US91266A - Improvement in bee-hive - Google Patents

Description

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EDMUND B. REDFIELD, OF WHITES CORNERS, AND E. C. HUBBARD,

,v OF WATER VALLEY, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No.. 91,266, dated .Tune 15, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-RIVE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and mal-:ing part of the name.

To all whom fit 'may4 concern.-

Be it known that we, EDMUND B.'REDFIELD, of Whites Corners, county'of Erie, and State of New York, and E. G HUBBARD, of' Water Valley, and Erie county aforesaid, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and we do hereby declare that the followingr is a full and exact description thereof', reference .being4 had to .the accompanying drawings,l|nakinga part of this specification, in which- Figure I represents a cross-sectional elevation of our improved' hive.

Figure 1I, a plan of the saine, with the top of case removed.

Figure III, across-section of one of the honey-boxes and lining, showing the inethod'of opening the same.

Figure IV, a detached-view of an upper corner of v one of the comb-trames forming the main body of the hive, showing the passage for the bees.

Figure V, the straw mat or screen, for protecting the bee-entrance in cold weather.

Figure VI, a` representation of one of the wooden frames forming the lining of the honey-cases.

Like letters refer to'like parts in each of the gures The nature of our invention consists- First, inpermanently attaching to the bottom board of the hive a vertical board, in connection with two partial side boards o1' corner-pieces, which together form a stall, or frame, in which the comb-frames forming the' inner hive can be conveniently arranged and secured,the said vertical boa-rd also forming the front side of the lower portion of the outer case. of the hive.

Second, in combining therewith an outer case, constructed and arranged so that the said vertical board shall form the ii'ont thereof;

Third, in constructing the comb-frames with the central beads, at the sides and top, employed as a guide for the bees in attaching the comb, cut away at the upper corners of the frames, so as to forma passage for the bees from one comb to the'other, it having been found, from actual experience, that the bries, in attach.- ing the comb, will bridge across the corners where the beads have been eut away, therebyleavingafree communication from one to the other.

Fourth, in providing the lsurplus-honey boxes, constructed so as to he readily taken apart, with an inner lining, or case of paper, wood, shavings, or equivalent material, which', when the box is filled, is found to be stiened and glued `together, so as to enable it, with theA honey, to be readily removed without destroying the box, which can thus be used for an indefinite period by simply supplying it with a new'lining from time to time, as the old one becomes lied, and is removed with the honey.

Fifth, in the use and application of a strawor other equivalent mat, before the front side 'of the hive and bee-entrance,'so as to form a protection against the l cold in winter, while it permits the gradual passage of the requisite supply of air to the bees, without that violent direct draught which is so injurious in cold weather, and which always occurs where no such protection is provided.

In the drawings- A. represents the bottom of the hive, inclined from the back toward lthe front. l

B is the front board of thev hive, attached perinae nently to the' bottom, and also to the two ends, or corner-pieces b, which not only, serve to give stability to the front, but also to support the se'otions which form the main body-of the hive.

rllhe main body of the hive is formed of comb-frames, or sections, the ends of the top pieces g' resting on a rebate in the top of the board B, as shown at f and the rear resting upon the bottom, as shown at f2, the frames being. thus held in such position that'the bottom piece g does not quite touch the bottom A, leaving a space below for the passage of' the bees.

flhe bottom piece gis made somewhat narrower than the front piece f or rear piece f3, so that when the iarnes are placed in position, slots, or openings, are left between the frames, and entirely across the bottom thereof, for the free passage of the bees to and from the space below.

The upper piece g' of each of these sections has portions of it cnt away, as shown in the drawings at @,in such manner that when the frames-are placed together,

-two openings, e', will be left, for the passage of the bees upward to the honey-boxes.

d Two boards, H, are placed against the outer sections at either side, forming the ends of the body of the hive. l

'lhe boards H are Iirmly held against the sections, securing them together, by two blocks, or wedges, t, fitting between them and the ends or corner-pieces b. The sections are also held rmly against the front B by another wedge, i', fitting between their rear ends and a block, b2, permanently attached t0 the bottom A.

By using this mode of securing the sections in place, it will be seen that one or more of them may be readily removed or put in place again, as the size of the swarm may render it desirable to diminish or increase the capacity of the hive.

The two pieces, f and f3, and the top, g', of each frame, have upon their insides narrow, centrally-projecting beads, or strips j, which serve as guides for the bees in forming the cards of comb.

rlhese strips, or beads, have been us'ed before, but extending clear to the corners of the frames.

By cutting on these beads at the ends, leaving a space between at the corners, as shown at j the bees, in forming the comb, .will connect the two adjacent ends of the beads, as indicated in dotted lines, leaving the rcorners j unoccupied, which thus become a free passage\vay trom one comb to the other along the two upper corners ofthe hivc.

Ventilating-holes, covered with wire gauze, may be made in the end-boards H, opposite these passages.

It will be seen, by reference to the drawings, that although the bottom A ot' the hive, and g ot' the sections, incline toward the front, the sides fand f"I are perpendicular, and the upper piece g horizontal.

Our reason for making the fratrie ot' such form is this: We tind that where the top is inclined, the bees are apt to form the cards of comb irregularly, and run diagonally from one section to another, instead ot' following the strips or beads placed for their guidance.

The outer case of the hive is in two parts, the lower part C enclosing the main body ot' the hive, and resting upon the bottom A at the back, as shown at a.

The sides are extended forward of the front B, and have a cross-piece, c', extendingr across the front, connecting them together, and t'orming a sort of root' over the hee-entr-ance m, which is formed along the bottom of board B, and is regulated by the blocks m', or other suitable means.

This lower' case is lett open at the front, the board B making it unnecessary to further enclose this side.

The case is designed to litover the edges ot' the bottom board, being supported at the rear by a rebate, n, and in front by the ends ot' the guide-cleats u, which rest upon the bottom board, as shown in Fig. l, thereby most effec-tuali y protecting the bottom of the hive from ram.

The upper part of the case D may be readily removed for getting at the honey-boxes, without disturbing the lower part.

The surplus -honey boxes, a cross-section of one of' which is shown in Fig. llI, are represented as two in number, and covering the whole top ofthe main body of the hive.

The ends of these boxes are made of glass, and the bottom k and one of the sides k are fastened permanently together.

The top k and the other side It:a are also attached together, the corners l heilig simply held together by dowels, as shown in Fig. lI1,iu such manner that the box may be readily separated at opposite corners, as shown in Fig. lII.

The bottom ot' each of these boxes'has slots throrrgh it, corresponding to those between the. top of the combframes, so as to attord a direct passage for the bees fror'n between every card ot' comb in the hive to the honey-boxes above.

Q representsour improved lining, which may be made of paper, Straw board, veneering, wood-shavings, or any other equivalent material; or it may be made of thin pieces ot' wood in sections, similar to the sections forming the hive. One ot' these sections is shown in perspective in Fig. VI.

This lining has slots formed in its bottom, corresponding to those in the bottom ot the box and top of the hive. lt may be arranged loosely in the box, as the bees, in attaching the comb, will firmly glue the parts together, and stili'en them, so that it will form a box in itselt', which can be removed with the honey, while the outer case or box may be relined and lett to be refilled.

By means of our improved lining, and a box capable ot' being readily separated, a great expense, both to the apiarist and to the consumer', is saved in the cost ot' boxes, which the one has to manufacture and the cold, and also from the rain and snow, which would otherwise beat against the board B, and render it daurp. It is, however, ot' the greatest value in pr'otecting the bee-entrance from those chillingdraughts, or currents of air, at times so fatal to the bees within, while the mat is suliiciently porous to permit the passage ot' the requisite supply of air. It serves as a coat to retain within the hive the heat generated b v the bees.

Our improved construction affords the fi'ecst communla'rtion, by the most direct routes, to all portions ot' the hive and honey-boxes, it being a matter ot considerable importancel to reduce, as nruch as possible, the distance the bees have tu travcl after they enter the hive.

Having tlnrs described our' invention,

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The front board B and side board or braces b, permanently attached to the bottom board of tlrehive, and forming a frame, iu which the comb-frames are arranged and secured by wedges, or equivalent, substantially asset forth.

2. The outer case C, with open front, combined and arranged with the board B, as set forth.

3. The corner-spaces j', formed by cutting cti' the beads j, so as to have a passage from one comb to the other, substantially as shown and described.

4. The inner lining Q, in combination with the honey-boxes 0, made so as to be readily taken apart, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The mat R, applied in the manner and .for the purpose speciiied.

EDMUN D B. REDFIELD. E. C. HUBBARD.

Witnesses:

Vtcron H. BECKER, JN0. J. Bossen.

other to buy, which greatly enhances the price of this" This mat protects the front ot' the hive from the

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