US1482468A - Cage for transporting and introducing bees - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1924.

o. L. HER SHISER CAGE FOR TRANSPOR'IING AND-INTRODUCING BEES Sheet 1 are! L. l mrahiswr a n A m M d m 5 a F r||| l.- 1 I--- F- 4 4 Feb. 5, 1924.

- O. L. HERSHISER CAGE FOR TRANSPORTING AND INTRODUCING BEES Filed April 17. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3mm 01%? A. fiorshiscw Feb, 5, 1924. 11,4 @s2,4@$ 0. L. HERSHISER CAGE FOR TRANSPORTING AND INTRODUCING BEES Filed April 17, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Ore/ L. fiersh/ser ATTORNEYd Patented Feb. 5, 1924.

OREL L. HERSHISEB, F KENMORE, NEW YORK.

GAG-E103 TRANSPORTING A NID INTRODUCING BEES.

Application filed April 17, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Oman L. IIERSH'ISER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenmore, county of Erie, State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cages for Transporting and Introducing Bees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cages for transporting and introducing bees.

The object of the invention is to provide an efiective structure in which the queen bee can be properly fed in transportation and from which she can be effectively introduced without danger or contamination of the colony with the food and without serious danger to the safety of the queen.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction. and operation will definitely appear from the de tailed description to follow. 7

I accomplish the objects ofmy invention by the devices and means descrlbed the following specification. The inventlon is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is-a preferred embodiment of my invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. I is a, perspective view oi: my 1mproved bee mailing and introducing cage.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a side elevation view of my improved cage with the slide in place and the food compartment removed.

Fig. III is a side elevation of my food compartment, certain details appearing in dotted lines.

Fig. IV is a partial section of a comb with my cage in place for introducing the queen.

Fig. V is a perspective view of a modification of my mailing and introducing cage.

Fig. VI is a longitudinal section corresponding toline 66 of Fig, V.

'Fig. VII is a plan view of my cage in connection with the comb in place for introducing shown partially in section.

Fig. VIII is a plan view of a slight modification.

Fig. IX is a sectional view of the same taken on line 9-9 of Fig. VIII.

Fig. X is a detail sectional view of a modification showing detached mailing cage for the queen.

Fig. XI is the introducing cage, both opied.

Serial No. 554,260.

views being longitudinal views and the parts associated together for a complete structure.

In the drawing, the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines and similar numerals oi reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A large percentage of the queen bees pro.- duced by breeders and purchased by bee keepers are lost by attempted introduction. Many of the losses are directly traceable to the faulty construction of the mailing and introducing cages. These are designed more particularly for transportation rather than for introducing. Many of the queens, being confined within the limited quarters of these cages and feeding duringthe proccss of introduction on the food provided for shipment, do not acquire the colony odor sufliciently to render them acceptable to the colony. As a consequence, it is a common occurrence for a queen introduced in this manner to be killed by the bees as soon as she emerges from the cage.

Further, contagious diseases such as American and European foul brood have been conveyed by food used for the queen and attendant worker bees while being transported. To prevent the spread of these infectious diseases, all toodremaining in the cages should be removed or the queen and attendant worker bees sufficiently excluded from it before introducing the queen. The diseases mentioned are of the larvae brood and are not communicated to the colony if none of the food in the cage is allowed to be stored within the hive to which the queen is being introduced. The disease germs in the food eaten by the queen and attendant worker bees are consumed by digestion and no disease'is communicated thereby.

Referring to the parts of the drawing by their numbers, 1 represents my improved mailing and introducing cage in parallel- The top 2- is a rectangular shaped blockof wood with cross blocks 2, 2 at each end. The cage, or enclosure, is formed by tacking the wire screen 3 around the form. The wire extendsbelow the false bottom 4 at 3 and embraces the food receptacle 8, which is removable. Just below the wood block 2 at one end is a slot 5 cut into the wire screen to admit the falsebottom 4 which terminates at one end in two points 4. which are bent to hold the bottom in place. The other end of the false bottom 4. is bent at right angles at 4" to facilitate its removal.

In the top 2 is a small opening 6 through which the queen bee is placed in the cage, this opening being covered by a screen 7 tacked onto the top.

The food compartment 8 is formed of a rectangular block of wood having double cylindrical openings 9 and 9 bored therein and covered by a piece of wire cloth 10. The cylindrical opening 9 is also covered by a piece of waxed paper 11 under which the food is placed. At one end of the compartment, in order that the queen may be introduced by what is termed as the eat out plan, is a small opening 12 covered by a screen 13. This compartment can be. removed by pulling out the small tacks 14: which hold it in the receptacle 3. The opening 15 in the bottom of compartment 8 corresponds with the opening 4! in the false bottom and is closed by inserting a tin slide 16 through the same slot in which the bottom 4: is disposed, one end of the slide 16 being bent at right angles to facilitate its removal.

Observe through the wire screen covering of the removable block 8 that the queen and all, or nearly all, of the attendant worker bees are in the upper part of the cage. Confine them there by inserting the small tin slide 16 holding the same in place with the thumb and finger. Remove the block 8 containing the foot, select a place on the side of a bee comb from the hive to which introduction is to be made containing honey, and preferably a few cells of capped brood.

Then press the wire cloth side of the cage downward into the comb as seen in Fig. IV until the false bottom of tin and the small tin slide are in contact with the surface of the comb. Then withdraw the false bottom and the small tin slide. It is thus clear that the food has been entirely removed. The queen and attendant workers are engaged on the comb and feed on the honey of the colony to which the queen is being introduced. This adds much to the likelihood of safe introduction.

The queen can be introduced by what is termed the cat out plan by any who desire to do so. A small opening is made at the end of the food compartment in order that the queen may be thus introduced. This method, however, is not recommended.

My modification, as shown in Fig. V, is similar in construction to my preferred cage. The wide screen 3 is tacked to the blocks 17 on the food compartment forming a top to the cage. A slot 18 is cut in the wire to permit the false bottom 19, which is one solid piece of tin, to be inserted. The opening 15 in the food compartment is closed by a tin slide 20 in slot 21 cut at the opposite end of the food compartment.

In using this modification for introduction, it will be observed that it is similar in most respects to the preferred form. However, the wire cloth sides are attached to the block containing the food compartment and the block becomes the top of the cage and there is no opening in the false bottom. Another diflerence is that a small opening is made at, the opposite end of the food compartment through which to place the queen and attendant workers into the cage.

In introducing the queen in this form, b inspection make sure that the queen and all: or nearly all, of the attendant worker bees are in the compartment of the cage below that containing the food. Confine them there by inserting the small tin slide 21. Then cage the queen on the comb as in the preferred form, removing the false bottom 18. The food here is sufficiently shut off and cannot contaminate the bees or the colony. It will be observed that, as described, my invention is in two different forms. I desire to claim specifically in the preferred form and also to claim the same broadly as pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a transporting and introducing cage for queen bees, the combination of a box formed of a compartment of wood or similar material, containing a screened aperture for receiving the queen bee and attendant workers, screen sides and ends therefor extending beyond the said wood box, an apertured false bottom for the said compartment with slide cover for the aperture, a removable block apertured and containing recesses for food for the transported bees disposed within the extended screen, and a screen cover for the food compartment whereby the food compartment can be readily removed, the extended screen forced into the face of the comb and the false bottom removed, as specified.

2. In a cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee, the combination of a suitable box with screen sides, the screen being extended beyond the bottom, a removable slide false bottom, a food compartment, a slide door for shutting off the said food compartment from the said box whereby the bees can be separated from the food and the extended screen inserted into the face of comb and the false bottom withdrawn, as specified.

3. In a cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee, the combination of a suitable box with slide false bottom and screen side walls extended beyond the bottom, a separable removable food compartment associated therewith, with means for shutting it off from the said box or cage, whereby on introducing the queen the bees can be separated from the food and the screen sides inserted into the face of comb and the false bottom removed.

4. In a cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee, the combination of a suitable box with slide false bottom and screen side walls extended beyond the bottom, a. separable food compartment associated therewith, with means for shutting it off from the said box or cage, whereby on introducing the queen the bees can be separated from the food and the screen sides inserted into the face of comb and the false bottom removed.

5. In a cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee, the combination of a suitable box having separable food means and having a slide false bottom and screen side fi walls extended beyond the bottom, whereby on introducing the queen the bees can be separated from the food and the screen sides inserted into the face of comb and the falsebottom removed.

6. In a cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee, a structure eomprisin a box with suitable screen sides, with slide bottom above the lower edge thereof, where by the extended screen sides can be inserted into the face of comb and the slide bottom removed, as specified.

7. A cage for transporting and introducing a queen bee comprising a food compartment, a restricted door leading thereto, an introducing compartment in proximity to the food compartment with a removable bottom and means for supporting the same with the bottom side toward the comb, as speci In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

OREL L. HERSHISER. 1,. 8.

Images