US 6,648,144 B2Granted

Collapsible ballot box

AssigneeVogue Election Products & Services, LLC

InventorRichard F. Vogel

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A collapsible ballot box for collecting ballots from an electronic ballot tabulating machine includes a base assembly, and front and rear support assemblies pivotally attached to the front and rear ends of the base assembly. The three assemblies are foldable into compact and generally parallel-spaced portions for transport and storage. In its storage state, the ballot box is a compact unit with wheels and a handle that can be comfortably transported and/or stored. The ballot box is easily transformed from the storage state to an upright voting state wherein the ballot tabulating machine is positioned at a convenient height for the voter by unfolding the assemblies. In its set-up or voting state, the ballot box receives ballots from the tabulating machine and stores them in one or more secure ballot compartments. An auxiliary ballot compartment can be provided in the front support assembly for receiving unmarked ballots.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A collapsible ballot box comprising:

an elongated base assembly having a front end, a rear end, first and second side panels and a top surface, said top surface including a slot for receiving marked ballots;
an elongated front support assembly having a top end, a bottom end and a front wall;
an elongated rear support assembly having a top end, a bottom end, a front wall, a rear wall, first and second side walls, and a bottom wall, said walls forming a compartment for receiving marked ballots;
said top end of said front support assembly being pivotally attached to said front end of said base assembly;
said top end of said rear support assembly being pivotally attached to said rear end of said base assembly;
and
said front and rear support assemblies being pivotally positionable generally perpendicularly to said base assembly and being of a suitable length whereby said base assembly is supported in a generally horizontal voting position above an underlying support surface with said ballot receiving compartment positioned to receive marked ballots passing through said slot, said front and rear support assemblies being further pivotally positionable to positions generally parallel to said base assembly to form a compact unit for storage.

4 more elements

A collapsible ballot box comprising:

an elongated base assembly having a front end, a rear end, first and second side panels and a top surface, said top surface including a receptacle for receiving a ballot tally machine, and a slot for receiving marked ballots, said slot being positioned to receive ballots processed by said machine;
an elongated front support assembly having a top end, a bottom end and a front wall;
an elongated rear support assembly having a top end, a bottom end, a front wall, a rear wall, first and second side walls, and a bottom wall, said sidewalls of said rear support assembly each comprising two sections, said sections being pivotally attached to each other and to the adjacent front and rear walls of said rear support assembly, and being dimensioned to fold inwardly between said walls, said bottom wall being pivotally attached to the bottom end of either said front wall or said rear wall of said rear support assembly, said sidewall sections and said bottom wall forming, in conjunction with said front and rear walls, a collapsible ballot compartment for receiving marked ballots;
said top end of said front support assembly being pivotally attached to said front end of said base assembly;
said top end of said rear support assembly being pivotally attached to said rear end of said base assembly;
and
said front and rear support assemblies being pivotally positionable generally perpendicularly to said base assembly and being of a suitable length whereby said base assembly is supported in a generally horizontal voting position above an underlying support surface with said ballot receiving compartment positioned to receive marked ballots passing through said slot, said front and rear support assemblies being further pivotally positionable with said ballot compartment collapsed to positions generally parallel to said base assembly to form a compact unit for storage.

4 more elements

A collapsible ballot box comprising:

an elongated base assembly having a front end, a rear end, first and second side panels and a top surface, said top surface including a receptacle for receiving a ballot tally machine, and a slot for receiving marked ballots, said slot being positioned to receive ballots processed by said machine;
an elongated front support assembly having a top end, a bottom end, a front wall, a rear wall, first and second sidewalls, and a bottom wall forming an auxiliary ballot compartment for receiving ballots not processed by said ballot tally machine;
an elongated rear support assembly having a top end, a bottom end, a front wall, a rear wall, first and second side walls, and a bottom wall, said sidewalls of said rear support assembly each comprising two sections, said sections being pivotally attached to each other and to the adjacent front and rear walls of said rear support assembly, and being dimensioned to fold inwardly between said walls, said bottom wall being pivotally attached to the bottom end of either said front wall or said rear wall of said rear support assembly, said sidewall sections and said bottom wall forming, in conjunction with said front and rear walls, a collapsible ballot compartment for receiving marked ballots;
said top end of said front support assembly being pivotally attached to said front end of said base assembly;
said top end of said rear support assembly being pivotally attached to said rear end of said base assembly;
and
said front and rear support assemblies being pivotally positionable generally perpendicularly to said base assembly and being of a suitable length whereby said base assembly is supported in a generally horizontal voting position above an underlying support surface with said ballot receiving compartment positioned to receive marked ballots passing through said slot, said front and rear support assemblies being further pivotally positionable with said ballot compartment collapsed to positions generally parallel to said base assembly to form a compact unit for storage.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.