BE1028175B1 - BEEHIVE FRAME - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a beehive frame 1 comprising (i) a first side frame side member (25) with a central groove (27), (ii) an upper frame side member (3) having a substantially rectangular groove. T-shaped (5), (iii) a lower frame rib element (9) comprising in its upper part an essentially inverted T-shaped groove (11), and in its lower part a longitudinal channel (15) in communication with the inverted T-shaped groove (11), and (iv) a second side frame side member (33) having a depth greater than that of said first side frame side member (25) and corresponding to the center distance between two successive frames in a beehive, and having a longitudinal slot (37) whose upper end (39) is in register with the T-shaped groove (5) of the upper frame side member (3) and the lower end (41) is in register with the inverted T-shaped groove (11) and the channel (15 ) of the lower frame side element (9).

Description

The present invention relates to a frame adaptable to any type of beehive, in particular intended for a hive increase.

A traditional beehive has a flight deck, a body, possibly one or more supers and a roof. Frames possibly pre-stretched are suspended in the body and in the rear. The body is the main element of the hive and houses the bee colony. The cover is a removable element placed above the body, which allows the bees to deposit excess honey on it. Several increases can be superimposed depending on the management of the beekeeper and / or the abundance of the harvest. Both the body and the supers and frames provided therein have standard dimensions.

A beehive frame intended for these traditional beehives comprises a generally rectangular frame generally made of wood, a wire generally made of preferably stainless steel connecting the upper side and the opposite side of the frame at several points in a direction generally perpendicular to the side. upper of said frame, and optionally a sheet of wax or of a synthetic material extending essentially from one side of the frame to the other, supported by said wire generally of stainless steel and intended to facilitate the construction of the hexagonal cells by the bees who deposit their honey there.

For the honey harvest, when the majority of the hexagonal cells formed by the bees are sealed, the beekeeper carefully removes one or more frames from the hive. He can then open or uncap the sealed cells using a tool to allow the honey stored there to flow. He can also remove the blister sheet and separate the honey from the wax in a centrifuge.

The present invention aims to modify the frame and the hive hive intended to receive it, so that the cells can be uncapped and the honey produced by the bees can flow out, without removing the frame from its housing in the hive hive. hive. According to the invention, the frame has upper and lower frame side members and two side frame side members, a first side frame side member having a central groove for guiding a honeycomb sheet, a side member upper frame comprising an essentially T-shaped groove, the core of the T being intended to guide a honeycomb sheet and the head of the T being intended to receive a profile of essentially rectangular section, a lower frame rib element comprising in its upper part a groove essentially in the shape of an inverted T, the core of the T being intended to guide a honeycomb sheet and the head of the T being intended to receive a profile of essentially rectangular section, and in its lower part a longitudinal channel in communication with the inverted T-shaped groove, and a second side frame side member having a depth greater than that of said first c side frame removed and corresponding to the center distance between two frames, and having a longitudinal slot whose upper end BE2020 / 5164 is in register with the T-shaped groove of the upper frame side element and the lower end is in register with the inverted T-shaped groove and channel of the lower frame side element. The slots in question are intended to receive a honeycomb sheet. The width is therefore slightly greater than the thickness of the honeycomb sheet. Any remaining gap will be plugged by the bees. For all practical purposes, it is understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "above", "below" refer to the position of the hive top in normal use, such as those skilled in the art will have understood this clearly. Advantageously, the frame as described above comprises a support wire generally made of steel, preferably stainless steel, connecting the upper side and the opposite side of the frame at several points, and this on either side of the plane of symmetry of the frame. frame encompassing all sides of the frame, so as to support the honeycomb structure formed by the bees. Unlike known frames in which a single wire supports the honeycomb sheet and is often embedded in the initial wax sheet, the invention provides two wires, one on each side of the central plane of the honeycomb sheet, which support the honeycomb structure constructed by bees on a base sheet.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the frame comprises a honeycomb sheet intended to facilitate the work of constructing the hexagonal honeycombs by the bees. This sheet may consist of a sheet of honeycombed wax reinforced with a woven or non-woven web, preferably of BE2020 / 5164, a woven web with a wide open mesh, preferably covered on both sides with a layer of honeycomb wax, or in a honeycomb sheet of synthetic material.

In the case of a textile veil, a cotton or cellulose veil or any other material suitable for this application will be preferred.

The design of the frame as described above allows the introduction of a knife which has two parallel profiles of rectangular section adapted to the section of the head of the T-slot of the upper and lower side elements, the two profiles being connected on the one hand, by at least one steel wire stretched between the ends of the profiles of rectangular section, slightly off-center with respect to a central plane including the two profiles, and on the other hand by a handle. The knife therefore generally follows the shape of a U, the ends of the two branches of which are connected by said at least one steel wire stretched between the ends of the branches of the U, slightly off-center with respect to a central plane including the two branches. . The user can thus slide the knife in the T-grooves of the upper and lower sides of the frame and the wire connecting the ends of the profiles cuts the honeycomb structures formed by the bees near the plane of symmetry of the frame by opening the honeycombs and allowing the honey to flow by gravity, while maintaining in place and leaving essentially intact the base honeycomb sheet. When the knife has only one wire 107, it is necessary to provide two passages, reversing the knife so that the wire 107 passes on either side of the blister sheet.

Preferably, the knife consists of an electric knife = BE2020 / 5164 whose wire or wires connecting the ends of the profiles of rectangular section are heated, preferably to about 65 ° C, by an electric current, preferably of low voltage. To do this, the rectangular section profiles are advantageously made of an electrically conductive material, such as for example steel or aluminum, and the handle is made of an electrically insulating material.

It has been found that the use of a textile veil prevents the honeycomb sheet from being pierced by the hot knife during the opening of the honeycombs.

In this case, the support wires advantageously form an angle other than 90 ° with respect to the upper and lower side element. This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the risks of a short circuit between the heating wire (s) and the support wires.

It is of course possible to provide one knife per frame. In this case, the knife can remain in place. It is also possible to provide an independent knife which should be introduced through the longitudinal slot of said second lateral side element of the frame. In the latter case, it is preferable to seal the inverted T-slot head with a profile in order to prevent the honeycomb sheet from blocking the bottom of the slot.

The honey thus freed from the cells sealed by the bees flows by gravity downwards, enters the inverted T-groove of the lower side element of the frame and from there into the channel made in this frame element.

Preferably, a grid is provided between the inverted T BE2020 / 5164 head and the channel to prevent wax or other debris from clogging the channel.

Advantageously, the channel extends beyond said second lateral frame side element comprising the longitudinal slot, in order to facilitate the collection of honey.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper face of the lower frame side member is V-shaped so as to facilitate the flow of honey in the longitudinal groove. Advantageously, the branches of the V form an angle of approximately 13 ° with the horizontal plane, an angle which corresponds approximately to the angle of inclination of the hexagonal cells formed by the bees.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said second side frame side member having the longitudinal slot is made of a transparent synthetic material. This allows the beekeeper to check the activity of the hive without having to open it and thus disturb the bees. In addition, the upper frame side element can also be made of transparent synthetic material, in order to allow the beekeeper to check the activity of the hive without opening it. As those skilled in the art will have understood from reading the foregoing, the juxtaposition of frames according to the invention and in particular of said second side elements of the lateral frame allows the formation on at least one side of a wall hive rise. The bees plug the interstices causing a lack of tightness. It is therefore possible to omit a face or side wall of the hive increase. Advantageously, the two front and rear BE2020 / 5164 walls are connected by at least one reinforcing profile. It is nevertheless also possible to provide a cover that reinforces the protection of the hive with respect to its environment.

The present invention therefore also relates to a hive increase, comprising a front wall, a rear wall and a first side wall, the front and rear walls being connected by at least one reinforcing profile, beehive frames as described above. being suspended by one side from the side wall and resting on the other on at least one of the reinforcing profiles.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the hive hive can include a removable or tiltable cover covering the second side wall.

A beehive super is either covered by a cover or topped with another hive super. According to another advantageous embodiment, the hive top, when closed by a cover, is covered by a transparent plate housed between the frames and the closing cover. In this way, we can check the activity of the bees without disturbing them.

According to another embodiment, the closing cover and / or the side cover may be made of a transparent material.

As a result of the above, the labor for collecting honey is significantly reduced, since it is no longer necessary to remove the frames from the beehive supers to extract the honey. Indeed, the honey flows by itself by BE2020 / 5164 gravity and can be easily collected in a container. Moreover, the wax is essentially kept in the hive; which facilitates the work of bees who no longer have to reconstitute complete alveoli. The bees will make the structure reusable. In addition, the bees are much less disturbed since it is no longer necessary to remove the frames from the hive super, nor to smoke. In addition, the honey residues remaining in the honeycomb structure maintained in the hive after uncapping can serve as an additional reserve. Overall, the invention improves the biodiversity of bees and reduces the labor required and makes life easier for the beekeeper.

It is understood that the assembly of the various parts can be done in various ways depending on the practice and experience in the profession and / or the knowledge of a person skilled in the art.

The invention is described in detail below in support of an example and with reference to the appended figures in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of a beehive frame according to the invention with the various elements side of frame seen from inside the frame; - Figure 2 is a section along view A-A of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a sectional view of a detail of Figure 2; - Figure 4 is a plan view of a detail of Figure 2; - Figure 5 is a knife according to the invention; and

- Figure 6 is a view of a hive increase according to BE2020 / 5164 the invention. In the figures, identical reference marks refer to identical or similar elements. Furthermore, it is understood that the terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “above”, “below” refer to the position of the hive rise in normal use, such as will have understood those skilled in the art.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the frame 1 has conventional dimensions and forms a rectangle with its four sides. The top side member 3 is shown on top of Figure 1 in a plan view seen from the inside of the frame and is preferably of wood, although it could also be of another suitable material suitable for use. beekeeping. As can be seen in Figure 2, it is of substantially rectangular cross section and has a longitudinal T-shaped groove 5 essentially centered on the depth 7 of said upper side member. The bottom side / element 9 of the frame 1 is shown at the bottom of Figure 1, in a plan view, viewed from the inside of the frame. It is also of essentially rectangular section and comprises a longitudinal groove of inverted T-section 11 essentially centered on the depth 13 of said lower side element 9. The depth 13 corresponds essentially to the depth 7. In its lower part, it comprises a channel. longitudinal 15 as shown in Figure 2, in communication with the inverted T-slot 11. Said longitudinal channel 15 is advantageously machined in the material of the frame and closed by a suitable profile 17 as shown in Figure 3 in a cross section . Said beehive frame also comprises a first lateral side element 25 assembled with the side elements 3 and 9 in a manner known per se. The side element 25 has a longitudinal groove

27 known per se essentially centered on the depth 29 BE2020 / 5164 of said lateral side element 25. The depth 29 corresponds essentially to the depth 7 and / or 13. Finally, said frame 1 according to the invention also comprises a second side element. lateral 33 which has a depth 35 greater than the thickness 7, 13 and / or 29, corresponding to the conventional center distance and known per se between two juxtaposed frames in a hive hive, so as to form a closed wall of the hive beehive. Said lateral rib element 33 is assembled with the upper and lower side elements of the frame, for example by screwing, and comprises a longitudinal slot 37 passing right through it, the upper end 39 of which is in register with the groove in the form of a T 5 of the upper side element 3 and the lower end 41 is in register with the inverted T-shaped groove 11 and the channel 15 of the lower frame side element 9.

Advantageously, the side frame side member 33 is a transparent synthetic material. The side elements 33 of several juxtaposed frames thus form a transparent side wall of the hive hive in which they are located.

It can easily be seen that the frame is provided over its entire internal periphery with a longitudinal groove 5,37,11,27 which serves to hold a base honeycomb sheet on which the bees come to build the honeycomb structure of wax in which they deposit the honey. In order to facilitate this construction by the bees, a basic honeycomb sheet can be provided; this can consist of a fabric, for example cotton or cellulose, with wide open mesh, optionally pre-waxed, of a synthetic sheet optionally embossed so as to present a surface appearance which can serve as a starting point for the wax cells BE2020 / 5164 built by bees. According to a preferred embodiment, the frame as described above comprises a stainless steel support wire 51.53 connecting at several points the upper side 3 and the opposite side 9 of the frame 1, and this on both sides. 'other of the plane of symmetry 55 of the frame including all sides thereof 1. These son 51,53 are intended to support the honeycomb structure formed by the bees. According to an advantageous embodiment, the profile 17 consists of a profile conforming to a substantially U-shaped section 17 whose branches 18,18 ’come to tighten in a groove made in the frame element 9, on its outer face. Advantageously, the inverted T-shaped groove 11 is in communication with the channel 15 via a grid 61, an exemplary embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 4.

The frame of the invention is designed to receive a knife that allows the opening of honeycomb structures filled with honey. Indeed, one can slide therein a knife of the type shown in Figure 5. Said knife 101 comprises two parallel profiles 103 and 105 of essentially rectangular section adapted to the section of the head of the T-slot 5 and 11 of the elements of upper 3 and lower side 9, the two sections 103 and 105 being connected on the one hand, by at least one steel wire 107, preferably stainless steel, stretched between the ends of said sections 103 and 105 of rectangular section, so slightly off-center with respect to a central plane of symmetry 109 encompassing the two sections 103 and 105, and on the other hand by a handle 111. The knife 101 therefore generally follows the shape of a U whose ends of the two branches 103 and 105 are connected by ledi tBE2020 / 5164 at least one steel wire 107 stretched between the ends of the branches 103,105 of the U, slightly off-center with respect to a central plane of symmetry 109 including the two branches. The user can thus slide the knife 101 in the T-grooves 5 and 11 of the upper 3 and lower 9 sides of the frame 1 and the wire 107 connecting the ends cuts the honeycomb structures formed by the bees near the plane of symmetry 55 of the frame by opening the honeycombs and allowing the honey to flow by gravity, while holding in place and leaving the basic honeycomb sheet intact.

As mentioned, the knife preferably consists of an electric knife of which the wire or wires 107 connecting the ends of the profiles of rectangular section 103,105 are heated, preferably at about 65 ° C, by an electric current. To do this, the rectangular section profiles 103,105 are advantageously made of an electrically conductive material, such as for example steel or aluminum and the handle is made of an electrically insulating material, and the profiles 103,105 are connected to the terminals of a source of running.

In this case, the support wires 51 advantageously form an angle other than 90 ° with respect to the upper 3 and lower side element 9. This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the risks of short-circuiting between the heating wire or wires 107 and the support wires 51.

It is of course possible to provide one knife 101 per frame. In this case, the knife 101 can remain in place. It is also possible to provide an independent knife 101 which should be introduced through the longitudinal slot 37 of said second lateral side element 33 of the frame 1 each time it is used. In the latter BE2020 / 5164 case, it is preferable to seal the T-slot heads 5.11 with a profile in order to prevent the honeycomb sheet from blocking the bottom of the inverted T-slot 11.

The honey thus freed from the cells sealed by the bees flows by gravity downwards, enters the inverted T-groove 11 of the lower side element 9 of the frame and from there into the channel 15 made in this frame element 9.

Advantageously, the channel 15 extends beyond said second lateral frame side element 33 comprising the longitudinal slot 37, in order to facilitate the collection of honey.

The upper face of the lower frame side member 9 may be V-shaped so as to facilitate the flow of honey in the longitudinal groove 11. Advantageously, the branches of the V form an angle of approximately 13 ° with the plane. horizontal, angle which corresponds approximately to the natural angle of inclination of the hexagonal alveoli formed by the bees. The fact that said second lateral side member 33 is made of transparent material allows the user to check the situation inside the hive, without having to open the hive and disturb the bees. Advantageously, the upper frame side element 3 is made of a transparent material, thus allowing the user, in this case the beekeeper, to check the activity of the hive, without having to open it. The invention also relates to a hive increase 200. The latter comprises a front wall 201, a rear wall 203 and a first side wall 205, the front 201 and rear walls.

203 being connected by a reinforcing profile 207, BE2020 / 5164 beehive frames 1 as described above being suspended by one side to the side wall 205 and resting on the other on one or the other profile of reinforcement 207. As described above, the juxtaposition of the beehive frames 1 forms a second side wall 209. The hive increase 200 according to the invention may also include a removable or tilting cover covering the second side wall 209, when is closed.

The rise is either topped with another rise or covered by a cover. This can advantageously be made of a transparent material. As a variant, when the cover is not made of a translucent material, it is also possible to provide a plate of a translucent material which covers the hive super. In either case, the beekeeper can easily check the activity of the bees in the cover without having to disturb the bees by removing frames and / or smoking the cover.

A hive increase according to the invention significantly facilitates the work of the beekeeper. It is especially at the level of collecting honey that the work required is simplified. Indeed, when it is necessary to collect the honey, the beekeeper slides the knife in the grooves 5 and 11 and the thread (s) 107 cut into the honeycomb structure filled with honey by opening the honeycombs, thus allowing the honey to flow by gravity into the channel 15. Preferably, the channel 15 extends beyond the second lateral side member 33 in order to facilitate the collection of honey in a suitable container. It should be noted that these operations can be carried out without opening the hive cover and without significantly disturbing the bees in their environment.

In addition, the wax of BE2020 / 5164 honeycomb structures is essentially maintained in the hive top; which facilitates the work of the bees in the construction of their honeycomb structure.

Also, the honey residues remaining in the honeycomb structures will serve as an additional energy reserve for the bees.

Claims (13)

| 16 BE2020 / 5164 Claims ° 1. Beehive frame (1) having upper (3) and lower (9) frame side members and two side frame side members (25,33), a first side frame side member (25) having a central groove (27) for forming a honeycomb sheet, the upper frame side member (3) having a substantially T-shaped groove (5), the edge of the T being for guiding a honeycomb sheet and the head of the T being intended to receive an essentially rectangular section profile, a lower frame rib element (9; comprising in its upper part an essentially inverted T-shaped groove {11), the web of the T being intended to guide a honeycomb sheet and the head of the T being intended to receive a profile of essentially rectangular section, and in its lower part a longitudinal channel (15) in communication with the inverted T-shaped groove (11), and a second side element side frame dice (33) having a depth ( 35) greater than that of said first lateral frame side element (25) and corresponding to the center distance between two frames {1) in a hive increase, and comprising a longitudinal slot {37} whose upper end (39) is in register with the T-shaped groove {5) of the upper frame side member {3} and the lower end (41) is in register with the inverted T-shaped groove (11) and the channel (15) of the lower frame side element {9). 2. Beehive frame according to claim 1 comprising a support wire (51) generally made of steel, preferably stainless steel, connecting at several points the upper side (3) and the opposite side (9) of the frame, and this on both sides. other side of the plane of symmetry of the frame encompassing all sides of the frame. 3. Beehive frame according to one of claims l or 2, characterized in that the frame (1) comprises a honeycomb sheet consisting of a honeycomb wax sheet, preferably reinforced BE2020 / 5164, or a woven or non-woven web. openwork, preferably a woven veil with a wide open mesh, preferably cotton or cellulose, preferably covered on both sides with a layer of honeycomb wax, or in a honeycomb sheet of synthetic material. 4. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the channel (15) extends beyond said second side frame side member (33) having the longitudinal slot (37). 5. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper face of the lower frame side element (9) is V-shaped, the branches of the V preferably forming an angle of about 13 ° with the horizontal plane. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second lateral frame side member (33) having the longitudinal slot (37) and / or the upper frame side member (3) consists of 'a transparent synthetic material. ° 7. Frame according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that the support wires (51) form an angle other than 90 ° with respect to the upper (3) and lower (9) side member. 8. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inverted T-shaped slot head (11) is closed by a profile. 3. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized. in that the channel (15) extends beyond said second side frame side member (33) having the longitudinal slot (37). 10, Hive hive (200} having a front wall (201), a rear wall (203) and a first side wall (205), the front (201) and rear (203) walls being connected by the BE2020 / 5164 minus a reinforcing profile (207), beehive frames according to one of claims 1 to 9 being suspended from one side to the side wall ( 205) and resting on the other on at least one of the reinforcing profiles (207). 11. Hive rise according to claim 10, comprising a removable or tiltable cover covering the second side wall (209). 12. Hive rise according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that it is covered by a transparent plate. 13. A method for collecting honey from a beehive hive according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it is slid in the T-slots {5,11} of the upper (3) and lower sides. (9) frames (1) according to the ure of claims 1 to 9, a knife {101) comprising two parallel profiles (103,105) of rectangular section adapted to the section of the head of the T-slot (5,11) upper (3) and lower (9) side elements of the frames (1), the two profiles being connected on the one hand, by at least one steel wire (107) stretched between the ends of the rectangular section profiles (193,105 ), slightly off-center by räpport to a central plane including the two profiles (103,105), and on the other hand by a handle (111), the wire ((107) connecting the ends of the profiles (103,105) of the knife 7 ( 101) thus cutting the alveolar structures formed by the bees, close to the plane of symmetry of the hive frame tt), thus opening the alveoli and allowing gravity flow of the honey produced.