US67680A - Improvement in bee-hives - Google Patents

Description

G. SLUSSER.

Bee Hive.

No. 67,680. Patented Aug. 13, 1867.

FIG:

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IMPEOVEMEN T IN BEE-HIVIS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it. known that I, GEORGE SLUSSER, of IIillsboro, in the county of Highland, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Bee-Hive: and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which constitute a port-ion of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved bee-hive.

Figure 2, a central longitudinal section of the same, and

Figure 3 a transverse section of said bee-hive.

The same letters refer to corresponding parts in each of the drawings.

An oblong rectangular box, B, having an inclined bottom, 9, and a removable roof-shaped cover, A, forms the exterior portion of my improved bee-hive. The internal portion of my improved bee-hive consists principally of a series of open removable honey-frames, ij is, whose shape and arrangement within the hive are clearly shown in figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Each of said honey-frames is composed of legs or side pieces jj of unequal lengths, united with each other by means of a cap-piece, 2', and a central bar, it. The sides jj of the removable honey-frames are respectively of such a length that when they are placed upon the inclined bottom 9 of the exterior casing B, the caps z of said frames will be brought into a horizontal position. The ends of the capsiof the honey-frames project beyond the sidesjj of the same a sufficient distance to produce an airchamber between the contiguous sides of said frames and the front and rear sides of the enclosing casing 13 of the hive. When arranged within the box B the honey-frames if k are securely held between the boards g and it, which boards are retained in such positions as to form air-chambers between their outer surfaces and the ends of the said box B. The board 9 bears against cleats on the inner surface of one end of the hive-box B, and the board it is retained in its position by the key E, which is inserted between the said board and the opposite end of the hive-box B, as shown in fig. 2. The cover A of the hive-box B is of such a size and shape as to form an ample air-chamber between its inner surface and the top of the series of honey-frames z'jk. Apertures are formed in the gable ends of the cover A, one of which is usually stopped with a. cork, m, or its equivalent, and the other aperture is left open for the entrance and exit of the bees. A feeding-box, F, is placed upon the series of honey-frames H 70, and an aperture through an oifset at one end of the said feeding-box, which is placed over the aperturefin the cap of one of the honey-frames z'j It, enables the bees to pass freely from the air-chamber above the series of honey-frames down into the space or chamber within the said frames, as shown in fig. 2 of the drawings. The fluid feeding material within the feeding-box F is covered by a perforated float, s, and is readily drawn therefrom by the bees through the apertures in said float.

On the front sideof the hive an inclined apron, p, descends from the lowest edge of the inclined bottom q of the casing 13, and an oblong opening in the said casing, immediately above the apron p, is closed by the hinged door C, as shown in figs. 1 and 3. Apertures in the lower edge of the door C are covered by the perforated plates or wire-gauze covers 0 0, which are so secured that they can be opened and closed at pleasure. Ventilating openings are also formed in the interior partition-boards g and h, which are covered by perforated plates 12 11.. When a honey-frame is removed from the hive the bees usually crawl around into the air-chamber outside the series of honey-frames; and when this occurs I open the aperture into said chamber, which is closed by the cork m, and at the same time I close up the aperture lin the opposite end of the air-chamber. This gives the bees free egress from the hive. Bees can be readily transferred from any kind of a box or hive into my improved, hive by placing the comb on the central bars I: of the honey-frames; and this can be done in such a manner as to save the whole brood.

When the swarm in any hive is found to be weak, I remove therefrom a few of the honey-frames and supply their places by an equal number of honey-frames from a hive which may be occupied by a strong swarm of bees, taking care to select such as contain honey and young bees. When the bees swarm late in the season, my improved hive has an advantage over all others known to me, arising from the fact that a portion of the honey frames in the hive that has been vacated by the said swarm can be-lifted out and placed in a new box, and then on hiving the swarm into the said new hive-box the bees will be sure to remain and do well.

My improved bee-hive can be placed upon the dry earth, and in consequence of its peculiar construction and perfect ventilation, this can be done without the slightest danger of the bees suifering from heat in summer, or from want of air during the snows of winter.

Having thus fully described my improved bee-hive, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- Giving such a shape to the removable honey-frames ij is that when the said frames are placed'side by side upon the inclined bottom 9 of the exterior casing, the caps z'z'and the central bars k k of said frames will form a horizontal top and bottom to the honey-chamber within the same, while there will be formed between the said bars and the inclined bottom (1 of the exterior casing an ample air-chamber, all substantially as herein set forth.

I also claim placing the feeding-box F in the air-chamber above the said frames, and presiding suitable openings for connecting said air-chamber directly with the honey-chamber, and with the external-atmosphere, all substantially as herein set forth. I

The aforegoing specification of iny improved bee-hive signed this 5th day of February, 1867.

' GEORGE SLUSSER.

Witnesses:

J 05. K. MARLAY, W. W. \VADDELL.

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