WO2015079274A1

WO2015079274A1 - Comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives

Info

Publication number: WO2015079274A1
Application number: PCT/HU2014/000114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Béla DÖMÖCSÖK
Original assignee: Béla DÖMÖCSÖK
Priority date: 2013-11-29
Filing date: 2014-11-26
Publication date: 2015-06-04
Also published as: HUP1300692A2; HU230614B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives that has comb frames (20) supporting combs (10) and the comb frames (20) are connected to the hive (1) with the help of connection members (31). The characteristic features of the invention are that a frame-supporting structure (30) located in the internal space (lb) of the hive (1) is inserted between the hive (1) and the comb frames (20), and the frame-supporting structure (30) is connected to the comb frames (20) with connection members (31), space retainer bodies (40) are inserted between the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1), and so a part of the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) is separated from the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) by a gap (Tl), and, furthermore, it is supplied with transfer passages (34) running between the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the internal side (33) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the inner space (lb) of the hive (1).

Description

Comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives

The subject of the invention relates to a comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives that has comb frames supporting combs and the comb frames are connected to the hive with the help of connection members.

People have been keeping bees for a long time. An important driving force behind beekeeping is the extraction of honey created by bees. In the interest of this the bee colonies are kept in artificially created hives, which make it possible to obtain the honey produced by the bees more easily. Over time numerous changes have taken place in the structure, construction and use of the equipment, hives, combs and comb frames, used in the honey-production process.

Patent specification registration number EP 1.848.267, for example, relates to a hive with a unique cover construction, while patent specification registration number HU 200.882 presents a hive with a novel closing structure.

However, the disadvantage of the known solution is that in the honey chamber part of the internal space of the hive, bees build burr-combs and, among the individual structural elements of the hive, the bees "glue together" the removable comb frames to the hive wall, which causes operation problems, and may even cause damage to the structural units.

Over and above honey production, bees are very useful from another point of view as well. This is their fundamental cooperation in the pollination of crops. In the interest of better utilisation of the genetic production potential of farm crops attractive for pollinator insects through reliable pollination, the increasing of the amount of produce and improving its quality, today it is preferable to separately ensure the replacement of the pollinator insects living in the wild, which is only effectively possible with the most productive animal species domesticated by men, with social insects living in populous colonies that have unparalleled diligence in foraging and that may be easily controlled, the so-called western honey bee.

As a consequence of this it has also become necessary to develop an effective, new pollination technology that utilises bees and that may be integrated into crop production technologies, which together create the possibility for thorough pollination and the associated, increased quality honey production. Also besides making the work of the beekeeper easier it realises the conditions for the careful keeping of biologically active, strong and healthy bee colonies - ensuring their support, protection and mobility.

Our objective with the solutions according to the invention was to overcome the deficiencies appearing in case of the known upright and rotating brood box hives and to establish hive-comb frame connections that make it possible, without the use of further individual, supplementary structural elements, to prevent the propolization of the comb frames by the bees, preventing the dismantling of the hive and the creation of wax structures, and so that the dismantling of the comb frames and their removal may take place in a simple way.

The observation that led to the solution according to the invention was that if the gap between the comb frames and the hive wall is increased and divided into two with a surrounding grid structure that may be accessed by the worker bees so that on both sides a gap is created that complies with the usual bee space, then the bees view the inner side of the grid structure dividing the entire gap as the internal delimiting shell of the hive and not the wall outside of the grid structure, then the propilizing and burr-comb creation activity characteristic of the western honey bee is only performed on the inner, comb-frame side of the gap-dividing grid structure, and so they are not able to glue the comb frames to the wall in a troublesome way.

According to the observations, the basis of the idea behind the invention was formed by the recognition that if a frame-supporting structure is used to connect the comb frames to the wall of the hive that has apertures of varying size and shape deviating from the usual with an unusually unique geometric form, through which at specific locations in the hive apertures of a given size that ensures access between the delimiting walls and the comb frames, and from one side of the comb frame to the other, then the bees may, on the one hand, selectively access the bee spaces formed in a novel way between the comb frame and the hive wall, and, on the other hand, the bees gaining access to the given bee lines, do not propilize and do not construct in a disturbing way and so the task may be solved.

The idea behind the invention was also formed by that if by using the structural elements established in a novel way passages are created along the delimiting walls of the hive in an unusual way then the efficiency of the draft-free intensive ventilation of the hive regulated by the bees may also be improved, which significantly helps the honey-drying activity of the bees associated with honey production, and so they are able to devote more energy to foraging, and, via this, to more intensive and reliable pollination of the crops, as a result of which the task may be solved even more efficiently.

In accordance with the set objective the comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives - that has comb frames supporting combs and the comb frames are connected to the hive with the help of connection members - is set up in such a way that a frame-supporting structure located in the internal space of the hive is inserted between the hive and the comb frames, and the frame-supporting structure is connected to the comb frames with connection members, space retainer bodies are inserted between the external side of the frame-supporting structure facing the delimiting shell of the hive and the delimiting shell of the hive, and so a part of the external side of the frame-supporting structure is separated from the delimiting shell of the hive by a gap, and, furthermore, it is supplied with transfer passages running between the external side of the frame-supporting structure facing the delimiting shell of the hive and the internal side of the frame-supporting structure facing the inner space of the hive.

A further feature of the comb frame connection according to the invention may be that one frame-supporting structure is arranged on each of the two facing sides of the delimiting shell of the hive in the internal space of the hive so that they are facing each other, reception pieces are near the edges of the frame-supporting structures, and grid- frame members cooperating with the reception pieces are inserted between the frame- supporting structures facing each other, where between the grid-frame members and the delimiting shell of the hive a distance is created that is accessible for the worker bees, and in at least some of the grid-frame members they are supplied with openings running between the external surface of the grid-frame member facing towards the delimiting shell of the hive and the internal surface of the grid-frame member facing towards the internal space of the hive.

In the case of another embodiment of the comb frame connection one frame- supporting structure is arranged on each of the two facing sides of the delimiting shell of the hive in the internal space of the hive, so that they are facing each other, grid- frame members are inserted near to the edges of the frame-supporting structures between the frame-supporting structures facing each other, connecting the edges of the frame-supporting structures, where between the grid-frame members and the delimiting shell of the hive a distance is created that is accessible for the worker bees, and in at least some of the grid-frame members they are supplied with openings running between the external surface of the grid-frame member facing towards the delimiting shell of the hive and the internal surface of the grid-frame member facing towards the internal space of the hive.

In the case of yet another different version of the invention space retainer bodies are inserted between the external surface of the grid- frame member and the delimiting shell of the hive.

From the point of view of the comb frame connection it may be favourable if at least some of the transfer passages are cylindrical bores with a diameter that is accessible for at least the worker bees and/or at least some of the transfer passages are slots that are accessible for at least the worker bees. Furthermore, it may be favourable if some of the openings of the grid-frame member are cylindrical bores accessible for worker bees and/or if some of the openings of the grid- frame member are slots accessible for worker bees. In the case of yet another, different embodiment of the invention at least a part of the gap between the internal delimiting shell of the hive and the frame-supporting structure is 15 mm at the most, and, in a given case at least a part of the distance between the delimiting shell of the hive and the grid- frame member is 15 mm at the most.

The solution according to the invention has numerous favourable characteristics. The most important of these is that as a result of the novel structure of the frames supporting the honey chamber combs and their unusual connection with each other and with the hive, due to the unique geometric form of the frame-supporting structures inserted between the comb frame and the hive and their arrangement with respect to each other, the bees working in the vicinity of the hive wall and the comb frames do not build or propilize in this part of the hive, and so the probability of the moveable elements of the hive, i.e. the comb frames, becoming immovable and of faults occurring with this and of certain components becoming damaged may be significantly reduced.

A further advantage originating from these is that due to the lack of building and propilizing the honey chamber comb frames may be simply and quickly removed, which is preferable for the beekeeper, because it results in more efficient work.

Another feature to be viewed as an advantage is that due to the unusual geometric form precisely sized passages between the comb frames and the delimiting shell of the hive and also the grid-frame members, which makes the separation of the pathways accessible to the individuals that form the bee colony, i.e. the worker bees, the drones and the queen, possible, and this may also have a favourable effect on the life and the production ability of the bee colony.

Another feature to be included among the advantages is that the frame-supporting structure according to the invention consists of a small number of components, which may be easily made using traditional production technology, furthermore, the assembly of the individual structural units, their disassembly and replacement may also be performed without any difficulty. Therefore, the investment and operation costs may be kept at a moderate level. It must also be viewed as favourable that good climatic conditions may be created in a hive assembled from comb frames coupled with the frame-supporting structure according to the invention, which offers optimal life conditions for the bee colony, both in the active brood and production as well as in the inactive, wintering periods.

Another favourable effect of the solution according to the invention is that as a consequence of the functional separation of the internal wall surface of the honey chamber it becomes possible to efficiently and hygienically extract the propolis and wax applied to the frame-supporting structure forming the internal wall surface used by the bees, and through this to significantly improve the hygiene of the hive as well.

All these advantages together also result in the advantage that the healthier and stronger bees are able to devote more energy to the foraging task, as a consequence of which the appropriate pollination of the crops may also be realised, which, however, may significantly improve agricultural productivity and the value of the produce.

In the following the solutions according to the invention are presented in more detail, in connection with embodiments on the basis of drawings. In the drawings

Figure 1 shows the side-view picture of a possible version of a hive using the solution according to the invention in cross-section,

Figure 2 shows a detail of the cross-section taken along the plane II-II in figure 1, with a top-view cross-section of a possible version of the comb frame connection,

Figure 3 shows the cross-section taken along the plane III-III according to figure 2.

In figure 1 a detail of the longitudinal cross-sectional picture of a hive 1 using the comb frame connection according to the invention may be seen. It may be observed that the delimiting shell la of the hive 1 encloses the internal space lb, in which the comb frames 20 supporting the honey chamber combs 10 are located. With the help of the frame-supporting structures 30 the comb frames 20 are connected to side lc and side Id of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1. The frame-supporting structure 30 does not only support the comb frames 20 but also the grid-frame members 50 as well. It should be noted here that the frame-supporting structure 30 and the grid-frame members 50 serving to fix the comb frame 20 according to the invention to the hive 1 make it easier to remove the honey chamber combs 10 by, at the same time, improving the ventilation of the hive 1 , so making it easier for the bees to remove the unnecessary humidity from among the combs 10 while the honey is being produced.

Moving now to figure 2, it illustrates in detail the structure of the frame-supporting structure 30 according to the invention as well as its connection to the side lc of the hive 1 and to the comb frames 20 supporting the combs 10. It may be observed that here the connection between the combs frame 20 and the frame-supporting structure 30 is established by the connection members 31. In this case the connection members 31 are fixed to the comb frame 20 so that they may not move, while they fit into the seat 33a formed in the internal side 33 of the frame-supporting structure 30 in a shape-locking way, and so - as illustrated in figure 1 - they hang in the internal space la of the hive 1. Here the frame-supporting structures 30 are fixed to the delimiting shell la of the hive in the side lc of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1 and in the opposite side Id with the help of the supporting bodies lh established in the delimiting shell la of the hive 1.

The frame-supporting structure 30, as is well illustrated by figure 2, is supplemented by space retainer bodies 40 on the external side 32 located near the delimiting shell la of the hive 1, with the help of which the external side 32 of the frame-supporting structure 30 is maintained at a gap "Tl" from the side lc of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1 and, naturally from the side Id. Also the reception pieces 36 are located near to the edges 35 of the frame-supporting structure 30. In this case, the reception pieces 36 are depressions that are able to accommodate the grid-frame members 50. The task of the grid-frame members 50 is for the frame-supporting structures 30, while connected to the reception pieces 36, to be located at a distance "tl" from the side If and the side lg linking the side lc and side Id of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1. The distance retainer bodies 37 associated with the grid-frame member 50 ensure that the external surface 51 of the grid-frame member 50 stands at a distance "tl" from the delimiting shell la of the hive 1. In this case the distance retainer body 37 is the piece between the edge 35 of the frame-supporting structure 30 and the reception piece 36, but it may also be an independent structural element.

The arrangement observable in figure 2, however, is good because in this way the distance retainer bodies 37 forming a part of the frame-supporting structure 30 also fix the edges 35 of the frame-supporting structures 30 to the delimiting shell la of the hive 1 with the help of the connection pieces le formed in the side If and side lg of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1.

Naturally, it may also be imagined that the frame-supporting structure 30 and the grid- frame member 50 are formed as a single structural unit, as shown by the arrangement in the lower right corner of figure 2. In this case, when the frame- supporting structure 30 and the grid-frame member 50 are made from a single piece, then there are no reception pieces 36 near to the edges 35 of the frame-supporting structure 30, instead the edges 35 of the frame-supporting structure 30 are constructed so that the external surface 51 of the grid-frame member 50 is located at a distance "tl" from the delimiting shell la of the hive 1.

It may also be seen in figure 2 that the link between the external side 32 and the internal side 33 of the frame-supporting structure 30 is created by the transfer passages 34, while the link between the external surface 51 and the internal surface 52 of the grid-frame member 50 is created by the openings 53. The transfer passage 34 may be a long slot "H", the size of which is sufficient in order for only the worker bees to pass through it, therefore, preferably its length in the case of this embodiment is a maximum of 5.1 mm and its height a maximum of 5.1 mm. The transfer passage 34 may also be a bore "D", the diameter of which in this case is preferably a maximum of 5.1 mm.

The opening 53 of the grid-frame member 50 - similarly to the transfer passages 34 - may be a long slot "h" or even a bore "d". The dimensions of the slot "h" and of the bore "d" established as the opening 53 are substantially the same as the dimensions given in the case of the transfer passage 34. In the interest of the worker bees also being able to move between the grid-frame member 50 and the delimiting shell la of the hive 1, as well as between the frame-supporting structure 30 and the delimiting shell la of the hive 1, here the distance "tl" and the gap "Tl" are preferably 5.1 mm. However, it must be noted that these dimensions depend on the characteristic body size of the bees or workers placed in the hive 1. It is important, however, that only the worker bees of the given bee colony fit through the transfer passages 34 and the openings 53 without difficulty, the drones should not get stuck in them and the queen should not be able to pass through them.

The requirement that the bees be able to pass from the internal side 33 of the frame- supporting structure 30 to the external side 32, and from the internal surface 52 of the grid-frame member 50 to the external surface 51 is important because the bees "may experience" that they are unable to create constructions there that are useful for them, therefore, on the basis of their behaviour experience shows that the bees - in the case of the establishment of the construction according to the invention - treat the internal side of the frame-supporting structures 30 and the internal surface 52 of the grid-frame members as the delimiting surface of the hive 1 , and so they perform their propilization and construction activity within it.

In figure 3 the side view of the comb frame connection according to the invention may be seen. The connection member 31 located on the comb frame 20 and the seat 33a established on the internal side 33 of the frame-supporting structure 30 and serving to accommodate the connection members 31 may be observed. Furthermore, it may also be observed that the transfer passage 34 of the frame-supporting structure 30 may be the bore "D" and may also be the differently shaped slot "H".

It may also be observed how the edges 35 of the frame-supporting structure 30 are located in the comiection pieces le of the side If and the side lg forming a part of the delimiting shell la of the hive 1, and how the frame-supporting structure 30 may be pulled out of there, as well as how the grid- frame member 50 is connected into the reception piece 36 of the frame-supporting structure 30 and how it may be pulled upwards out of it. The use of the comb frames 20 suspended on the frame-supporting structure 30 in a hive 1 fitted with the frame-supporting structure 30 according to the invention may take place in the usual way. The comb frames 20 are connected in a separable way to the frame-supporting structure 30 stably fixed to the delimiting shell la of the hive 1 with the help of the connection members 31. In this way the individual removal of the comb frames 20 may take place in the usual way with the difference that due to the application of the frame-supporting structures 30 and grid- frame members 50 according to the invention the bees do not stick the comb frames 20 to the delimiting shell la of the hive 1. However, the combination of the frame-supporting structures 30 and grid-frame members 50 structured according to the invention may be raised at the same time from the internal space lb of the hive 1, which significantly accelerates the removal of the honey and makes the work of the beekeeper easier.

The frame-supporting structure according to the invention may be applied to good effect in all cases when in the case of hives the easy, quick and safe handling of comb frames, the desirable ventilation of the hive as well as the protection of the individuals of the bee colony in the hive, their support and the strengthening and effective productivity of the colony is desirable.

List of references hive l delimiting shell

lb internal space lc side

Id side

le connection piece If side

lg side

lh supporting body 0 comb 0 comb frame 0 frame-supporting structure 31 connection member

32 external side

33 internal side

33a seat

34 transfer passage

35 edge

36 reception piece

37 distance retainer body 0 space retainer body 0 grid-frame member 51 external surface

52 internal surface

53 opening

"TP gap

Claims

1. Comb frame connection with improved characteristics for hives that has comb frames (20) supporting combs (10) and the comb frames (20) are connected to the hive (1) with the help of connection members (31), characterised by that a frame-supporting structure (30) located in the internal space (lb) of the hive (1) is inserted between the hive (1) and the comb frames (20), and the frame-supporting structure (30) is connected to the comb frames (20) with connection members (31), space retainer bodies (40) are inserted between the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1), and so a part of the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) is separated from the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (I) by a gap (Tl), and, furthermore, it is supplied with transfer passages (34) running between the external side (32) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the internal side (33) of the frame-supporting structure (30) facing the inner space (lb) of the hive (1).

2. The comb frame connection according to claim 1 , characterised by that one frame-supporting structure (30) is arranged on each of the two facing sides (lc, Id) of the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) in the internal space (lb) of the hive (1) so that they are facing each other, reception pieces (36) are near the edges (35) of the frame- supporting structures (30), and grid-frame members (50) cooperating with the reception pieces (36) are inserted between the frame-supporting structures (30) facing each other, where between the grid-frame members (50) and the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) a distance (tl) is created that is accessible for the worker bees, and in at least some of the grid-frame members (50) they are supplied with openings (53) running between the external surface (51) of the grid-frame member (50) facing towards the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the internal surface (52) of the grid- frame member (50) facing towards the internal space (lb) of the hive (1).

3. The comb frame connection according to claim 2, characterised by that one frame-supporting structure (30) is arranged on each of the two facing sides (lc, Id) of the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) in the internal space (lb) of the hive (1) so that they are facing each other, grid-frame members (50) are inserted near to the edges (35) of the frame-supporting structures (30) between the frame-supporting structures (30) facing each other connecting the edges (35) of the frame-supporting structures (30), where between the grid-frame members (50) and the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) a distance (tl) is created that is accessible for the worker bees, and in at least some of the grid- frame members (50) they are supplied with openings (53) running between the external surface (51) of the grid- frame member (50) facing towards the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the internal surface (52) of the grid-frame member (50) facing towards the internal space (lb) of the hive (1).

4. The comb frame connection according to claim 2 or 3, characterised by that space retainer bodies (37) are inserted between the external surface (51) of the grid- frame member (50) and the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1).

5. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 1—4, characterised by that at least some of the transfer passages (34) are cylindrical bores (D) with a diameter that is accessible for only the worker bees.

6. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 1-5, characterised by that at least some of the transfer passages (34) are slots (H) that are accessible for only the worker bees.

7. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 2-6, characterised by that at least some of the openings (53) of the grid-frame member (50) are cylindrical bores (d) accessible for worker bees.

8. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 2-7, characterised by that at least some of the openings (53) of the grid- frame member (50) are slots (h) accessible for worker bees.

9. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 1-8, characterised by that at least a part of the gap (Tl) between the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the frame-supporting structure (30) is 15 mm at the most.

10. The comb frame connection according to any of claims 2-9, characterised by that at least a part of the distance (tl) between the delimiting shell (la) of the hive (1) and the grid-frame member (50) is 15 mm at the most.