US685337A - Apiary. - Google Patents

Description

Patented 0st. 29, 190|. C. 0. LETT,

API'ARY.

(Application led Dsc. 15, 1900.)

No. 685,337. y'

l(No Model.)

Nrrnn STATESI PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES OSCAR LETT, OF ECLECTIC, ALABAMA,

APIARY.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. es 5,337, dated october 29, 1901. Application lfiled December 15; 1900. Serial No. 40.012. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES OSCAR LETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eclectic, in the county of Elmore and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Apiary,

of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to apiaries.

One of the objects of the invention is to proL vide means for supporting the hives so that they will be practically inaccessible to the Various classes of insects and small animals that under ordinary conditions gain access to the interior of the same and despoil the contents and destroy the inhabitants.

Another object is to support the hives so that they are in spacedrelation to each other and are exposed to viewon all sides and therefore freely accessible in all directions to the bees. At the same time the hives are protected from the sun and rain.

A still further object is to provide a housing for the hives in which they may be inclosed during cold weather, thus secu rely protecting the bees. i

These several objects are accomplished by means of the construction set forth in the following speciication and shown in the accompanying drawings, and While the construction thus described and illustrated is preferred it is to be understood that it is open to change and modification within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an apiary embodying the present invention with the hives unhoused and in their open or operative position. Fig. 2 is avertical cross-sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssectional view showing the hives in housed position.

Similar numerals of referenoedesignate corresponding parts inthe several figures of the.

drawings.

In carrying out the invention as shown an inclosed loft 10 is provided, supported a suit able distance above the ground, so as to leave the intervening space open and free in all directions. Beneath this loft are suspended a plurality of hives 11, which are so supported that they may be readily raised into the same, as is more fully hereinafter set forth. The preferable construction of the loft is as fol lows: A plurality of pairs of upright posts 12 are set firmly in the earth, and the upper ends of each pair are connectedby horizontal supporting-beams 13, upon which are arranged the rafters 14 of the roof 15, said roof being suitably constructed to exclude both the air and rain. Depending from the eaves of the' roof 15 are the walls 16, which incline toward each other. The lower edges of these walls are in substantially the same horizontal plane, but are spaced apart to leave the longitudinal opening 17. The ends of the loft are tightly closed by end walls 18, whereby a completelyinclosed loft is formed having only the bot'- tom opening 17 and proof against rain, snow,.

or drafts of air.

Suspended directly beneath the opening 17 of the loft are the hives 11. This is preferably accomplished by -securing pairs of depending hanger-rods 19 to each of the horizontal supporting-beams 13, connecting these rods by means of cross-bars 20, and support ing a horizontal platform or table 21 upon these cross bars.' Upon this platform are placed the hives 1l, which are preferably spaced a suitable distance from each other. This platform is arranged to be elevated, so that the hives will be housed within the loft 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. To this end,

therefore, the cross-bars 2O are slidably' mounted upon the han ger-rods 19, preferably by having said rods passing through suitable openings in the crossbars. The rods are therefore provided at their lower ends with stops 22, which limit the downward movement of the bars. The platform 2l is of sufficient width to cover the bottom-opening 17, so that when the hives are elevated they are completely inclosed on all sides. In order to hold the hives in their housed or elevated position, detachable transverse locking bars 23 are adapted to be arranged beneath the platform and have their ends suitably supported upon brackets 24, provided on the upper portions of the posts 12. A

The advantages of an apiary of this character will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In summer-time and when the weather is fair and warm the hives are lowered to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. They are then freely open to the outer world in all directions, and no matter in what di- IOG rection the bees may return they will have ready access to their respective hives. At the same time the hives will be shaded from the sun and protected from the rain. Furthermore, by suspending the hives in this manner they will be practically inaccessible to insects, mice, and the like. During cold weather the hives are elevated by any suitable means into the loft. In this position they are completely housed from the cold and dampness, as the platform 21 closes the bottom opening.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

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

1. In an apiary, the combination with an open-sided structure having a roof, ofaplatform suspended solely from the upper portion of said structure and disconnected from the side supports thereof, said platform being disposed beneath and spaced from the roof, and a hive arranged on the platform.

2. In an apiary, the combination with an open structure having a roof, of hive-supporting means adjustably suspended from said structure and disposed beneath the roof, whereby the hives carried by the supporting means may be arranged contiguous to the roof or in the open portion beneath the same.

3. In an apiary, the combination with a housing, of hive-supporting means movably connected to the housing, and means for supporting the hives carried thereby either exterior to or within said housing.

4. In an apiary, the combination with an esseri? inclosed loft, of hive-supporting means movably connected with the loft, whereby the hives carried by the supporting means may be arranged beneath or elevated into said loft, and means for holding the supporting means in elevated position.

5. In an apiary, the combination with an inclosed loft having a lower opening, of a hivesupporting platform formingaclosure for said opening, means connecting the loft and platform, and devices whereby the hives carried by said platform maybe arranged exterior to or within the loft.

6. In an apiary, the combination with an open structure having an inclosed loft, of a hive-support, means for alternately suspending the support in the open portion of the structure beneath the loft and in juxtaposition to the same, whereby the hives carried by said support may be disposed either beneath or within said loft.

7. In an apiary, the combination with a loft having a bottom opening, of supporting-rods depending from said loft, a hive-supporting platform slidably mounted on the rods, and means whereby the platform may be elevated to close said opening and support the hives carried by said platform within the loft.

8. In an apiary, the combination with an open structure, of an inclosed loft forming the roof of said structure and having a bottom opening, supporting-rods depending from the loft, a platform slidably mounted on the rods and adapted to close the bottom opening of the loft, and a plurality of hives arranged upon the platform, and means for support ing the platform in different positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignaturc in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES OSCAR LETT.

Vitnesses:

W. O. RoBBINs, H. J. LANCASTER.

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