GB2038723A

GB2038723A - Device for moving bee hives and like articles

Info

Publication number: GB2038723A
Application number: GB7936208A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Jarvis M S; Jewell G A
Current assignee: Jarvis M S; Jewell G A
Priority date: 1979-01-08
Filing date: 1979-10-18
Publication date: 1980-07-30

Abstract

A device for moving bee hives or like-shaped articles comprises a first frame (1) having a wheel (14) and a second frame (2) having a pair of handles (25). The two frames are pivotally connected together by pivot pins (3, 4) and are so arranged that a bee hive or like-shaped article can be accommodated between the side members (11, 12 and 21, 22) and transverse cross members (13 and 27) of the two frames and can be gripped by the transverse cross members when the device is lifted by means of the handles (25) in order to transport a beehive or other article. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for moving beehives and like articles This invention relates to devices for moving bee hives.

Beehives consist of a number of layers which are stacked one on top of another. Such bee hives frequently have to be moved from one location to another and, since an occupied hive usually consists of a floor, a brood box, two or more supers and a roof suitably secured together, they are too heavy for one man to lift generally requiring two men to carry or lift on and off a vehicle. As will be known to those skilled in the bee keeping art, a super of a bee hive is a layer or box part of a hive in which the honey is stored.

The present invention aims to provide a device by means of which a bee hive can be transported by only one man.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for moving bee hives or like articles, said device comprising a first frame having at least one wheel and a second frame having at least one handle, the two frames being pivotally connected together and adapted to hold between them a bee hive or like article.

By means of the device according to the invention, bee hives can be moved by one man in a single operation to or from their apiary sites and on or off a suitable transporting vehicle by means of a suitable ramp.

Preferably, the first frame consists of two substantially parallel side members braced apart by a cross member.

Preferably, a single wheel is mounted on an axle secured to one end of a pair of arms the other ends of which are secured to the transverse member, said transverse member may be secured at its ends to one end of each of the two side members and the other ends ofthe side members may be pivotally connected to the second frame. Alternatively, each arm may constitute one end of a respective side member and the other ends of the side members may again be pivotally connected to the second frame. In either case, the second frame may also consist of two side members which are braced apart by at least one transverse cross member and which are each secured at one end to a respective side member of the first frame. The other ends of the side members of the second frame can then take the form of handles so that the whole structure represents a kind of articulated wheel barrow.A bee hive or other article can be gripped between the cross members of the two frames when the device is in use.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a device for moving bee hives according to the invention; Figure 2 shows, to a reduced scale, the device shown in Figure 1 in use; Figure 3 is a perspective view of another em bodiment of a device according to the invention for moving bee hives; and Figure 4 is a part-sectioned side elevation of the device shown in Figure 3 showing the device in the folded or collapsed condition.

In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.

Reference will first be made to Figure 1 of the drawings in which the device comprises a first frame 1 consisting of a pair of side members 11 and 12 which are braced apart and connected together by a transverse cross member or strut 13. A wheel 14 is mounted on an axle 15 located at its ends in bearings 16 each of which is secured to one end of a respective side member 11, 12. Each side member 11,12 consists of two portions 1 la, 12a and 11b, b,12b, respectively which are inclined with respect to one another, the cross-strut 13 and the axle 15 extending between the portions ill, 12a and the cross-strut 13 being located adjacent the points at which the portions 11a,12a meet the portions 11b, 12b respectively.The other ends of the portions 1 1b and 12b are each secured to one end of a respective side member 21,22 of a second frame 2 by means of respective pivot pins 3,4.

The side members 21, 22 of the second frame 2 are braced apart and connected together by two cross members or struts 23 and 24 and the other ends of the side members 21,22 are shaped as handles 25.

Like the side members 11, 12, each side member 21, 22 consists of two portions 21a, 22a and 21b, 22b respectively which are inclined with respect to one another. The cross-strut 23 extends between the portions 21a and 22a adjacent the point at which these portions meet the portions 21b and 22b respectively and the cross-strut 24 extends between the portions 21a and 22a between the cross-strut 23 and the handles 25. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the two frames 1 and 2 are free to pivot with respect to one another.

In use, the two frames 1 and 2 of the device are pivoted to a position in which the cross-struts 13 and 23 are located the maximum possible distance apart and the device is then fitted over a bee hive 5 or like article so that the article is bounded on all sides by the cross struts 13 and 23 and the portions 1 1b, 12b, 21b and 22b of the respective side members 11,12, 21 and 22. The wheel 14 is allowed to rest on the ground and the device is pulled by the handles 25 until the cross-strut 13 bears against one side of the bee hive 5 or like article. The frame 2 is then lifted by means of the handles 25 and this frame initially pivots with respect to the frame 1 until the crossstrut 23 bears against the side of the bee hive 5 or like article opposite the side against which bears the cross-strut 13.Further lifting of the handles 25 is then effective to raise the bee hive 5 or like article from the ground and the bee hive or like article can then be transported as shown in Figure 2. The bee hive or like article is safely gripped by the crossstruts 13 and 23 and yet the device can simply be removed by lowering the frame 2 and then lifting both frames off the article at the same time.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wheel 14 is mounted on a short spindle 17 having screw-threaded ends which is secured by means of nuts 18 engaging the screw-threaded ends of the spindle to plates 19 which are secured to a pair of arms 20. The arms 20 in turn are secured at their ends to the transverse cross member 13 of the first frame 1. In this case, the side members 11 and 12 terminate at the points at which they are secured to the transverse cross member 13 but they are effec- tively extended to the wheel spindle 17 by the arms 20.

The ends of the side members 11 and 12 remote from the transverse cross member 13 are provided with plates 28 projecting from the side members and inclined with respect thereto. The adjacent ends of the side members 21 and 22 of the second frame 2 are provided with similar plates 26 which again project from their associated side members and are inclined with respect thereto. Each of the plates 26, 28 is apertured to receive a pivot pin 23 or 24 by means of which the frames 1 and 2 can be secured together. The angles of the plates 26 and 28 are so arranged that pivoting of the frames towards the erect condition of the device shown in Figure 3 is stopped when the ends of the side members 11, 12 and 21.22 abut each other respectively. This arrangement facilitates wheeling the device along the ground when no article is being carried.The side members of the frames shown in Figure 1 may be provided with similar plates if desired.

The second frame 2 is similar to the frame 2 shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, having handles 25 at the ends of the side members remote from the first frame, but in this case the two transverse cross members or struts 23 and 24 are replaced by a single transverse cross member 27. The member 27 is so spaced from the pivoted axis formed by the pivot pins 3 and 4 that when the first frame 1 is folded towards the second frame 2 in order to fold or collapse the device for storage purposes, the rim of the wheel 14 rides over the transverse member 27 until the arms 20 make contact with the transverse member 27 when the two frames are held together by the wheel 14 as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.The wheel is preferably provided with a pneumatic tvre so that it can be easily forced over the transverse member 27 and so that the frames 1 and 2 will be held together by the resilience of the tyre. However, the invention is not restricted to the use of a pneumatic tyre on the wheel 14. In order to erect the device from the folded or collapsed condition shown in Figure 4, it is merely necessary to force the wheel 14 back over the transverse member 27 and then to pivot the frames 1 and 2 away from each other until they reach the positions shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

In order to transport a bee hive or other article with the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. it is merely necessary to lift the frames 1 and 2 and then to lower them over the bee hive or other article which is to be moved. It will be seen that the angled plates 26 and 28 permit the transverse members 13 and 27 to be moved further away from each other than in the position shown in Figure 3 so that tlie device may be easily lowered over a bee hive or other article until the wheel 14 touches the ground. Raising the second frame 2 by means of the handles 25 will then cause the transverse members 13 and 27 to grip the bee hive or other article in a like manner to that already described with reference to Figure 1 so that the bee hive 5 can then be transported as shown in Figure 2.The device can be removed by lowering the bee hive 5 to the ground, lowering the frame 2 and then lifting both frames 1 and 2 off the bee hive at the same time.

The transverse members 13 and 27 are preferably provided with projecting blades or like projections 29 which extend away from the transverse members in a direction towards the pivotal axis between the frames 1 and 2. These blades facilitate gripping of the sides of a bee hive or other article and help to prevent the same from slipping when it is being transported. Similar blade-like projections may be provided on the transverse cross members 13 and 23 of the device shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The side members and transverse cross members of the two frames may be solid as indicated in Figure 4 or they may be tubular and they may have any suitable cross-section. e.g. round, oval, square, rectangular. The frames are preferably made of wood or metal but any suitable materials may be employed.

It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to moving bee hives but the device may be used for moving any substantially square or rectangular article such as crates, boxes, etc. The invention is also not restricted to the above described embodiments but modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the second frame of the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 may, if desired, be provided with two transverse cross members as with the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Moreover, the transverse cross member 23 in Figure 1 may be so arranged that it too engages the rim of the wheel 14 when the device is in the folded condition in like manner to the member 27 in Figure 4.

Claims

1. A device for moving bee hives or like articles, said device comprising a first frame having at least one wheel and a second frame having at least one handle, the two frames being pivotally connected together and adapted to hold between them a bee hive or like article.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first frame consists of two substantially parallel side members braced apart by a transverse cross member.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein a single wheel is mounted on an axle secured to one end of a - pair of arms the other ends of which are secured to the transverse member.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the transverse member is secured at its ends to one end of each of the two side members and wherein the other ends of the side members are pivotally connected to the second frame.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein each arm constitutes one end of a respective side member and wherein the other ends of the side members are pivotally connected to the second frame.

6. A device according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the second frame consists of two side members which are braced apart by a transverse cross member and which are each secured at one end to a respective side member of the first frame.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the side members of both frames are provided at their adjacent ends with plates, each plate being apertured to receive a pivot pin by means of which the frames are pivotally connected together.

8. A device according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the other ends of the side members of the second frame take the form of handles.

9. A device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the transverse cross members of the first and second frames are provided with projecting blades or like projections extending away from the transverse members in a direction towards the pivotal axis between the frames forth purpose of gripping the sides of a bee hive or like article.

10. A device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the transverse cross member of the second frame and the wheel are so spaced from the pivotal axis between the frames that, when the first frame is pivoted with respect to the second frame so as to overly said second frame for the purpose of storage of the device, the transverse member of the second frame is effective to engage with the rim of the wheel to hold said first and second frames in the folded position.

11. A device substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.