Between the words "Ward" and "Precinct" upon the rubber band G is a projecting pin, h', which extends slightly beyond the letters upon the band G. This pin may be secured in the roller F and extend through the band; or it may be a tack or pointed nail passed through the band from the inner side. Its object is to perforate the ballots as they are carried between the roller F and the elastic roller H, so that should two or more ballots be folded together they would all be punctured by this point h', and thus indicate upon all but one, even if they had been previously marked, the attempted fraud.

The shaft E extends through downwardly-projecting flanges or lugs upon the plate C, and opposite the plate is provided with a worm, e', which meshes into a worm-gear, j, which is secured upon a shaft, J. This shaft J has secured upon it a worm, j', which meshes into a worm-gear, k, which is secured upon a spindle, k', which spindle is secured to or is a part of the dial K, which is countersunk into the top of the cover B. This dial is made of brass or some other resonant metal, and has its upper edge spaced off, the number of spaces being so arranged that each revolu tion of the shaft E will advance it the distance of one space.

The indicator-hand k2, secured on top of the cover and projecting slightly over the edge of the dial, indicates the number of ballots carried into the box at any given time. The spindle k' of the dial has its bearing in the hub c, which is a part of the plate C.

The top of the box is perforated beneath the dial at 1, to permit the hammer l' upon the end of an arm, L, to strike the dial and emit a sound at cach revolution of the shaft E. This is accomplished in the following manner: The arm L is pivoted upon a bolt, 2, which passes through a lug projecting from the plate D. The end of this arm opposite the hammer l' is held in contact with a cam or wiper-wheel, M, secured upon the shaft E by a spiral spring, 13, which is compressed between a projecting lug, 14, and the plate D.

Now, it will be seen from the foregoing that at each revolution of the shaft E by means of the crank e one ballot will be carried in the box, the dial K advanced one number by the worm-gearing, that an alarm will be sounded upon the dial, which also serves as a gong, and that the ballot will be printed with the number of the ward and precinct by the type-band and punctured, so that only the one printed by the type-band will have the perforation in the proper place.

The crank e is stopped at every revolution when a ballot has been passed through the feeding-rollers by a spring-plunger, N, which projects through the side of the box A in the path of the crank e, being held out in its projected position by a spring, n, which is compressed between the head of the plunger N and the end of the pocket n', within which the plunger N is pressed to permit the end of crank e to pass and turn the shaft another revolution when another ballot has been passed through the opening b into the bite of the rollers F H.

When the crank e is removed at the close of the election, the opening in the side of the box through which it is passed is automatically locked by the spring-arm O. (Clearly shown in Fig. 3, the dotted line showing it in the closed position and locked by a spring-catch, P, after the crank is removed, and the full line showing it in position to permit the introduction of the crank, which can only be introduced when the box is open by holding the arm O in the position shown in full line, Fig. 3.)

QQ are two locks, each requiring different keys to open them. These are placed upon opposite sides of a permutation-lock, R, the dial of which is locked to the dialplate by a thumb-screw, r, when the lock is retracted, to prevent it from being locked, and the combination "thrown" until the ballots are counted. The bolt of this lock, when thrown, engages a catch, r', which is secured to the cover.

S is a hinged arm, to prevent the cover from being thrown so far back as to strain the hinges.

The box is intended to be used in the following manner: The dial is rotated until the pointer k2 is opposite zero. The combination of the lock R is then set, and the dial of the opened lock secured by the set-screw r, the crank-arm e placed in the box, the box closed and secured by the locks Q, and the two keys given oue to each of the election judges or supervisors. At the opening of the polls the officers open the box for inspection, the crank e is taken out and screwed upon the end of shaft E, the spring-arm O being pressed down for that purpose. The box is then closed and locked, and the election proceeds until the close of the polls, when the crank e is immediately removed and delivered to some officer who has no key, to be held by him until the ballots have been counted, the return made out, and the ballots returned to the box, when the screw r is removed from the combination-lock and it and the crank placed in the box, after which the box is closed and locked with the keys held by the judges, and the dial of the combination turned to throw the tumblers out, after which the returns and the two small keys of the box are sealed up and delivered to the returning-board or officers, who at the time the returns are opened and counted are furnished with the combination of the lock R, in case it should be necessary to verify the return by the ballots in the box.

The means herein described, whereby the contents of the box, including its inechanism, is inaccessible to any one except the returning-officers after the ballots are counted and returned to the box, is not claimed herein, as the subject-matter of the same is intended to be made the subject of a separate application.

What I claim is

1. In a ballot box, the combination of the printing-roll F, the type-band G, the puncturing-point h', the inking-roll I, and pressure-roll H with the shaft E and crank for operating said rolls, substantially as shown and described.

2. A ballot-box mechanism adapted to convey a ballot into the box and print the same in its passage through the feeding-rolls, in combination with the printing-band and a puncturing-point, h', to puncture the ballots conveyed into the box.

3. In combination with a registering ballot-box, the revolving dial K, located outside of the box and actuated by the feeding mechanism, which conveys the ballots into the box, with a knocker also actuated by the mechanism which feeds the ballots to strike said dial and give audible notice when a ballot is deposited.

4. The combination, substantially as specified, of the shaft E, the cam secured upon said shaft, the dial K, upon the outside of the box and revolved by suitable gearing, such as shown, driven by the shaft E, lever L, the spring B3, to hold one end of the said lever in contact with the cam M, the knocker l' at the opposite end of the arm, and the top of the box provided with the opening 1, through which the knocker strikes the dial to sound an alarm when a ballot is deposited.

Witnesscs:

H. C. HUNTEMANN,

GEORGE P. CAMPBELL.

RICHARD G. WOOD.

UNITED STATES PATENT Office.

RICHARD G. WOOD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.-BALLOT-BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 387572, dated August 7, 1888.-Application filed August 31, 1887. Serial No. 248356. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern :

Be it known that I, RICHARD G. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the ballot-box for which Letters Patent No. 340069 were granted to me April 13, 1886.

It consists in novel means for so constructing the box that its contents are inaccessible from the ontside to unauthorized persons.

It consists, also, in means whereby the ballot opening and the registering mechanism is locked so that a ballot cannot be inserted except at the proper time and in the proper manner.

It also consists in means whereby each ballot will in its passage into the box automatically release the actuating mechanism which carries it, which mechanism will be again automatically locked after the ballot has passed until the next is introduced, thus effectually preventing false registration.

It consists, also, in certain other details of construction and combination of parts, all of which will be first fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then particularly referred to and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar referenceletters wherever they occur throughout the various views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my registering ballot-box with the turret or head which contains the canceling and registering mechanism in the position it is to occupy when the ballots are being cast. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through line xx. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the turret turned, as it should be after the close of election, to prevent the canceling or registering mechanism being injured or tampered with, as well as to prevent the further introduction of ballots. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the box, showing the top in inverted plan view with the registering and canceling mechanism removed. Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the turret inverted. Fig. 6 is a detail view, in vertical section, of the form of turret used for cheap or non-registering and canceling boxes, illustrating a simple means for locking the ballot-opening after the election is closed. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the turret containing the mechanism for introducing the ballots, printing and canceling them, registering