US488748A - Ballot-box - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

I. w.. BARRETT. BALLOT BOX.

No. 488,748. Patented Dec. 27, 1892.

UNTTE STATES PATENT O FI E.

' FREDERICK W. BARRETT, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,748, dated December 27, 1892. Application filed January 30, 1892. Renewed November 1. 1892. Serial No. 450,608- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ballot boxes.

The object of my improvements is to lock the ballot box in both its closed or sealed positions and when partially open to admit of voting, to this end my improvements have reference to a box provided with a sliding cover, the cover being provided with an opening for the admission of votes when in its voting position and holding means for said cover; have reference toa special form of holding means adapted to hold the cover in position, in both its sealed and voting positions, consisting of overlapping pieces carried by said members and having a sliding engagement each with the other member; have reference to a pivoted locking latch adapted to engage with said cover and lock it in both positions; and have reference to other points hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1, represents a perspective view of my ballot box in its sealed condition, a portion of one holding piece being broken away to show the ballot opening normally covered thereby; Fig. 2, an end view of the box, the opening position of the latch being shown by dotted lines; Fig. 3, a vertical section through the latch and a portion of the box, on the line a: as Fig. 2, the cover being shown in its voting position; Fig. 4, detailed views of the locking latch, Fig. 5 similar views of the matching portion therefor. Fig. 6, a perspective view of a ballot box in its voting position.

In some States the law requires that each judge shall individually lock the ballot box, being provided with a separate and difierent key therefor. My device admits of attaching.

a number of pad-locks to the box, and, by simply adjusting the cover, the locking latch will lock the same in both its sealed and voting positions. Referring to the drawings, the

letter A designates the box provided with a cover B, slidingly mounted therein, and having an opening 0 at one end, or elsewhere, to admit of inserting the ballots within the box when the cover is in its voting position. This opening however, is covered by a strap D, or other holding piece, wide enough to close the opening when the box is sealed, and being socured to the box by end extensions E, it holds the cover against other than sliding disengagement from the box. The opposite end of the cover is provided with a holding piece E, preferably secured to the cover itself, and having extensions E at the ends, which simply embrace the box to strengthen it. The latter holding piece is engaged with the box by an inwardly extending lug F, adapted to slide into a matching opening in the end of the box, and prevent lifting out this end of the cover while engaged with the said opening. As seen from Fig. 3 the cover B may be drawn out far enough to expose the opening 0, sufficiently for voting purposes, while one end of the cover is held by the strap D, and the other end by the lug F. In order to prevent further sliding of the cover, a locking latch G, pivoted at H, is adapted to swing into engagement with a slot B, Fig. 3. The latch is provided with a loop or handle, which may be connected by a pad-lock, or otherwise, to a matching handle G, secured to the box itself, whereby the latch will be prevented from turning. When the latch is inserted in the slot B, and then looked to the matching handle G, the cover is locked in its voting position; by rotating the latch to the dotted position Fig. 11, and closing the cover, the latch may be rotated back to the outside or end thereof, as seen in Fig. 2, and lock the box in its sealed condition. The locking position of the latch is the same in both positions of the cover, but engages differently with the cover, to effect said locked positions. The holding pieces D and E, are preferably in the form of angle straps to strengthen the box; and the other corners aresimilarly stayed, if so desired, by corner irons. The latch and its matching piece, serve as a convenienthandle for the box, as well as a place of attachment for the looks.

The holding pieces may be mounted one on one member and one-011 the, other, as hOWn-in this form ofthe device; or maybe'otherwise connected to the box as long as they serve to hold the cover, and close the box, as hereinbefore described.

The removal of' the cover is readilyeft'ected by turning the latch to the dottedposition shown in Fig. 2, and drawing out the cover till both ends are free from their engagement with the box.

Fig. 6 shows a ballot box in perspective, the cover being drawn out to its votingposition and slidingly engaged at the sides with the box, by a tongue and grooveengagement. The latch is engaged with the cover similarly to the'sectionalviewof-Fig, In both forms; the strap at the;- latchzend of the cover-is, dropped; down o below the lower surface of: cover. in orderto prevent slipping ballots, intothe-box- In- 6 the lug-,extension to-hold thercover in-posi-tionw is not used; the

rabbet ofi the box:on-leachsid-e-of the co ven acting ;to"hold the latter frombeinglifted out.

Ilavingthus-fu-lly described my invention, what Iclaim asnew and, desire to'securaby, Letters :Patent is:-

, 1. In, a ba1lot:bQx,-the combination withthe; box and aslidablecover therefor vhaving an opening .to admit votes-,- of. a covering; piece" carried by ,the box adapted tofcoversaidopen ing and-seal the box-in onetposition, and to; 1

' expose said openingforvotin g, in another po w si-tionnof thecover, and meansjtogilock said;

coverin said voting andsealed positions.

2. In aeballotxbox, the combination with a: l

box and ,a cover therefor, adaptedfor the ad- 3. In a ballot box, the combination with a box, and. a sliding cover therefor provided with an opening for the admission of ballots,

.of'a holding piece normally closing said opening, andconsisting of ar strap secured to the box at one end, another holding piece mount- .ed on the cover atthe'other end, and provided with an inwardly extending lug engaging with the box to norm ally prev-entgraising the cover, the cover being; th-us held from other than sliding; movement, and means ,to rlimitasaid, sliding-movement to lock,th-ercover-at-prede 4; Illi-a= ;ba;llOIwb QX;the.-OOlIIblIlELtlOD ;Wltlhfifi box, and a sliding cover, theretor, and a; -hold-' ingdevice toprevent otherwthan slidign gwm0Y-.

ment of the;cover, of alocking latch-pivoted to said box and :adapted 'to. engage with-said cover, at predetermined points to loele. the

cover, and rhaving a loop or handle, portion, a: matching loop secured to thebox, and means; to secure said looped-,- pprtionsflgtogether and effect alocked condition oit'- .the,- latch Intestimonywhereofl {aifix m y -si-gn atu're'i n presence-of two witnesses Y EREDEBIGK W. BARRETT. l WVitnesses:

WARREN M. 'MQNAIR, JOHN FENWIGK.

ditions, and means to securethe latch in its lockingposition-therewith.

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