Portable self-contained voting booth

Claim 2

A foldable portable self-contained voting booth which may be carried and erected by one person and which is usable in elections employing either automatic voting devices which utilize punchcard-type ballots or write-in type paper ballots, said booth comprising a compact foldable carrying case within and upon which all components of said booth are arranged when said booth is folded and said case is closed for storage and transportation and when said case is opened and said booth is erected for use during an election; said case being defined by two interconnected sections which are positionable when said case is opeNed to extend generally at right angles to each other, one of said sections providing a base of said booth when said case is opened, the other of said sections providing a rear wall of said booth when said case is opened; wall panels movably connected to one of said sections and enclosed within said case when said case is closed and said booth is folded and positionable when said case is opened and said booth is erected to extend generally at right angles to said base section and said rear wall section and operatively positioned therebetween, said wall panels defining sidewalls of said booth when said case is opened and said booth is erected; extensible leg structures movably and operatively mounted in wells provided in the underside of said base section and projecting therefrom when said booth is erected, said leg structures being retractable relative to said wells in said base section when said booth is folded, said leg structures when extended defining supporting means for said case when said booth is erected and being retractable so as not to interfere with positioning of said case on a supporting surface when desired; and movable retractable shelf structure movable and operatively positioned within said case and enclosable therein when said booth is folded and said case is closed, said shelf structure being selectively positionable to extend across said base section of said case to provide a supporting surface which is available for use at all times when required to support thereon an automatic voting device or a paper write-in ballot when said booth is erected.

Claim 3

The booth of claim 1 in which said wells provided in said base section are elongated and are provided in the outer surface thereof, said leg structures being pivotally mounted at one end thereof generally within said wells and being receivable within said wells when retracted.

Claim 4

The booth of claim 2 in which each of said leg structures is extensible and comprises at least two sections movable relative to each other, and latch means in conjunction with said leg sections to positively retain said sections in the extended position.

Claim 5

The booth of claim 1 in which said shelf structure is hingedly mounted and retractable into one of said case sections when said case is closed and is positionable to overlie the other case section when said case is opened to provide a writing surface when write-in type ballots are to be used and a supporting surface for a vote registering device when punchcard-type ballots are to be used.

Claim 6

The booth of claim 4 in which said shelf structure comprises at least two hingedly interconnected sections foldable relative to each other when said shelf structure is retracted into said case section.

Claim 7

The booth of claim 1 which further includes a light source in conjunction with one of said case sections to illuminate the other case section when said case is opened and said booth is erected.

Claim 8

The booth of claim 1 which further includes means in said base case section for supporting therein a mounting panel to which a vote-registering device is secured when punchcard-type ballots are to be used.

Claim 9

A lightweight, compact, portable, self-contained voting booth which may be carried by one person and which is usable in elections employing write-in type ballots and punchcard-type ballots usable with automatic voting devices, comprising a carrying case within and upon which all components of said booth are arranged; said booth being defined by two hingedly interconnected case sections, one of said case sections providing a base of said booth when said case is opened, the other of said case sections extending generally at right angles to said one section when said booth is opened and providing a rear wall of said booth; a pair of opposed panels hingedly mounted to opposite margins of said one case section, said panels being retractable into said one section when said case is closed and being positionable when said case is opened to extend generally at right angles to said bAse and said rear wall, said panels defining sidewalls of said booth when said case is opened; interengageable means between said base and said panels to maintain said panels in engagement with said base when said case is opened; support means within said other case section for supporting a mounting panel on which a voting device employing punchcard-type ballots is mounted; a retractable shelf structure hingedly mounted within said one case section, said shelf structure being positionable within said one case section when said case is closed and being positionable generally to overlie said support means and said other case section when said case is opened to provide a writing surface when a write-in type ballot is to be used and a supporting surface for supporting a vote-registering device when a punchcard-type ballot is to be used; a plurality of leg structures hingedly connected with said other case section and being selectively extensible and retractable relative thereto to support said booth for use by voters, each of said leg structures comprising at least two sections extensible and retractable relative to each other, and latch means operatively positioned between the sections of each of said leg structures to keep such sections extended when desired; and elongated wells formed in said other case section and extending thereinto, said leg structures being retractable into and receivable within the confines of said wells so that said case may be supported on a surface without interference from said legs when said booth is to be used by voters in locations not permitting support by said leg structures.

Claim 10

A lightweight, compact, portable, self-contained voting booth which may be carried by one person and which is usable in elections employing write-in type ballots and punchcard-type ballots usable with automatic voting devices, comprising a carrying case within and upon which all components of said booth are arranged; said booth being defined by two hingedly interconnected case sections, one of said case sections providing a base of said booth when said case is opened, the other of said case sections extending generally at right angles to said one section when said booth is opened and providing a rear wall of said booth; a pair of opposed panels hingedly mounted to opposite margins of said one case section, said panels being retractable into said one section when said case is closed and being positionable when said case is opened to extend generally at right angles to said bAse and said rear wall, said panels defining sidewalls of said booth when said case is opened; interengageable means between said base and said panels to maintain said panels in engagement with said base when said case is opened; support means within said other case section for supporting a mounting panel on which a voting device employing punchcard-type ballots is mounted; a retractable shelf structure hingedly mounted within said one case section, said shelf structure being positionable within said one case section when said case is closed and being positionable generally to overlie said support means and said other case section when said case is opened to provide a writing surface when a write-in type ballot is to be used and a supporting surface for supporting a vote-registering device when a punchcard-type ballot is to be used; a plurality of leg structures hingedly connected with said other case section and being selectively extensible and retractable relative thereto to support said booth for use by voters, each of said leg structures comprising at least two sections extensible and retractable relative to each other, and latch means operatively positioned between the sections of each of said leg structures to keep such sections extended when desired; and elongated wells formed in said other case section and extending thereinto, said leg structures being retractable into and receivable within the confines of said wells so that said case may be supported on a surface without interference from said legs when said booth is to be used by voters in locations not permitting support by said leg structures.

Claim 11

The booth of claim 8 in which said leg sections of each of said leg structures are telescopic relative to each other.

Claim 12

The booth of claim 8 which further includes a light source in conjunction with one of said sections and enclosable within said case when the same is closed, said light source being positioned to illuminate said base section of said case when said case is opened.