies directly under the lower end of and in line with the bore of the tube 26 and is fitted to slide vertically in the holes 35 in the slides 34. A spring 33 surrounds the tube 26 between the upper wall of the housing and the upper ring 23 of the retractor frame 27; the spring 33 acts to pressthe frame downward and keep the finger 29 normally in contact with the finger 17. The turning of the crank 4 in the direction indicated by the arrow X causes the finger 17 to push upward on the finger 29 and thereby move the frame 27 upward so as to compress the spring 33 and when the crank is released the spring acts to restore the parts to their original position.

A pawl 42 (Figs. 6 and 7 )is mounted. on the ratchet wheel 12 and a spring 43 mounted on the same wheel acts to keep the point of the pawl in internal engagement with the teeth 25 of the wheel 25. A spring 62 has one end secured on the shell 3 and at its free end has a V-shaped protuberance which enters corresponding notches 63 in the circumference of the wheel 25, and the spring bears against the wheel with sufficient pressure to prevent the turning of the wheel 25 by the friction of the wheel 12, but yields to permit the turning of the wheel 25 by means of the crank 1 and cooperating parts and also by means of the balls 36 moving upward in the tube 26. The plate 15 is fixed on and turns with the shaft 4; the ratchet wheel 12 normally turns on the shaft 4 and the feed wheel 25 normally turns on the elongated hub 13 of the wheel 12. hen the crank 4 is turned to the right the pawl 18 mounted on the plate 15 engages the teeth of the wheels 12 and 25 to turn both of the wheels to the right as indicated by the arrow Y and upon the release of the crank the spring 22 acts to turn the plate 15 back to its first position and to cause the disengagement of the pawl 18 from the teeth of the wheels 12 and 25 so that the wheels remain stationary while the plate '15 and the shaft 1 are turning back to their original posi tion. The turning of the crank to the right causes the wheel 25 to turn in the same direction so that the balls 36 in the tube 26 will successively enter the pockets 25' in the circumference of the wheel and be forced downward one at a time as they successively enter the pockets. Each time that the crank 45" is turned to the right it causes the wheel 25 to turn one step in the same direction and force downward the balls in the tube 26 a distance equal to the diameter of one ball, and also causes the dial plate 5 to turn one step in the same direction. The balls forced downward through the tube 26 successively enter the holes 35 in the slides 34 as they are brought into registry with the lower end. of the tube by the voter moving the slides inward or outward to bring the holes in the slides into position for the placing of the balls in the holes representing the persons for whom he wishes to vote. If a .voter sets the ball receiver to cause the placing of a ball in a hole representing a candidate for whom he at first intends to vote, and afterward changes his mind and decides to votefor some other candidate he may place the ball receiver in position for retracting the misplaced ball and after retracting that ball may set the ball receiver in position to receive a ball in another hole and may repeat this operation as often as he changes his mind and may at last set the receiver in position to receive a ball representing the person for whom he finally decides to vote and the ballot will be deposited and counted for the person finally selected. The dial-plate 5 turns one step to the right each time that the crank 4* is turned to the right and the numeral on the dial plate visible through the opening 9 in the shell 8 always shows the number of balls that have been placed in the holes in the slides. In case a misplaced ball is to be withdrawn from a hole in the slide it is necessary to turn the dial plate one step backward (to the left) so that the visible numeral on the dial-plate may correctly indicate the number of balls actually in the holes in the slide. hen the crank 4 is turned to the left as indicated by the arrow X the finger 17 on the plate 15 (said plate being secured on the shaft l) pushes upward on the finger 29 to raise the frame 27 and cause the finger 32 to enter the hole 35 in the slide 34 and push the misplaced ball upward out of the hole in the slide and into the lower end of the tube until the ball passes the spring 26 and is supported thereon. The ball inserted at the lower end of the tube pushes upward the other balls in the tube and causes the balls which are in the pocket 25 of the wheel 25 (see Figs. 3 and 5) to turn the wheel 25 one step to the left and also causes the turning of the wheel 12 to the left through the instrumentality of the pawl 12 mounted on the wheel 12 and engaged by the internal teeth 25 of the Wheel 25, and the turning of the wheel 12 one step to the left causes the dial plate 5 to turn one step to the left through the instrumentality of the inter-locking hubs 13 and 14.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the crank at is turned to the right the wheels 12 and are simultaneously turned step by step to the right by the pawl 13 mounted on the plate 15 which is secured on the shaft d and when the crank 1 is released the spring 22 acts to cause the turning of the shaft 4 to the left to return the crank to its initial vertical position; the wheels 12 and 25 and the dial plate 5 remaining stationary during this return movement of the crank, but when the voter turns the crank from its vertical position to the left to extract a misplaced ball the dial is also turned one step to the left as already described.

The feed wheel 25 shown in the drawings has fifteen pockets adapted to place balls one at a time in holes in the receiver 3% and the dial plate 5 has in this case fifteen corresponding numerals which may be exposed to view one at a time through the opening 9 in the shell 8. When the slide 34 is in such position that one of the holes 35 is directly under and in line with the tube 26, the upper surface of the pin will lie directly under the hole in the slide and the pin will support in the hole the ball received from the tube. In order to remove the ball from the hole in the slide and replace it in the tube it is only necessary to turn the crank to the left and cause the pin to move upward. t will be observed that the pin 32 can only act on. the balls in the tube through the instrumentality of the ball. in the hole 35 and that the feed wheel 25 can only be turned backward through the instrumentality of the balls 36 in the tube 26, and that during the operation of retracting a misplaced ball the dialplate 5 is turned backward. (to the left) through the instrumentality of the wheel 25, the pawl 42 and the wheel 12, the wheel 25 being acted upon by the balls 36. If the slide 34 be set to place an empty hole 35 directly above the pin 32 the turning of the crank 4 will cause the pin to enter the hole, but will not move the balls inv the tube because they can be moved only through the instrumentality of an intervening ball in the hole, neither will the dial plate be turned cause without the intervention. of the ball in the hole there can be no upward movement of the balls in the tube to cause the wheel 25 to turn backward and act upon the dial plate through the instrumentality of the wheel 12 and the interlocking hubs 13 and 1 1. This construction and arrangement of the parts is a complete safe guard against the voter casting more votes in a group than he is entitled to cast; because the dial can be set backward only by the actual retraction of a ball previously placed in a hole in the slide. If it were otherwise the voter might manipulate the slide 3 1 and the crank 1 to place in the holes in the slide the predetermined number of ballots which he is entitled to cast, and might then manipulate the slide to bring a number of empty holes successively under the tube and might operate the crank at each time that an empty hole came under the tube, to turn the dial plate one step backward. for each backward. movement of the crank, and thereby render the dial ')late ineffective as a means for limiting the number of ballots which may be cast and thus the voter might cast a greater number of votes than he is entitled to cast.

In the mechanism shown in the drawings 'lifteen is the largest number of balls which may be placed. in the holes in the receiver and indicated by the imlicator. In practice it is desirable to limit the number of balls which may be placed in the holes in the slides, according to the requirements of the election at which the machine is used for ex ample it may happen that three is the largest number of persons for whom votes may be cast by means of this device at the election at which the machine. is used, in that case the mechanism must place three balls (and no more) in the holes of the slides and the dial must indicate the three balls so placed and no more.

The means for limiting the number of balls which may be placed in the holes of the slide follows: On the back of the dial plate 5 (Fig. 15) is a stationary pin 11 and a rei'novable pin 6 which fits in any one of a series of holes 7, arranged and numbered to correspond to the nun'ierals on the front of the dial plate. The pins (5 and 1] stop against a fixed pin 1.0 on the beam 1 and limit the turning of the dial plate to the right and the left respectively. The pins 10 and. 11 are so situated that when. the pin 11. is in contact with the right-hand side of the pin 10 the numeral zero on the dial-plate will be visible through the opening 9 of the shell, and asthe dial plate turns step by step to the right the numerals 1, 2, 3 etc., will in succession be visible through the opening 9. lhe setting of the pin 6 will depend upon. the number of balls which it is desired to place in the holes 35 of the slide 3 1; for example, to place seven balls one each in seven of the holes in the slide, the pin 6 will be placed in the seventh hole to the left of the pin 11 as shown in Fig 15 so that when the dial plate has been turned seven steps to the right and the numeral 7 is visible through the opening 9, the pin 6 will strike against the pin 10 and prevent further turning of the dial and so on for the different settings of the pin 6. The stopping of the dial will prevent the turning of the wheel 12 to the right and the wheel 12 being then sta tionary will prevent the turning of the plate 15 to the right, and the plate 15 being stationary on the shaft will prevent the shaft from turning to the right; it is obvious therefore that the striking of the pin 6 against the pin 10 stops the operation of the mechanism so as to effectively control and limit the number of balls in the holes in the slide in exact accordance with the setting of the pin 6.

After the use of the mechanism by one voter, the dial-plate must be turned back to the Zero position before the mechanism can be used by the neXt succeeding voter. I will now describe the means for effecting this backward turning of the dial plate independently of the retractor mechanism. A cog pinion 44 (Figs. 2 and 3) turns on the hub 13 of the wheel 12. A ring 45 secured on the hub 13 turns in a circular recess 46 in the wheel and has a radially projecting pin 47 (Fig. 8) which cooperates with a laterally projecting pin 48 on the pinion 44. A rack bar 49 mounted to slide on the beam 1 has on its underside teeth meshing with the teeth of the pinion 44. The radial pin 47 is behind (to the left of) the pin 48, hence when the hub 13 turns to the right as already described the pin 47 engages with the pin 48 and causes the pinion 44 to turn to the right and the pinion causes the raek bar 49 to slide to the right. hen the ring has been turned to the right as far as it can go, according to the setting of the pin 6 it may be turned back to its initial position by sliding the rack bar 49 to the left and causing the pinion 44 to turn to the left in unison with the hub 13. The rack bar 49 is mounted to slide on the beam 1, and stops 5O limit the movements of the bar so that one movement of the bar cannot cause more than one revolution of the dial plate 5 either to the right or the left. A lever 51 fulerumed on a stationary support 52 is connected with and serves to slide the rack bar to the right and the left.

A single voting machine may embrace a number of ball-feeding mechanisms. In that case a single rack bar 49 will serve to operate all the pinions 44 of the several mechanisms.

In case more than one feed mechanism is used in a machine each of the dial plates 5 may move a different number of steps to the right according to the setting of the pins 6: for example assume that three feed mechanims are in use and that the pins 6 are set so that the first dial will stop after turning five steps, the second will stop after turning two steps and the third will stop after turning three steps. In. operating the first mechanism the pin 47 engaging with the pin 48 will turn the pinion 44 to cause the rack bar 49 to slide five steps to the right; this sliding of the rack bar five steps to right will cause the pinions 44 of both the second and third mechanisms to turn on the corresponding hubs 13 five steps to the right, hence the pin 48 of the second and third mechanisms will be five steps in advance of the corresponding pins 47 of the same mechanism and the turning of the second dial to its limit of two steps and the turning of the third dial to its limit of three steps will not cause any additional movement of the rack bar because the pins 47 on the rings 45 of the second and third mechanism will not have caught up with the pins 48 of those mechanisms and consequently the pinions 44 of the second and third mechanisms will remain at rest and will .not move the rack bar. The rack bar having moved five steps to the right may be slid back the same distance to the left to cause the return of all of the dials to their initial position. During the backward turning of the dial-plate, when operated by means of the rack bar 49, the Wheel 12 turns with the dial plate and the pawl 42 runs back ward on the teeth 25 of the wheel 25; the wheel 25 being held at rest by the spring 62. During the return movement of the rack bar it will cause all of the wheels 44 to turn to the left on the hubs 13. The pin 48 on the wheel 44 of the first mechanism being already in engagement with the pin 47 011 the ring 45 of the first mechanism, will cause that ringto immediately turn to the left. The pins 48 of the second and third mechanisms will travel to the left around the rings 45 of those mechanisms respectively, until they catch up with the pins 47 on the rings 45, and continue movement of the rack bar to the left will turn all of the pinions 44 and cause them through the instrumentality of the pins 48 and 47 to turn all of the rings 45 so as to cause all of the dials to turn to the left and stop at zero.

Fig. 16 illustrates a modified arrangement of the means for turning the dial plate backward to its zero position. In this View the shaft 4, the hub 13 the ring 45 and the wheel 25 are exactly the same as shown in Fig. 8 but the parts are differently arranged. In Fig. 8 the radial pin 47 is behind (to the left of) the pin 48. In Fig. 16 the radial pin 47 is to the right (in front of) the pin 48. using the arrangement shown in Fig. 16 the turning of the hub 13 to the right as indicated by the arrow Y causes the pin 47 to travel away from the pin 48 thereby leaving the cog pinion 44 and the rack bar 49 at rest. When the desired number of balls IIO have been placed in the holes 35 of the slide 34, the lever 51 is moved to the left to slide the rack bar 49 to the left to its limit, thereby turning the pinion or pinions 44 one revolution to the left so as to cause the pins 48 to engage the pins 47 and turn the parts 45 and 13 and connected parts back to their original positions: the lever 51 will then be immediately moved to the right to cause the cog pinions 44 to turn to the right to bring the pins 48 back to their original position behind (to the left of) the pins 47 in readiness for the next operation.

The mechanism arranged as shown in Fig. 16 requires two movements of the lever 51. by the election oflicer, (a forward and a backward movement) to cause the return of the .dial plate to its zero position after the operation of voting and to cause the setting of the mechanism in readiness for use by the next voter; whereas the mechanism arranged as shown in Fig. 8 accomplishes the same result by one movement of the lever 51 by an officer of the election.

It is necessary to simultaneously deposit in the ballot boxes all of the balls placed by one voter, one ball ata time in the holes 35 of the slides 34. I have illustrated in the drawings two different mechanisms for accomplishing this result. I do not however restrict my claims to either of these ball depositing mechanisms, since other different ball depositing mechanisms which will readily occur to those skilled in the art may be used without departure from my invention.

In the preferable form of the mechanism shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the slides 34 are slidable longitudinally on a stationary supporting plate 37 to bring the holes in the slides successively under the lower end of the tube 26, and are slidable transversely on the plate 37 to bring the holes in the slide into registry with corresponding holes in the plate as hereinafter explained. The plate 37 has one or more series of holes 38 corresponding to the holes 35 in the slides and registering with corresponding openings 40 in suitable underlying ballot boxes 39. The ballot boxes 39 usable with the slides 34 respectively may be situated either in front of or to the rear of the beam 1 as may be most convenient in use. A bar 53 slides in stationary guides 57 and has on its under side notches 54 in which the slides 34 move longitudinally. A lever 55 has its fulcrum on a stationary support -56 and is connected with the bar 53 so that the lever will serve to move the bar either to the right or the left. In using this form of the ball-depositing mechanism, the slides 34 are slid longitudinally inward and outward under the tube 26 until the predetermined number of balls have been placed in the holes 35 in the slides according to the wishes of the voter; the slides 34 are then pushed rearward to the limit 41 (or pulled forward to the limit as the case may be) and. when in that position the holes 35 in the slides will be in range with'the corresponding holes 38 in the plate 37; the lever 55 will then. be operated to cause the bar 53 to move the slides 34 cross wise as indicated by arrow Z, to bring the holes in the slides into registry with the holes in the plate, and thereupon. the balls will fall through the holes 38 and the openings 40 into the ballot boxes 39.

In the modified form of the ball depositing mechanism illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the voting slides 34 slide longitudinally between stationary guides 58 and. the dro )ping plate 59 is movable transversely to the slides by a suitably connected lever 60. The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Preliminary to voting the pins 6 on the several dial plates are set as may be required to limit the number of votes which may be cast by using each voting slide. The voter moves the voting slides inward or outward at pleasure to bring into position under the tubes 26 the holes in which he wishes to place the balls and as the holes come under the tube he turns the crank 4 to the right to cause the placing of a ball in each hole of his selection. If he causes the placing of a ball in the wrong hole he will after placing the slide in the proper position, turn the crank to the left to cause the retraction of the misplaced. ball and will then set the slide in proper position for placing the ball in the hole in which he wishes to place it and will then turn the crank to the right to cause the placing of the ball as he intended to place it.' Having placed the predetermined number of balls in the holes in the voting slides, the voter, or other authorized person will operate the lever to cause the deposit of the balls as already explained. After the deposit of the balls the voter or other authorized person will operate the lever 51 to cause the dial plates to turn back to their Zero position in readiness for use by the next voter.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a ball reservoir, a tube, ball receptacles communicating with the ball reservoir, means for feeding balls successively dowmvard through said tube; 'slides having holes registrable with the bore of said tube, and. means for placing the holes in said slides in registry with the openings in ball-rczcqatacles usable with said slides.

2. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a ball reservoir, a tube communicating with the ball reservoir, means for feeding balls successively downward through said tube, slides having holes registraldc with the bore of said tube, each of said holes being adapted to receive one b all, means for retracting balls from the holes in said slide, ball receptacles,

set see and means for placing the holes in said slide in registry with the openings in ball receptacles usable with said slides.

3. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a ball reservoir, a tube communicating with the ball reservoir, a wheel turning in an opening in said tube and having circumferential pockets each adapted to contain oneball, means for rotating said wheel step by step forward to feed downward the balls contained in said tube, a slide having holes registrable with the bore of said tube and each adapted to contain one ball, means for supporting balls in said. tube, means for retracting balls from the holes in said slide and pushing them one at a time upward in said tube to turn said wheel backward, and an indicator in. operative connection with said wheel and indicating the number of balls actually in the holes in said slide.

4. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a ball reservoir, a tube communicating with the ball reservoir, a wheel turning in an opening in said tube and having circumferential pockets each adapted to contain one ball, means for turning said wheel step by step forward to feed downward the balls contained in said tube, a slide having holes registrable with the bore of said tube and each. adapted to contain one ball, means for supporting balls in said tube, means for retracting balls from the holes in said slide and pushing them one at a time upward in said tube to turn said wheel backward, a movable indicator in operative connection with said wheel and means for limiting the movement of said indicator.

5. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a ball reservoir, a tube communicating with a ball reservoir, a wheel having circumferential pockets and adapted to turn forward and backward in an opening in said tube, means for supporting balls in said tube, means for turning said wheel step by step forward, means for limiting the forward turning of said wheel, a slide having holes registrable with the bore of said tube, means for retracting balls from the holes in said slide and forcing the retracted balls upward in said tube to cause said wheel to turn one step backward for each retracted ball.

6. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising a shaft provided with a crank, a lifting-plate secured on said shaft, a ratchet wheel turning on said shaft and having an elongated hub, a dial plate turning in unison with said ratchet wheel, a feed wheel having ratchet teeth and pockets and turning on the hub of said ratchet wheel, a pawl mounted on said lifting-plate and engaging with the teeth on said feed wheel and ratchet wheel, means for disengaging said pawl from the teeth of said. wheels, means for turning said lifting-plate to disengage said pawl, a pawl mounted on said ratchet wheel and engaging with the teeth of said feed wheel, a tube communicating with a ball-reservoir and having an opening in which said feed wheel turns and means for supporting balls in said tube; all cooperating to discharge balls one at time from said tube and indicate the number of balls so discharged.

7. Ball-feeding mechanism comprising an oscillative shaft, a lifting-plate secured. on said shaft, a ratchet wheel turning on said. shaft and. having an elongated hub, a dial plate connected to turn with said ratchet wheel, means for limiting the turning of said dial plate, a feed-wheel having ratchet teeth and pockets and turning on the hub of said ratchet wheel, a pawl mounted on said lifting-plate and engaging with the teeth on said feed wheel and ratchet wheel, means for disengaging said pawl from the teeth of said wheels, means for turning said lifting plate to disengage said pawl, a pawl mounted on said ratchet wheel and engaging with the teeth of the feed wheel, a tube communicating with a ball reservoir and having an opening in which said feed wheel turns and means for supporting balls in said tube; all co-operating to discharge a predetermined number of balls one at a time from said tube and indicate the number of balls so discharged.

8. A retractor device for ball-feeding mechanisms, consisting of an oscillative plate provided with a finger, a tube adapted to conduct balls from a ball-reservoir, a retractor frame slidable on said tube and having a pin in line with the bore of said tube, and also having a finger with which the finger on said oscillative plate engages to raise said retractor frame, and means for returning said oscillative plate and retractor frame to their initial positions.

9. The combination of a ball reservoir, a conducting tube communicating with the ball reservoir, a retractor-frame slidable on said tube and having a pin in line with the bore of said tube and means for moving said retractor frame longitudinally to cause the pin thereof to move in line with the bore of said tube.

10. The combination of a ball reservoir, a conducting tube communicating with the ball reservoir, a rctractcr frame slidable on said tube and having a pin in line with the bore thereof, an oscillative plate connected toraise said retractive frame and a spring surrounding said tube and acting to move said frame downward.

11. The combination of a tube adapted to contain balls, a spring extending into said tube and normally supporting the balls contained therein, but yielding under pressure to permit balls to pass said spring and means for forcing balls downward past said spring.

12. The combination of a tube adapted to contain balls, a yielding ball-support in said tube and means for forcing balls downward in said tube past said ball-sup port.

13. The combination of a tube adapted to contain balls, a yielding ball-support in said tube, means for forcing balls downward past said ball-support, and means for forcing balls upward past said ball-support.

14. The combination of tube adapted to contain balls, a yielding ball-srumort in said tube, a ball-receiving device having holes registrable with the bore of said tube and means for forcing balls downward in. said tube past the ball-support and into the holes in said ball-receiving device.

15. The combination of a tube adapted to contain balls, a yielding ball-support in said tube, a ball-receiving device having holes registrable with the bore of said tube, means for forcing balls downward past the ball-sup port into the holes in said ballreceiving device, and means for forcing balls upward. through the holes in the ball receiving device and past the ball-support.

16. The combination of an oscillative shaft, a dial plate turning on said shaft, a lifting plate secured on said shaft, a ratchet wheel turning on said shaft and having an elongated hub adapted to turn said dial plate, a feed wheel turning on the hub of said ratchet wheel and having ratchet teeth, a pawl mounted on said lifting plate and engaging with the teeth of said ratchet wheel and feed wheel ti move said wheels forward during the forward movement of said lifting plate, means for disengaging said. pawl during the return movement of said lifting plate, means to prevent accidental turning of said feed wheel, a ring secured on the hub of the ratchet-wheel and having a radial pin, a cog pinion turning on the hub of the ratchet wheel and having a laterally projecting pin engaging with the radial pin on said ring, and a slidable rack-bar meshing with said pinion, all cooperating to turn said dial plate forwardly in accord with said feed-wheel and reversely to turn said feed wheel backwardly in accord with said dial plate.

17. The combination of an oscillative shaft, a dial plate turning on said shaft, means for turning said dial plate forward in unison with said shaft, means for holding the dial plate at rest during the return movement of said shaft, means for turning the dial plate backward in unison with said shaft and means for turning the dial plate backward independently of said shaft.

18. A conducting tube adapted to contain balls, and a feed wheel having pockets and.

turning forward to propel balls in said. tube and revoluble backward by the pressure of balls moving in said tube; in combination with a dial plate connected to turn forward and backward with said feed wheel.

19. The combin ation of a conducting tube communicating with. a ball reservoir and. ad aptcd to contain balls, a feed wheel having pockets and turning forward to propel balls in said tube and rcvoluble backward by the pressure of balls moving in. said tube and a ball receiver receiving the balls passing through said tube.

20. The combination of a conducting tube communicating with a ball, reservoir and adaptec'a. to contain balls, a feel. wheel having pocket and turnii'ig forward to propel balls in. sa tube and revoluble backward. by the pressure of balls moving in said tube, a ball receiver connnunicatin g with. said tube and a retractor adapted to force balls from the ball receiver into said. tube.

21. The combination of a conducting tube communicating with a ball reservoir and adapted to contain balls, a feed wheel having pockets and turning forward to propel, balls in said tube and revoluble backward by the pressure of balls moving in said tube, a ball receiver colnmunicating with said tube, a retractor adapted to force balls from the ball receiver into said tube and an. indicator co'ipcrating with said feed. wheel to indicate the number of balls in said ball receiver.

22. The combination of a conducting tube communicating with a ball reservoir and adapted to contain balls, a feed wheel turning forward to propel balls in said tube, a ball receiver receiving balls from said tube, an indicator operatively connected with said feedwl1.eel and means for limiting the movement of said indicator to determine the number of balls which may be placed in said receivcr.

23. The combination of a ball reservoir, a ball receiver having chambers each adapted to contain. one ball, a ball-propelling device adapted to propel balls from said ball reservoir, one at a time, into the chambers of said ball receiver, a retractor adapted to retract balls one at a time fron'i the chambers of said ball receiver and an indicator operating forwardly through its connection with said ball propelling device and operating backwardly through. the intervention of a ball in the ball receiver causing reverse action of the ballpropelling device; all so constructed. and arranged that the intervention of a b all from a ball receiver, between the retractor and the balls occupying the ball propelling device, is essential to the backward movement of the indicator.

24. The combination of a tube adapted to contain balls, means for feeding balls successively downward. through the tube, ballcarriers having chambers registrable with the bore of the tube, ball-receptacles, and. means for placing the chambers of the ball carriers in position to deposit balls in the ball-receptacles.

25. The combination of a conducting tube my name at Bloomington, Illinois, this 12th adalpted to contain ballls, i1, feed Wheel havingl' day of September, 1905 p00 iets and revolub e brWzud to rope balls in the tube and revoluble baekwsiid by GILMORE 5 the pressure of balls moving in the tube, and Witnesses:

means for turning the feed Wheel. CHARLES W. DOOLEY,

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed g J GEN F. MILLER.

Images