US2140336A - Counter - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1938.V R. F, sHoUP 2,140,336

COUNTER Filed Jan. 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 VRA 'V9/M 4o 3 /f Y 2l' 29 /5 1 1 9 Patented Dec. 13, 1938 PATENT N oFFicE COUNTER Ransom F. Shoup, Ardmore, Pa., assignor to The Shcup Voting Machine Corporation, Philadelphla, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application January 9, 1937 Serial No. 119,720

20 Claims.

This` invention relates to counters and more especially to counters for use in voting machines of the type disclosed in Shoup, et al. United States Patent No. 2,054,102. In this patent there is disclosed a voting machine having voting spindles which are normally locked but which are released for voting purposes. Each spindle operates a counter consisting of a master gear and a plurality of indicator wheels. Means are provided for connecting the units wheel to the master gear for vote-registering purposes and for locking 4the units wheel againstoperation except when the voting spindles have been released. The structure of the counters of the machine disclosed in said patent is such that if a voter leaves a voting key in a certain position oi incomplete operation, the counter may be damaged in the operation of the machine for registering such voters vote. Furthermore, this structure is such that re-setting of the counters to zero is a tedious and laborious task.

The primary object of this invention is an improved counter which is of such struct-ure that no damage can result to it by reason of faulty operation of the voting key and whlch'can be reset to zero in an easy and expeditious manner.

A further object of this invention is improved mechanism for rendering the counters operative and inoperative according to whether the voting machine is in or out of proper condition for registering votes.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following speciilcation and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. i is a front elevation of two counter columns in a voting machine;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a counter column, the disclosure being limited to a single counter area;

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary section on the line -t of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 8-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig 6 is a perspective view of a digits wheel of the counter;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views of the master gear pinion and units wheel assembly in diierent positions;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line iii-i0 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line Ii--ii of Fig. 8;

Fig. l2 is an end view of the assembly;

Fig. 13 is a view substantially on the line I8-i3 of Fig. 2;

(Cl. 23S-117) Fig. 14 is an end elevation of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a rear view of Fig. 2 with certain parts omitted, and Figs. 16 and 17 are views similar to Figs. 13 and i4 of a modification.

In Fig. 2, 39 is the partition plate of the voting machine disclosed in Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,054,102 and 38 are spindles provided with operating handles 30. At the rear of the partition 39 is arranged a bar 5d mounted for combined vertical reclprocation and horizontal movement as described in said patent and acting on rollers 53 attached to bars 49 whereby horizontal reciprocation of the latter is effected. Horizontal movement o the bar 50 is eected through the medium of pins 56 supported by the partition plate 39 and projecting into slots 55 in the bar. The slots have two sections a and 55p. Vertical channel members 46 are attached to the front face of the partition 39 by bolts 39a and are provided with anges 6a through which extend the spindles 3B. A ballot assembly 3l is shown between the two columns of spindles 30. In the foregoing description, the reference numerals used correspond to those of said patent so as to make clear the relation of the present improvement to the original machine.

On each spindle 38 is provided a pinion i0 which meshes with teeth on a master gear ii supported by shaft i2 joui-nailed in the side plates of the channel member s6. On the shaft i2 are also supported digits wheels 93a, isb, and t3c oi' which i3a is the units wheel, the other two digits wheels being interconnected therewith in the usual manner through pinions it mounted on a shaft i5 which is supported by the side plates of the channel member d6. The units wheel is provided with teeth i6 and on the shaft i5 is journalled a pinion il in mesh with the teeth i6. A pinion i8 having half as many teeth as the pinion il is formed on the end of a stud i9 extending from the pinion il. of the pinion i8 are so arranged as to engage the master gear il as shown in Fig. 12 to lock the pinion against rotation. The end of the master gear li adjacent the units wheel i6 is recessed at 20 to permit movement of the pinion I1 along the shaft i5, and in the recess are' provided two teeth 2| adapted to mesh with the pinion i1 when the latter is moved to extend into the recess. The master gear Il is provided with a slot 22 extending from the toothed end thereof and having its inner end spaced from the adjacent end of the reces'. 20, the slot 22 being midway between the teeth 2i. The recess 26 is of sulcient width completely to receive the The teeth l pinion I'I, thereby permitting disengagement of it from the teeth I6 and the distance between the adjacent faces of the pinions I1 and I8 is slightly less than the distance from the inner end of the slot 22 to the face of the master gear adjacent the units wheel. The pinion I'I will be engaged by the teeth 2| whenever a tooth of the pinion I8 is insertable into the slot 22 and the pinion assembly will, therefore, be positively rotated to cause the tooth of pinion I8 to move into the slot 22 Without any binding action. This arrangement precludes the possibility of a tooth of pinion I8 becoming so engaged with the side of the slot 22 as to cause force to be applied tending to bend the shaft I5 out of position.

Means are provided for shifting the pinion assembly I 1, I8 and I 9 along the shaft I 5. A vertical channel member 23 is attached by bolts 23a to the bars 49, the bolts 23a passing through horizontal slots in the partition 39. A series of vertically alined lugs 24 are struck up from the channel member 23 and each lug is cut away to form an aperture 25 provided with shoulders 26. One ange of the channel member 23 is cut out to provide shoulders 21 in horizontal alinement with the shoulders 26. A slide 28 having an upturned end 29 underlies each set of shoulders 26 and 21 with the upturned end 29 being arranged exterior of the flange. A spring 40 is associated with each slide 28 having one end attached to the upturned end 29 and the other to the opposite flange of the channel member whereby the slide is normally maintained with its shoulders 4I in contact with the lug 24. 'I'he lugs 24 and ends 29-constitute yokes straddling corresponding pinion assemblies and upon movement of each channel bar 23 all the pinion assemblies of a given column are correspondingly moved. Each lug 24 and end 29 is recessed at 42 to receive the shaft I5 and limit movement of the pinion assembly away from the units wheel.

In Figs. 2 and 7, the pinion assembly is shown in counter-locking position, this being the position of the pinion assembly before a voter enters the voting booth and with the curtains of the booth open. In this position, units wheel I3a is locked against rotation by reason of the engagement of the teeth of pinion I8 with the periphery of the master gear I I which prevents rotation of the pinion I 8. Therefore, the pinion I'I is held against rotation and as it is in mesh with the gear I6, rotation of the units wheel I 3a is prevented. Upon closure of the booth curtains as described in said Patent No. 2,054,102, the bar 54 is lifted through a distance equal to section 55a and thereby is moved to the right (Fig. 2) carrying with it the bars 49 and the channel members 23 as described in said patent. Such movement of the channel members 23 causes the yoke members 24 to move the pinion assembly I lI, I8, I9 into the position shown in Fig. 8. In this position, the pinion I'I is still in mesh with the teeth I8 but projects into the path of the teeth 2l, and rotation of spindle 38 eiects rotation of the corresponding master gear II to move the slot 22 into position to permit projection thereinto of a tooth of the pinion I8, thereby allowing rotation of the pinion assembly by the teeth 2I to effect one-tenth of a revolution of the units wheel. During the above-described operation, the master gear I I is rotated to such an extent that the tooth of pinion I8 which engaged slot 22 is moved out of the slot 22 and it, together with the succeeding tooth is again in locking relation to the master gear preventing rotation of the pinion IJ.. After the voter has operated the proper spindles to register his vote, he opens the curtains as described in said patent, thereupon causing return of the bar 54 to its original position with the accompanying return of the pinion Shifters and pinions to their original positions shown in Fig. 2, leaving the units wheels in the positions to which they had been advanced by operation of the spindles. After the pinion assemblies have been returned to their original positions, the spindles and master gears are returned to the position shown in Fig. 2 by mechanism fully illustrated and described in said Patent No. 2,054,102.

In the event that the voter has left a spindle in a position of incomplete operation, possibility of injury to the counter during the return of the pinion assemblies, master gears and spindles to their original positions is avoided. Under such conditions, a tooth of the pinion I8 will remain sufficiently projected into the slot 22 to prevent full return movement of the pinion assembly thereby preventing disengagement of the pinion II from the teeth 2I of the master gear. Thus, when the master gear and spindle are returned to their original position, the teeth 2| will rotate the pinion II thereby causing the tooth of pinion I8 to move into the slot 22 without any binding action. At the same time the units wheel is likewise returned to its original position, and injury to the counter is prevented. When the master gear has been returned to its original position, the tooth of pinion I8 will have completely moved out of the slot 22 thereby permitting full return movement of the pinion assembly to its original position under conditions which cannot cause injury to the counter. The springs 40 permit relative movement of the slides 28 and the channel members 23 so that if a pinion assembly is held against full return movement as above set forth. the channel member may be returned to its original position Without injury either to the pinion assembly or the pinion shifter. The spring will yield sufficiently to permit the necessary relative movement of the slides and channel members when the above-described condition arises. Each slide 28 is guided in its sliding movement on the channel member 23 through the medium of the slots in the lugs 24 and up-turned flange of the channel member. This manner of mounting the slides 28 on the channel member 23 maintains' them in perfect alinement and they cannot shift or tip so as to cause any injury to the mechanism.

When it is desired to reset the counters to zero in preparation for an election, the bar 54 is manually lifted through the entire length of slot 55 and by reason of section 55h is moved further to the right (Fig. 2) than it is moved in the normal operation of the machine for voting. Such movement causes the pinion assembly to be moved into the position shown in Fig. 9 with the pinion II being completely received in the recess 20 and therefore being out of mesh with the units wheel I3. The digits wheels of the counters are now free to rotate in reverse direction and may be so rotated merely by wiping the counter face with a brush or other suitable instrument which frictionally engages the units wheel teeth. The front face of the channel member is depressed at 32 so as to permit projection through the channel face of the umts wheel teeth. After the counters have been re-set to zero, the pinion assemblies are returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, such return being facilitated by having the endsof alternate teeth on the pinion I1 slightly tapered and by having corresponding teeth I6 properly chamfered.

The bar 54 is recessed at 52 to insure that the pinion assembly is returned from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 7 by a quick snap. The recess 52 is of such length that when the bar 54 is lifted through its normal upward movement the recess stands fully above the rollers 53. On the return movement of the bar 54, the right-hand roller 53 (Fig. 15') moves into the recess 52 so that the bar 49 and the pinion Shifters remain stationary until the bar 54 has nearly reached the end of its downward stroke. Then, the oblique end of the slot 52 engages the roller 53 and snaps the rods 49 and the pinion shifters back to their original positions as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. This snap action tends to prevent any possibility of damage to the machine by reason of incomplete operation of a pinion shifter which would leave the pinion l1 in improper condition for its return to original position.

Each master gear Il and spindle pinion I are provided with only a sufficient number of teeth to effect the required rotation of the master gear. This arrangement makes it impossible' to rotate the master gear by a voting spindle through a greater arc than is required for the registration of a single vote, thereby preventing tampering with the' counter to cause the same to register improperly. Furthermore, this arrangement of teeth facilitates proper relation of the master gear and spindle pinion in the operation of assembling.

The bolt 39a passes through flange 46a of one counter channel and has an enlargement which overlies the flange 46a of the adjacent counter channel, the first mentioned flange 46a being of greater width than the second mentioned ange 46a, this arrangement being clearly shown in Fig. 2. However, rotation of the bolt 39a through 180 disengages the enlargement from the narrow iiange 46a so that the channel having such flange may be removed from the partition plate 39 without releasing the counter channel having the wide flange 46a.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, the hundreds wheel I3c is provided with a lug 33 which is engaged by the free end of a leaf spring 34 fastened to the side of the channel, said free end extending through an aperture in the side Wall of the channel. The leaf spring 34 acts as a stop to prevent reverse rotation ofA the hundreds wheel and also stops it at zero when being re-set. As the tens and units wheels are interconnected to the hundreds Wheel through the pinions I4, the arrangement just describedserves to line up all the digits wheels at zero when the counter is reset. Should the counter be actuated beyond 9,99, the spring 34 will yield to permit the hundreds wheel to advance to zero position.

In the modification shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the pinion shifter consists of two L shaped slides 35 and 36 which are slidably mounted on the bar 23 through the medium of tongues 31 struck up from the member 23 and bent to overlie the horizontal portions of the two slides. The slide 36 has a narrow extension 36a which extends through a slot in the slide 35 and a spring 42a surrounds the extension 36a. The spring 42a tends to hold the slides 35 and 36 against the ends of the tongues 31 While permitting movement apart of the slides. Either slide 35 or 36 is movable independently of the other and such arrangement prevents all possibility of injury to the machine from application of pressure to the pinion assembly under any and all circumstances.

A spring clip 44 is provided to lock the shaft l2 against endwise movement to the right and also to lock the shaft l5 against endwise movement to the left. This clip is provided with a bayonet slot which cooperates with a head on the shaft l2 to hold the latte` against endwise movement.

It is of course understood that various modifications nmay be made in the structure above described without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a counter, operatively connected number wheels including a units member, an actuating member, an adjustable actuating pinion in one position driving the units member from said actuating member and movable out of driving relation therebetween, and means for locking said pinion on the same one of said members in either position of said pinion.

2. In a counter, operatively connected number wheels including a units wheel, an oscillating actuating member, number wheel actuating mechanism actuated by said actuating member including a driving gear rotatable with said units number wheel and a yreciprocable actuating pinion driving said gear from said actuating member during oscillation in one direction and reciprocable out of driving relation therebetween to permit reverse oscillation, and means for locking said pinion on said ac'tuating member in either position of said pinion.

3. In a counter, operatively connected number Wheels including a units wheel, an actuating member, and number wheel actuating mechanism actuated by said member including adriving gear rotatable with the units number wheel and a reciprocable actuating pinion driving said gear from said member and comprising spaced tooth carrying portions, one driving said driving gear and the other rotated by said member and engaging the latter to lock said units wheel, said member also having grooves therein engaged by teeth-on diierent portions of said pinion and a bridge between said grooves.

4. In a counter, operatively connected number wheels including a units wheel, an actuating member, and number wheel actuating mechanism actuated by said member including a driving gear rotatable with the units number wheel and a reciprocable actuating pinion driving said gear from said member and reciprocable out of driving relation, said pinion comprising spaced tooth carrying portions.' and said member having transfer teeth engageable by one portion of said pin-4 reciprocable actuating pinion driving said gear from said member and reciprocable out of driving relation, said pinion comprising spaced tooth carrying portions of different widths, one constituting a driving portion and the other a locking portion, and said member having grooves cooperating with both portions and also having a bridge between said grooves, said member having a cut-away portion into which said wider portion is reciprocable.

6. A counter comprising a rotatable master wheel having an axial slot in its periphery, operatively connected number wheels including a units wheel, a gear rotatable with said units wheel, a pair of transfer teeth on said master wheel having the space between them in alinement with said slot, an adjustable actuating pinion in mesh with said units wheel gear and movable into and out of the path of said transfer teeth, said master wheel being shaped to provide space at either side of said transfer teeth to receive the teeth of said actuating pinion, and a locking pinion fixed to said actuating pinion in spaced relation thereto, said lochng pinion having less teeth than said actuating pinion and being in locking relation with said master wheel both with the actuating pinion in and out of the path of said transfer teeth.

7. A counter according to claim 6 in which said master wheel slot is closed at its end adjacent said transfer teeth.

8. A counter according to claim 6 in which said master wheel slot is closed adjacent said transfer teeth and the distance between the adjacent faces of saidactuating and locking pinions is less than the distance from the closed end of said slot to the end of said transfer teeth adjacent said units wheel.

9. A counter according to claim 6 in which the space at'either side of said transfer teeth is of suillcient width axially of said master wheel to permit disengagement of said actuating pinion from said units wheel gear.

10. A counter according to claim 6 provided with a pinion shifter comprising a member movable axially of said counter, a yoke carried by said first member and having portions overlying opposite ends of said two pinions, one of said yoke portions being slidable relative to said member, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said portion in one direction.

11. A colmter according to claim 6' provided with a pinion shifter comprising a member movable axially of said counter, a yoke carried by said member and having portions overlying opposite ends of said two pinions. one of said yoke members being slidable relative to said member, means for limiting movement of said slidable yoke portion in one direction, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said slidable yoke portion in the opposite direction.

12. A counter according to claim 6 provided with a pinion shifter comprising a member movable axially of said counter, said member having a. struck-up lug, a slide having an upturned flange, a guide slot in said lug for said slide, inter-engaging means on said lug and slide for limiting movement of the latter in one direction, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of the slide in the opposite direction, said lug and flange overlying opposite ends of said two pinions.

13. A counter comprising a master gear, a toothed indicator wheel coaxial therewith, a pinion assembly movable axially of said wheel and gear and being associated therewith for translating rotary movement therebetweema member movable axially of said counter, a yoke on said member having portions overlying opposite ends of said pinion assembly, one of said portions being slidable relative to said member, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said slidable portion in one direction.

14. In combination, a shiftable pinion assembly, a shifter therefor comprising a member movable axially of said pinion, a yoke carried by said member and having portions overlying the opposite ends of said pinion assembly, one of said portions being slidable relative to said member, and resilient means 'tending to oppose movement of said slidable portion in one direction.

15. In combination, a shiftable pinion assembly, a shifter therefor comprising a member movable axially of said pinion, a lug struck up from said member and overlying one end of said pinion assembly, a slide having an upturned ange overlying the other end of said pinion assembly. guide slots in said lug and member for said slide, means on said slide engageable with said lug to limit movement of said slide in one direction, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said slide in the other direction.

16. In combination, a shiftable pinion assembly, a shifter therefor comprising a member having an upturned edge and an upturned lug, a slide having an upturned flange, guide slots in said lug and upturned edge for said slide, interengaging means on said slide and lug for limiting movement of said slide in one direction, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said slide in the opposite direction, said lug and flange overlying oppodte ends of said pinion assembly.

17. In combination, a counter comprising a master gear, a toothed indicator wheel coaxial therewith, a pinion assembly movable axially of said wheel and gear and being associated therewith for translating rotary movement therebetween, a member movable axially of said counter, and means for effecting axial movement of said pinion assembly slowly in one direction and moving said pinion assembly reverselv with a snap action.

18. In combination, a counter comprising a master gear, a toothedindicator wheel coaxial therewith, a pinion assembly movable axially of said wheel and gear and being associated therewith for translating rotary movement therebetween, a member movable axially of said counter, and means for effecting axial movement of said pinion assembly comprising a bar, means for moving said bar obliquely to its length, and rollers engageable by opposite sides of said bar, one side ofwsaid bar being recessed to receive one of said rollers during a portion of its movement in one direction.

19. In combination, a rotatable pinion assembly, a shifter therefor comprising a member movable axially of said pinion, a yoke carried by said member and having portions overlying the offset ends of said pinion assembly, each of said portions being slidable relative to said member, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said portions away from each other.

20. In combination, a rotatable pinion assembly, a shifter therefor comprising a member movable axially of said pinion, a pair of slides carried by said member, each slide having an upturned end overlying one end of said pinion assemblyand one slide being superposed on the other, a tongue extending from one slide through a slot in the other slide, and resilient means tending to oppose movement of said slides in a direction to increase the distance between said flang.

RANBOM F. ASHOUP.

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