US228105A - Ballot-box - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD Q. NORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BALLOT- BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,105, dated May Application filed March 5, 1880. (Model.)'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Q. NORTON, of Cleveland. in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in BallotBoXes; and I do i hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object certain novel improvements in the construction of ballotboxes, designed to prevent fraud or imposition in conducting any election where choice of candidates is decided by voting or casting ballots. I have designed to provide a ballotboX which will prevent effectually more than one vote being deposited by a single person, and also to so preserve the ballots sealedwithin the box that they can be counted and recounted any number of times in case of dispute.

In order that persons skilled in the art may know how to make and use my ballot-box, I will now fully describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of my ballot-box with the cover thrown back ready for balloting; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the saine with the springs raised and the cover closedand locked; and Fig. 3, a sectional view of my ballot-box, showing its interior arrangement.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

A A are rolls or drums, upon which a strip of paper or other suitable material is wound. B is a crank, which can be attached to the shaft of either A or A for the purpose of winding the strip upon either roll. 'C C are rolls over which the strip passes for the purpose of maintaining a smooth and even tension upon the same. D D D are supports holding the arched sheet of metal E, over which the strip from the rolls passes when being wound from one roll to the other.

F is an arched sliding cover fitting in grooves in the arched sides of the top of the box and movable back and forth within the grooves. G is a curved glass front permanently aflixed to the sides of the box, so as to be under the arched sliding cover. H is a spring-presser, so arranged, as shown, that it will rest upon the strip of paper or other suitable material as it passes over the arched metallic support E,

I is a rubber roller, also resting upon the strip a, and held -by spring-pressure. The strip has at regular intervals upon its surface adhesive substance in lines, so that a folded ballot, being placed upon the strip, Will adhere to it by one of its edges, and, passing under the spring-presser H, will be unfolded as it passes from sight under the cover F, the roller I pressingit down upon the adhesive substance and causing it to be permanently aflxed to the strip. The crank B is turned to accomplish this, and when the balloting is completedI the springs H and I, with their appurtenances, can be raised, the cover F moved over upon the open side and locked and sealed, as shown, on the opposite side at J. The box is then secure against any tampering, and by reversing the handle or crank B and winding back the strip upon the drum A each ballot can be seen and counted as it passes, secure from molestation, under the glass G.

The box can be constructed in any substantial manner desired, and, as the ballots are not handled after they are cast, a much greater security from fraud is obtained than by any other method, and any dispute as to the counting can be easily overcome by turnin g the crank and recounting the vot-es.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ballot-box, the combination, with the paper strip a, constructed as described, of the spring H, rubber roller I, and arched metallic support E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a boX for balloting, the rolls A A', crank B, continuous strip a, cover F, glass G, and spring devices H and I, as and for the purposes set forth and described.

3. In a ballot-box, the combination of the curved glass top G and the curved sliding cover F, moving in grooves and operating l IOO

Images