WO2024043793A1

WO2024043793A1 - A honey holding and a storing assembly for a honey super chamber assembly or for a brood chamber assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2024043793A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2023/050077
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sylvain BILLE
Original assignee: Bille Sylvain
Priority date: 2022-08-24
Filing date: 2023-08-15
Publication date: 2024-02-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a honey holding and a storing assembly (64) for a hive honey or for a super chamber assembly (30) or for a brood chamber assembly. The honey holding and a storing assembly (64) has: at least one plate member (80) having planar faces (88) and edges (84, 86) abutting a plate cover member (82) or queen excluder member having planar surfaces and edges and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, a perimeter wall assembly (60) formed of planar members (66) arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and the at least one plate member (80) there between oriented on their edges. The at least one plate member (80) is oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges and the plate cover member (82) or queen excluder member is oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member (80). The end wall members (114) are oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member (80) forming end walls, and at least one seating is provided on the top edge of the end walls (114). The end walls are shaped and adapted to be in use located and connected to inner surface of opposing end walls thereby providing one seating in the form of a ledge to be facing across space, to an opposing seating.

Description

A Honey Holding and A Storing Assembly For A Honey Super Chamber Assembly or For A Brood Chamber Assembly

The present invention relates to a hive, honey super chamber assembly, brood chamber assembly, plate member assembly, plate or frame cover member, methods of harvesting honey and to a method of assembly. The invention is directed particularly but not solely towards a beehive, bee honey super box, brood chamber box, plate member assembly and plate cover member and associated methods of harvesting honey and assembly of a honey super box.

Background of Invention

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited or mentioned in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications may be referred to herein; this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia, New Zealand or in any other country.

Harvesting honey or beekeeping with hives in an apiary has been around for about 9000 years with domestication starting around 4500 years ago. However, it wasn't until most recently that the modern beehive was invented in 1851 by Lorenzo Langstroth which enabled there to be a significant increase in the production of honey. It was also realized that domesticated honeybees honey was not just a sweet food but also had antibiotic properties and the presence of bees was helpful in assisting with the pollination of crops, and trees for horticulture and farming.

A typical beehive includes an upright shape providing a series of separate horizontal compartments on top of each other, chambers or boxes with vertical frames minimally including a brood chamber at the bottom for at least one queen bee to mate with a half dozen drones and to lay her eggs therein, for raising new bees and storing food for raising new bees on hanging frames, a queen excluder member to prevent the queen from leaving the brood chamber and a honey super chamber to store honey for the worker bees in wax honeycombs on hanging vertical frames which the worker bees turn into honey in constructed side hexagonal wax cells against a capped wax layer on vertical hanging frames.

The worker bees also guard the hive and honey, caring for the queen, drones (male) and larvae by feeding them royal jelly and honey. This separation of the honey super chamber and brood chamber with the queen excluder member which keeps the queen in the brood chamber, enables more honey to be harvested without being contaminated by the larvae.

Over the years the basic upright layout of at least one brood chamber below at least one honey super chamber has included other standard additional components from the bottom upwards, a hive stand or base (to prevent cold dampness, aids in ventilation and prevents weeds from blocking entrance), a bottom board (protect from wasps, mice, robbing bees, varroa mites), brood chamber, a queen excluder, a honey super chamber, inner cover (insulation, moisture egress, circulation of air and separate the lid therefrom) and finally an outer cover or lid (protection from rain, ventilation, insulation).

Retrieving or harvesting honey from a hive or beehive is either carried out by first scrapping off (knife or comb scratcher) the capping wax of the full honeycomb cells and then secondly in a knifing off method by hand or by machine to remove the bulk of the honey but this harvesting method presents problems of being able to retrieve as much honey as possible without accidently scrapping or shaving material off the body of the frame (e.g. which can be formed from timber or plastics) which can contaminate the harvested honey.

Cold press and filter with a wax 'melter', were some methods used to extract and process harvested honey and provide pure beeswax. These methods and other mechanically other extraction methods can include uncapping machines, pricking machines, large reversible frame extractors which incur significant costs of set up, plant maintenance and extra staff overheads.

Another mechanised system which includes spinning or centrifugal extractor like for example the Boutelje Products Limited honey processing equipment. This extracting system includes a centrifuge chamber to vertically spin end mounted frames therein. After spinning, any contaminants such as wax can be filtered. This mechanised system is time consuming, complicated (filter centrifuge, extractor, sieve, vane pump, extractors and tanks) and very expensive to operate and maintain.

Contaminated honey puts off customers in terms of taste, texture and product looks, and causes extra work and cost in filtering and removing such contaminants. The shape of the hanging frame members includes a panel supported in a perimeter frame, whereby the panel is recessed on both sides behind a protruding top bar, side end bars and bottom bar which makes it extremely difficult to harvest the honey from each side of the panel without accidently scrapping or damaging of parts of the perimeter frame which then require regular replacement and repair which can also be unsettling for the bees.

The known methods of extraction of honey from a beehive are labour intensive requiring handling of key components in order to be able to extract honey and also is very time consuming normally in the order of over half an hour per hive {/S TH 5 CC FCT}, The labour and time required by these known methods significantly impact on the overall cost of extraction and economics associated with beekeeping.

Object of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved hive, honey super chamber assembly, brood chamber assembly, plate cover member, plate member assembly, a method of assembly of the chamber assemblies and methods of honey retrieval that ameliorates some of the disadvantages and limitations of the known art or at least provide the public with a useful choice. Summary of Invention

In a first broad aspect the invention resides in a side bar member assembly which includes a side bar member attached at each end of a plate member, wherein the side bar member is an elongate slender shaped member having sides and ends between a length and a slot or groove extending on one side from one end to the other, each elongate slender shaped body includes a tab member extending outwardly therefrom each end, such that an end portion of each plate member is slidably adhered within the slot, and the tab members are positioned and configured to cause the plate member to be able to hang vertically from each end of the plate member therefrom end walls of perimeter walls adjoining a chamber of a honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly.

Preferably, the slot includes at least one stop at the bottom of the slot to prevent the plate member from dropping out of a side bar member.

In a second broad aspect the invention resides in a honey holding and a storing assembly for a honey super chamber assembly or for a brood chamber assembly wherein the honey holding and a storing assembly includes at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member having planar surfaces and edges and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, wherein perimeter wall assembly is formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and the at least one plate member there between oriented on their edges and the at least one plate member oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member a queen excluder member are oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least seating is provided on the top edge of the end walls, wherein the end walls are shaped and adapted to be in use located and connected to inner surface of opposing end walls thereby providing one seating in the form of a ledge to be facing across space, to an opposing seating, wherein each plate member includes side bar members attached thereto, each side bar member is an elongate shaped member having ends, a slot and a tab member at one end, wherein the slot or groove is shaped and configured to slidably receive an end portion of a plate member and the tab member outward protrudes at a top end of side bar member to hang from each seating of the end walls whereby the plate member is spaced from the end walls of the perimeter walls of the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member or queen excluder member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member to cover all of space.

In a third broad aspect the invention resides in a honey holding and a storing assembly 64 for a honey super chamber assembly or for a brood chamber assembly wherein the honey holding and a storing assembly includes at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member having planar surfaces and edges and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, wherein perimeter wall assembly is formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and the at least one plate member there between oriented on their edges, and the at least one plate member oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member and a queen excluder member are oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least one slot is provided on the inner surface of the end walls, wherein the end walls are shaped and adapted to be in use located and connected to inner surface of opposing end walls thereby providing the slots to be facing other across space, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member or queen excluder member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member to cover all of space. In a fourth broad aspect the invention resides in a honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly wherein the assembly includes a perimeter frame assembly operatively configured with a honey holding and a storing assembly, wherein the perimeter wall assembly is formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and side panels oriented on their edges, wherein honey holding and a storing assembly includes at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member having planar surfaces and edges, and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges or queen excluder member, and the at least one plate member is oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member or queen excluder member is oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least one slot is provided on the inner surface of the end walls, wherein the end walls are located thereby providing the slots to be facing other across space, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member or queen excluder member is positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of each plate member to cover all of space.

Preferably, the bottom edge of the plate member is spaced by space from the bottom edge of the perimeter wall 60 by spacer affixed at the bottom of the slot which is also designed to hold or keep each plate member from falling out of the groove or slot.

Preferably, the end walls are made up of end walls as outer walls and abutting the inner surface of the outer walls there are end walls.

Preferably, the top edge of the end wall is located below the top edge of the perimeter walls forming step or gap there between. Preferably, there are several slots vertically oriented on inner surface of the end walls spaced by space.

Preferably, the plate cover member is a planar shaped member having planar surfaces separated by thickness having edges and slots and non-slot portions wherein the slots are elongate in shape and parallel with each other extending from a front end to rear end of the planar member.

Preferably, the slots are spaced by space and when the plate cover member is located in place on top of the top edge of perimeter wall, the non-slot portions at least cover the top edge of the plate member thereby allowing the worker bees to travel in and out of the space between the plate members within the honey super chamber assembly.

Preferably, there are seven plate members spaced equally across the width of the assembly from front wall to rear wall is seven align slots located in the front rear walls and end walls.

Preferably, the queen excluder member is similar in shape to the plate cover member and functions to prevent or exclude the queen bee from leaving the brood chamber assembly and is a planar shaped member have elongate slotted apertures of a certain size that prevent the queen bee from escaping, wherein the queen excluder member spans all the top of the perimeter walls of the queen excluder member.

Preferably, a side bar member is attached to each end of each plate member, wherein the side bar member is an elongate slender shaped member having sides and ends between a length and a slot or groove extending on one side from one end to the other, the elongate slender shaped body have a tab member extending outwardly therefrom each end, such that an end portion of each plate member is slidably adhered within the slot, and the tab members are positioned and configured to cause the plate member to be hanging therefrom the end walls of the perimeter walls of the chamber, to be spaced sideways and at its bottom to provide space for bee travel there through. Preferably, at least one stop member is provided at the bottom of the slot of the side bar member to prevent the plate member from falling out of the slot.

In a fifth broad aspect the invention resides in a plate cover member for covering a plate member containing stored honey, to provide access for bees and be removable to allow easy access to the stored honey, the plate cover member including a planar shaped body having end edges, side edges and planar surfaces defining an area between edges and a thickness between the planar surfaces, the plate cover member includes slotted elongate apertures located in parallel spaced rows spaced by space from each end edge to the other and extending through the thickness from the upper to lower planar surfaces wherein the plate cover member is operationally positioned to abut an upper end edge of spaced plate members being vertically oriented, and abut the upper edge of the perimeter walls of honey super chamber assembly to provide a top cover there on.

Preferably, the slots are sized in terms of width to allow bees to pass there through.

Preferably, the slots are elongate in shape having rounded ends.

Preferably, the space between slots being non slot portions is positioned to allow when in use, the plate cover the tops of the plate members to thereby not block access for the bees.

In a sixth broad aspect the invention resides in a hive shaped and configured having from top to bottom an outer cover, inner cover, a honey super chamber assembly, a queen excluder member, a brood chamber assembly, a bottom board and base, wherein the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly includes a perimeter frame assembly operatively configured with a honey holding and a storing assembly, wherein the perimeter wall assembly is formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and side panels 106 oriented on their edges, wherein honey holding and a storing assembly includes at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member having planar surfaces and edges, and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, and the at least one plate member is oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member is oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least one slot is provided on the inner surface of the end walls, wherein the end walls are located thereby providing the slots to be facing other across space, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member to cover all of space.

Preferably, the bottom edge of the plate member is spaced by space from the bottom edge of the perimeter wall by spacer affixed at the bottom of the slot.

Preferably, the top edge of the end wall is located below the top edge of the perimeter walls forming step or gap there between.

Preferably, there are several slots vertically oriented on inner surface of the end walls spaced by space.

Preferably, the plate cover member is a planar shaped member having planar surfaces separated by thickness having edges and slots and non-slot portions wherein the slots are elongate in shape and parallel with each other extending from a front end to rear end of the planar member. Preferably, the slots are spaced by space and when the plate cover member is located in place on top of the top edge of perimeter wall, the non-slot portions at least cover the top edge of the plate member thereby allowing the worker bees to travel in and out of the space between the plate members within the honey super channel assembly.

Preferably, a side bar member is attached to each end of each plate member, wherein the side bar member is an elongate slender shaped member having sides and ends between a length and a slot or groove extending on one side from one end to the other, the elongate slender shaped body have a tab member extending therefrom each end, such that an end portion of each plate member is slidably adhered within the slot, and the tab members are positioned and configured to cause the plate member to be hanging therefrom the end walls of the perimeter walls of the chamber, to be spaced sideways and at its bottom to provide space for bee travel there through.

Preferably, at least one stop member is provided at the bottom of the slot of the side bar member to prevent the plate member from falling out of the slot.

In a seventh broad aspect the invention resides in a method of assembly of a honey holding and a storing assembly for a honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly 32 wherein the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assemble includes a perimeter frame assembly operatively configured with a honey holding and a storing assembly, wherein the perimeter wall assembly is formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and side panels oriented on their edges, wherein honey holding and a storing assembly includes at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member having planar surfaces and edges, and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, and the at least one plate member is oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member is oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least one slot is provided on the inner surface of the end walls, wherein the end walls are located thereby providing the slots to be facing other across space, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member to cover all of space, wherein the method includes the steps of: a) Inserting the end walls into space of the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly to abut the front and rear walls of the perimeter walls having slots to be facing each other from each end of space and be aligned; b) Fastening end walls to front and rear walls; c) Positioning and fastening spacers to the bottom of the slots to keep each plate member from falling out of the honey super chamber assembly; d) Downwardly sliding each plate member into opposing slots to provide a space between the lower edge of the plate member and lower edge of perimeter walls 60; e) Laying down plate cover member over the top of the top edge of the perimeter walls and top edge of the plate member thereby providing a space between the top edge and end walls.

Preferably, before step e) or after c) the plate members are coated with wax (e.g. pure beeswax) on both sides whereby the wax is melted on with a blow torch to glue it firmly in place.

In an eighth broad aspect the invention resides in a method of retrieving honey from a hive which includes a cover, inner cover, honey super chamber assembly having plate cover member, plate members, perimeter walls, end walls, brood chamber, bottom plate member and base wherein the steps include: a) First using a bee blower or bee escape' between the queen excluder and honey super chamber assembly to cause the bees to vacate the honey super chamber assembly and hive; b) Separating the vacant honey super chamber assembly (perimeter walls, plate members, end walls and plate cover member) from the hive and moving and placing the vacant honey super chamber assembly over a collection container; c) Removing the plate cover member 82 from the perimeter walls to reveal the exposed tops of the plate members; d) While leaving the plate members in place without having to touch the plate members, cutting with a sharp blade the honey comb with honey so as to leave the foundation wax in place on the plate members; and e) Allowing the honey, once cut from the plate members, to drop down into the container for collection.

In a ninth broad aspect the invention resides in a method of retrieving honey from a hive which includes a cover, inner cover, honey super chamber assembly having plate cover member, plate members, perimeter walls, end walls, brood chamber, bottom plate member and base wherein the steps include: a) Lifting off the cover and inner cover; b) Peeling off the plate cover; c) Raising each plate member by sliding upwardly; d) Scraping off the honey from each side of plate member; e) Downwardly sliding each plate member back in the aligned slots; f) Laying plate cover back into place; g) Putting the inner cover on top of the plate cover; and h) Putting the cover on top of the inner cover.

Preferably, honey is able to be retrieved from the hive in approximately five minutes. Preferably, honey is able to be extracted from an individual plate member within approximately 40 to 60 seconds.

Preferably, the method of retrieving honey is performed manually using a long bladed knife.

Preferably, the method of retrieving honey is performed by a honey extraction machine having multiple blades such that honey is able to be extracted from multiple plate members at the same time.

Preferably, the honey extraction machine has 12 to 14 blades.

Preferably, the honey is able to be extracted from the plate members within approximately 7 to 10 seconds.

Brief Description

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the hive of the present invention in an un-assembled exploded configuration in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the hive in an assembled configuration.

Figure 3 is a front view of the assembled hive.

Figure 4 is a left side view of the assembled hive.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the assembled hive - showing the location of a first cross section A-A. Figure 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of the assembled hive along first cross section A-A shown in Figure 5 looking to the rear/front of the assembled hive.

Figure 6A is a close up view from figure 5 of the bottom of the honey super chamber showing the space below the bottom of the plate members to the bottom of the perimeter walls as caused by the spacer members located in the grooves or slots.

Figure 6B is a close up view from figure 5 of the top of the honey super chamber showing gap from underneath the plate cover member and top of the end wall of the end wall 104 and side wall creating a step from top edge of the end wall down to the top edge of the end wall.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the assembled hive - showing the location of a second cross section B-B.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross sectional view of the assembled hive along second cross section B-B shown in figure 7 looking to the sides of the assembled hive.

Honey super chamber assembly

Figure 9 is a front perspective view of the honey super chamber assembly in an unassembled configuration.

Figure 10 is a similar view to figure 9 but with the slotted walls inserted inside the perimeter end walls of the honey super chamber assembly.

Figure 11 is an upper front perspective view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly.

Figure 12 is a lower front perspective view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly. Figure 13 is a front end view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly showing the location and orientation of horizontal cross section C-C.

Figure 14 is a horizontal cross section view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly along horizontal cross section C-C shown in figure 13 looking from the front to rear direction.

Figure 15 is a top plan view looking front to rear of the assembled honey super chamber assembly showing the location of a vertical cross section D-D.

Figure 16 is a vertical cross section view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly along vertical cross section D-D shown in figure 15.

Figure 17 is a is a top plan view looking side to side of the assembled honey super chamber assembly showing the location of a vertical cross section E-E.

Figure 18 is a is a vertical cross section view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly along vertical cross section E-E shown in figure 17.

Figure 19 is another top plan view of the assembled honey super chamber assembly.

Figure 20 is a bottom plan view of the honey super chamber assembly.

Frame cover Member

Figure 21 is an upper perspective view of the frame cover member of the honey super chamber assembly.

Figure 22 is a top or bottom plan of the frame cover member.

Figure 23 is a front or read edge view of the frame cover member. Figure 24 is an upper perspective view of the partially un-assembled brood chamber assembly.

Figure 25 is a top plan view of the assembled brood chamber assembly showing the location of a vertical cross section F-F looking from front to rear.

Figure 26 is a vertical cross section of the brood chamber assembly along vertical cross section F-F shown in figure 25.

Figure 27 is another top plan view of the brood chamber assembly but oriented side to side showing the location of another vertical cross section G-G looking from side to side.

Figure 28 is a vertical cross section of the brood chamber assembly along vertical cross section G-G shown in figure 27.

Figure 29 is a front perspective view of an alternative version of the brood chamber assembly in an un-assembled configuration.

Figure 30 is a similar view to figure 29 but with the slotted walls inserted inside the perimeter end walls of the brood chamber assembly.

Figure 31 is a schematic side view of a plate member assembly seated on the end walls of the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly.

Figure 32 is a schematic side view of the plate member assembly.

Figure 33 is a schematic perspective view of one side bar member.

Figure 34 is a schematic side view of the side bar member.

Description of Drawings The following description will describe the invention in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention, namely a hive 1, honey super chamber assembly 30, plate cover member 82, plate member assembly 401 and method of assembly of the assembly 30, and methods of honey retrieval. The invention is in no way limited to these preferred embodiments as they are purely to exemplify the invention only and that possible variations and modifications would be readily apparent without departing from the scope of the invention.

Hives can be made of any suitable size even though they tend to be a standard size. For example there can be shallow, medium and deep super chamber or box sizes. The shape of the outer cover 34 can be formed of a flat shape or pitched like a roof. The base 42 can be formed of piles to further elevate the hive 1 from an unstable ground or water problems. The plate 40 and queen excluder 38 can be formed of different aperture size and might include other add on features of mesh or filters and venting etc.

The lifting means 102 are shown as being protruding elongate portions whereas equally other variations include bracket handles, or depressions of any suitable size and spacing which can be placed anywhere such as on the sides and or the front and rear.

The hive and its components can be made from any combination of any suitable material(s) such as wood, plastics and metal.

Importantly the structure of the present invention is shown as being adapted for use with the honey super chamber or box assembly 30 but equally it is possible to use the same structure for the brood chamber or box assembly 32 with or without the spacer members 126. The shape of the grooves or slots 100 in the plate cover member 82 are shown as being continuous and the same shape but equally they can be formed of separate slots in a line of different shapes. The space members 126 can be formed of any suitable member such as pins, nails, screws, bolts or can be made such that that the slot 110 does not extend the full height of the end walls 104, 114. An important part of the invention is to trick the bees by replacing the top bar (usually 21 mm wide) of the traditional frame assembly (i.e., edge frame of top bar, bottom bar, side bars with recessed plastic plate) with a frame cover or plate cover member 82 as described in the present invention.

Figures 1-34 show a hive 1 such as a beehive which typically comprises an upright box like assembled body structure shaped to contain within, at least one queen bee housed in at least one brood chamber assembly and at least one honey super chamber assembly for storing honey therein thereby providing in use when located on a support such as for example the ground or floor, a body shape including an upper end and lower end whereby when in use, the lower end of the hive is shaped and configured to be able to rest on the support.

The body of hive 1 includes a polyhedral shape having the following faces of a top 2, a bottom 4, left sides 6, right side 8, front 10 and rear 12. If assuming the front faces a user then the dimension or distance between the sides 6, 8 on the left and right can generally define a width 14, the distance between the front 10 and rear 12 can generally define a depth 16 and the distance between the top 2 and bottom 4 defines a height 18.

In use the bottom 4 of the body of the hive 1 sits or rests on a generally horizontal surface 20 of a support including the ground or floor. The body of hive 1 being shaped as an upright rectangular box like structure has a horizontal cross section area whereby each component has substantially the same horizontal cross sectional area, excepting for any overhang caused by the lid and handles and base.

Whatever face of the hive is deemed to be the front, rear or sides depends on which orientation is selected of the hive to enable the bees to use the hive and allow a bee keeper to be able to harvest and/or move the beehives as required.

The overall shape of the hive, and all the components can be rectangular in shape, though other closed shapes are also possible. Hive 1 includes the following components of at least one honey super chamber assembly 30 located on top of at least one brood chamber assembly 32, with other components though not limited to, from top to bottom in order of functional configuration in the hive 1 i.e. at least one outer cover or lid 34, at least one inner cover 36, at least one honey super chamber 30, at least one queen excluder member 38, at least one brood chamber 32, at least one bottom board 40 and at least one hive stand 42.

The cover 34 is shaped including an upper planar member with a lower perimeter edge which is usually but not limited to being formed of wood with an outer metal casing and seeks to provide weather protection from hot and cold and winds. Typically for better weather tightness the cover 34 can include an overhang portion and outer metal layer. Also cover 34 provides insulation and protection from robbing by other insects. Inner cover 36 is typically a wooden board as located under the outer cover and separate the cover from the honey super and is able to provide access for feeding the bees and allowing moisture out of the hive.

The queen excluder member 38 is located between a lower end of the honey super chamber assembly 30 and the top of the brood chamber assembly 32 and comprises a planar member having an area commensurate with at least the area of the brood chamber assembly 32 providing an upper surface and lower surface bordered by a thickness dimension. The queen excluder member is perforated or has a plurality of openings there through the thickness to allow only the worker bees there through and not the queen bee. Bottom board 40 is also formed as a board like member and functions as a floor to brood chamber assembly 32 and is the last line of defence to predators such as hive beetles, mites and animals.

Underneath the bottom board 40 is the hive stand 42 which is comprises an edge supporting frame and recessed planar board in between which can be solid or perforated which is designed to elevate the bottom of the hive from direct contact with the ground to prevent or reduce moisture and improve air circulation there around and through the hive. Honey Super chamber assembly 30

The at least one honey super chamber assembly 30 is operatively constructed and configured for storing honey as retrieved by the bees and comprises outer perimeter walls 60 forming an internal horizontal partially i.e. perimeter enclosed space 62 there between for the location and support of at least one honey holding or storing vertical panel assembly 64 therein straddling said space 62. In this example, the perimeter walls 60 form a rectangular shape.

Honey super chamber assembly 30 includes perimeter walls 60 but no base unless assembled with the rest of the hive 1 where a base is formed by having the at least one queen excluder member 38 located immediately underneath and abutting the bottom edge 74 of the perimeter walls 60 and abutting the bottom of holding or storing vertical panel assembly 64.

As seen in figures 9 & 10 the perimeter walls 60 of the rectangular shape are formed of interconnected or formed vertical planar perimeter members having outer planar surface 66 separated by a thickness dimension 68 to an inner planar surface 70 and also having an upper edge 72 and lower edge 74. The distance between the upper edge 72 and lower edge 74 defining a honey super chamber assembly height 76 and each planar perimeter member having a length 78 being at right angles to the height 76.

In this example, the perimeter walls 60 include two opposed parallel side perimeter walls separated and connected to opposing parallel front and rear end perimeter walls whereby each opposing inner planar surface 70 of the perimeter end walls includes honey holding or storing assembly fixing means (e.g. grooves or slots).

Each honey holding or storing assembly 64, includes at least one vertically oriented planar member i.e. plate member 80, operationally having an upper end abutting underneath to at least one horizontally oriented overhead plate cover member 82 (e.g. frame cover member) for covering a plate member 80 to provide access for bees and be removable to allow easy access to the harvested honey, and a lower end abutting plate end seating abutting means (e.g. tabs, pins, screws or bolts).

In this example it has been found that the honey super chamber assembly can include seven plate members 80 which seeks to increase the final work and output of honey storage by the bees by causing them to be able to produce longest and most stable, honey comb to store honey for the number of plate members 80.

Plate members 80 are of a polygonal planar shape having substantially parallel vertical end edges 84 and parallel horizontal top and bottom edges 86 with a planar area 88 there between the edges and a thickness 90 defined as between outer planar surfaces 92 whereby when in use in the hive 1, each plate member 80 are substantially vertically edge oriented and are spaced from each other by plate slot space 93A. Plate members 80 have a plate height 93 defined between the horizontal and bottom edges 86 (in the same orientation of the height of the hive 1 and being the same height as the perimeter walls 60) and plate member length 91 between front and rear substantially vertical edges 84.

Plate cover member 82 (e.g. frame cover member) is formed of a planar member having some flexibility to allow easier removal from the lower plate member(s) 80. Plate cover member 82 includes a generally planar shape having end edges 94, side edges 96 and planar surfaces 98 defining an area between edges 94, 96 and a thickness 97 between planar surfaces 98. The planar surfaces 98 of when in use plate cover members 82 are oriented in substantially horizontal orientation being oriented at right angles to the vertical plate members 80.

In this example plate cover member 82 can be formed of plastics of 3mm thickness 97, however it is envisaged that it can be made of any other suitable materials such as wood or metal.

Plate cover member 82 is a planar member that includes slotted elongate apertures 100 located in parallel spaced rows spaced by space 101 from each end edge 94 to the other and extending through the thickness 97 from the upper to lower planar surfaces. Plate cover member 82 is operationally positioned to abut an upper end edge 86 of spaced vertical plate members 80, and the upper edge 72 of the perimeter walls 60 to provide a top cover there on and be abutting with the honey comb as created below on the sides of the plate members 80.

In this example the height 76 of the perimeter wall 60 is significantly less than the length of each panel of perimeter walls 60. And as shown in figure 3 if the overall shape of the hive 1 and each component, is rectangular, then the front view happens to be selected to be the end facing the user in figure 3 where the vertical plate members 80 have their edges also facing the user and the sides are said to be those sides of the hive 1 that have lifting means 102 (e.g. hand recesses or protuberances) thereon on the outside of honey super chamber assembly 30 and brood chamber assembly 32. Therefore, perimeter walls 60 of the honey super chamber assembly 30 for the rectangular shape, include parallel front end and rear end walls 104 and parallel side walls 106.

Honey holding or storing assembly fixing meansjncludes at least one vertical groove or slot 110 shaped, sized and configured to slidably receive and locate at least an end portion of each end of one plate member 80 and plate end holding means 83 to provide a seating.

The vertical slots 110 are spaced by a regular spacing 111 across the width of the inner surface 70 of the end walls 104 of perimeter walls 60 or the slots 110 can be formed in an inner surface 112 of separate end wall members 114 as attached to an inside surface 70 to end walls 104 of perimeter walls 60. The spacing 111 of the slots 110 in the end walls 104/114 are spaced the same as the spacing 93 of the plate members 80.

Each vertical slot 110 of the end perimeter walls 104 or of separate end wall members 114, have a width 116 and height 118 whereby they are recessed 124 back from inner surface 70, extending from the top upper edge 72 of the end wall members 104 and extend down to the bottom i.e. lower edge 74 of the end walls 104. The plate end seating abutting means are formed as spacer member(s) 126 comprising at least one spacer member 126 located at the base of vertical slots 110 to hold or keep each plate member 80 from falling out of the honey super chamber assembly and/or cause the lower edge or bottom edge 86 of each panel member 80 to upwardly be spaced 130 from the bottom or lower edge 74 of the wall panels 104. Recess 124 and space 130 are designed to provide space for the bees to travel there through.

If the vertical slots 110 are formed in separate end wall members 114, then the assembly honey holding or storing vertical panel assembly 64 can be assembled by first fixing the spacer members 126 at the bottom of each slot 110, then slidably capturing the plate members 80 there between and then as an assembly, they can be slid in between existing end walls 104 and then attached thereto by suitable fastening.

Alternatively, the separate end wall members 114 can be first slid inwardly of each inner surface 70 of each end opposing perimeter walls 104 which are then removably layered and affixed there to by suitable fastening members therein e.g. screws. After that the spacer members 126 are attached at the lower end of the grooves or slots 110 and then the wall plate members 80 can be downwardly slid into place between opposing slots 110.

Separate end wall members 114 have a height selected to be less than the height 76 of perimeter end walls 104 (height 93 of the plate members 80 is are selected to be same height 76 as the perimeter walls) thereby creating an edge gap 142 at the top of the end wall 104 of perimeter walls 60 between underneath plate cover member 82 and top edge of the end wall members 140.

In this example, there can be seven vertical plate members 80 parallel spaced from each other by parallel planar vertical space 108 across the width between sides of the space 62 being slidably and removably held at their ends in vertical slots 110 on and in inner surface of rear and front walls 104 and seated on plate end holding means 83 located at the bottom of and within plate fixing means 78 located in the inner surface 70 of end walls 104 of the perimeter walls 60. Plate Cover Member 82

Each slotted aperture 100 of the plate cover member 82 which is shaped as a flexible planar member are selected to have an elongate shape including a length 134 and width 136 such that when they are evenly spaced across the width to extend from the front top rear walls when member 82 in use is laid over the top end of all of the perimeter walls 60 the space or gap 142 underneath to the top of the end wall members 140 and the apertures 100 are sized, located between plate members 80 and spaced whereby these apertures 100 are located to be between to allow the worker bees to enter and leave as necessary to gather honey, bring it back in and leave for more.

Plate cover member 82 (e.g. frame cover member) is formed of a planar member have end edges 94, side edges 96 and planar surfaces 98 defining an area between edges and a thickness 97 between the planar surfaces. Plate cover member 82 includes slotted apertures 100 located in parallel spaced rows spaced from each end edge 94 to the other.

Rest of the hive - brood chamber assembly 32, plate member and base 42

The brood chamber assembly 32 is usually placed at the bottom boxes of the hive 1 and contains the queen and all the eggs she lays and also functions to house the worker made cells where the eggs larvae and pupae develop. Some of the cells in this part of the hive also hold pollen, nectar or honey which is used to feed the developing larvae.

The brood chamber assembly 32 comprises outer perimeter walls 200 forming an internal horizontal partially i.e. perimeter enclosed space 202 there between for the location and support of at least one egg cells housing assembly 204 therein straddling said space 202. In this example, the perimeter walls 200 form a rectangular shape.

Brood chamber assembly 32 includes perimeter walls 200 but no base unless assembled with the rest of the hive 1 where a base is formed by having the at least bottom board 40 located immediately underneath and abutting the bottom board 40 is the base 42 As seen in figures 24-28 the perimeter walls 200 of the rectangular shape are formed of interconnected or formed vertical planar perimeter members having outer planar surface 210 separated by a thickness dimension 212 to an inner planar surface 214 and also having an upper edge 216 and lower edge 218. The distance between the upper edge 216 and lower edge 218 defining a brood chamber assembly height 220 and each planar perimeter member having a length 222 being at right angles to the height 220.

In this example, the perimeter walls 200 include two opposed parallel front and rear walls 226 and parallel side perimeter walls 228 whereby the side walls 228 are separated and connected to opposing parallel front and rear end perimeter walls 226 whereby each opposing inner planar surface 214 of the perimeter front and rear walls 226 includes the egg cells housing assembly 204 mounted there between^

The egg cells housing assembly 204 are shaped as planar rectangular shaped members which are made up of frames encased a planar panel 230 member. Typically panel member 230 is recessed with respect to the edge frame assembly. In use the assembly 204 are in use, edge mounted by the frames to the front and rear walls 226 which is a similar vertical orientation and mounting to the front and rear walls 226, to that of the plate members 80 of the honey super chamber assembly 30.

Front and rear walls 226 which include planar panel members include a mounting ledge 236 at their in use upper end positioned on the side having inner planar surface 214.

The frame includes an elongate member forming an edge frame perimeter assembly, being made up of parallel elongate long side member 238 separated by parallel elongate short sides 240. Elongate long side members 238 include ends having cantilever portions 242 outwardly protruding there beyond the short sides 240. In this example cantilever portion 242 is a cross shape. The edge mounting of each assembly 204 is by way of frames includes having short sides 240 which in use are oriented as being parallel to the inner surface 214 of the front and rear walls 226 but are spaced therefrom by a vertical clearance space 238 to be hanging from the mounting ledge 236 of front and rear walls 226 by cantilever portions 242, to straddle across space 202 from ledge to ledge of front wall to end wall 226.

The queen excluder member 38 is a planar shaped member similar in overall shape to the plate cover member 82 in being a slotted planar member but having a different function which is to prevent the queen exiting while allowing the other bees access and is mounted or sits on the top edge 216 of the perimeter walls of the brood chamber assembly but is spaced from top edge of the assembly 204 and a top edge of the protruding cantilever portions 242. The slotted apertures are not shaped as continuous elongate slot apertures 243 but is made up of discrete smaller slots oriented end to end in a line from the front to the rear of the brood chamber assembly.

Each assembly 204 is separated by another assembly lateral planar space 244 according to space requirements for queen bees worker bees and housing of the eggs. The base of each assembly 204 is spaced from the lower edge 218 of the perimeter walls 200, by a space 246.

Alternatively, as seen in figures 29, 30, the brood chamber assembly 32 of the present invention can also have the same structure as the honey super chamber assembly 30 i.e. a sliding plates 300 held within slots 302 in opposing end walls 304 with or without spacer members. Equally like the honey super chamber assembly, the sliding plates 300 and slotted end walls 304 can be retro- fitted into any existing honey super chamber assembly and/or brood chamber assembly. Equally in another variation the end walls 304 of any traditional honey super assembly and or brood chamber assembly can made up of or constructed having slotted end walls to fit appropriate sliding plate members 300 with or with optional spacer members 310. The use of sliding plate members 300 in the brood chamber assembly 32 can also facilitate the easier removal of the plate members 300 from the brood assembly either upwardly or downwardly. As seen in the figures 29 & 30 the parts, components, sides, ends, slots, spacer members, surfaces, edges, spacing, thickness, length, height and widths etc of the brood chamber assembly in this alternative embodiment can be the same as per the honey super chamber assembly but with the queen excluder member 38 on top instead of the plate cover member 82.

As shown in figures 31-33 the plate member 80 and end wall 104, 114 of the retro fit option and integrally formed option, can also be varied by having the plate member 80 combined and assembled with an end bar member 400 located at each end of each plate member 80 as a plate member assembly 401, to hang each plate member 80 from the end walls 104, 114 of the perimeter walls 60 of a honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly. The plate member 80 having a height 93 (e.g. 177mm deep) X length 91 (e.g. 432mm) X thickness 90 (e.g. 4mm) having end or side bar members 400. Each side bar member 400 is an elongate slender shaped member having at least one tab member 402 protruding there from. In this example each elongate shaped member of the side bar member 400 include rectangular cross section defining sides 404, ends 406, length/height 93, edges 410, width 412 and thickness 414.

For example side bar members 400 can have dimensions of 177 mm long X 60mm wide X 12mm thick forming a rectangular cross section whereby a slot or groove 416 is located on one side 404 being at least 6mm deep approximately 4mm wide (to allow an end of the plate member therein) and extending the full length 408 of say 177mm. One tab member 402 is located at one end 406 and is shaped and configured to protrude outwardly from the side 404 opposite to the side having the slot 416. Tab member 402 can have for example dimensions of width 410, thickness 422 and length 424 e.g. 60mm wide X 10mm thick X 19mm outwardly in length.

Each end of the plate member 80 is slidably inserted into each slot 416 of one end bar member 400 whereby they can be frictional ly interfitted and/or glued together. At least one stop member 418 (e.g. pin, screw etc) can also be provided at the bottom of the slot to provide a seating if required. When seeking to fit one plate member 80 with each end bar member 400 into the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly, the opposing end walls 104, 114 which can be formed of a two piece construction or one piece construction thereby provide a seating 420 e.g. L shaped or shaped in any suitable shape to allow the tab members 402 to be locatable there on, to hang the plate member 80 there between. If using this combination or assembly of one plate member 80 and two side bar members 400 can give for example a honey super chamber or brood chamber assembly of say six spaced plate members 80. The length of the assembled plate member and side bar member combination from an end of the tab member, can be for example 482 mm with 177mm in height to provide an area for the wax to be coated there over both sides which serves to provide the correct base for honey to be stored thereon. Each outer side 404 of each side bar member 400 as oriented vertically as shown, is spaced by about space 405 e.g. 10mm from the end wall 104, 114 to allow space for the bees to travel there through. The height 76 of the chamber i.e. of the perimeter walls 60 are greater than the depth or height of each plate member 80 (e.g. 177mm) which can be for example say 188mm leaving a lower gap 142 of about 9-10mm again for bee travel and air circulation there around. For example plate member 80 can be 433 mm in length (having 6+6mm in the slots 416) mm in length and the plate member 80 with side bar member 400 can be 6+433+6mm=444mm. As a yet another alternative the slot 416 can be formed of a separate metal channel member affixed to an inner surface of the side bar member 4OO.Each tab member 402 can be formed as a separate member attachable to a top end of the plate member on each side by suitable fastening and/or glue. Alternatively each tab member 402 can be integrally formed with the plate member 80 e.g. moulded or formed of any suitable material or combination of materials. One example of a vertical distance under the tab member 402 can be 165mm to the bottom of the side bar member 400.

Methods

One harvest method includes:

1. First using a bee blower or bee escape' between the queen excluder 82 and honey super chamber assembly 30 to cause the bees to vacate the honey super chamber assembly 30 and hive;

2. Separating the vacant honey super chamber assembly (perimeter walls 60, plate members 80, end walls 114 and plate cover member 82) from the hive and moving and placing the vacant honey super chamber assembly over a collection container;

3. Removing the plate cover member 82 from the perimeter walls to reveal the exposed tops of the plate members 80;

4. While leaving the plate members 80 in place without having to touch the plate members 80, cutting with a sharp blade the honey comb with honey so as to leave the foundation wax in place on the plate members; and

5. Allowing the honey, once cut from the plate members, to drop down into the container for collection.

If this harvesting is done properly what remains on the plate members 80 is about 2mm thick wax foundation while the honey is still dropping long after the main cutting has been carried out, thereby providing a considerable yield amount of honey. The honey super chamber assembly 30 can be kept in a warm temperature controlled environment below the wax melting point to keep the foundation wax intact. This harvesting can be carried out at a processing building or at the apiary site, provided you have adequate protection from the elements and pest insects. The blades used to cut off the honey can be heated and mechanised with several blades e.g. a 12 to 14 blade machine being possible which allows bulk harvest of the honey and wax which may only take an estimated 7 to 10 seconds to carry out.

The big advantage of this method is that it is so fast that the honey super chamber assembly can then be given back to the same beehive or colony thereby saving on the cost of having so many spare replacement honey super chamber assemblies on hand. Other advantages include minimizing pro repent the risk of spreading disease such as the American Foul Brood (AFB) and/or other potential parasites or pathogens to the bees should there be an infection in a specific colony. By giving the honey super chamber assembly back to the colony so quickly with approximately only 5% of the honey and was remaining on the plate members 80 it will greatly stimulate the bees to start work more quickly and harder repairing and refilling each plate member 80 with honey having the foundation wax still in place which can potentially strengthen the colony and increase the yield of honey.

At the end of the season after the last harvest there also the possibility to use strong colonies to finalize the cleaning of the empty boxes by using a custom built tunnel located between the home hive and staked boxes for cleaning, placed alongside, therefore preventing any risk of robbing and also saving the recollected honey back to those strong colonies. In addition the box is dried with beeswax intact and can be easily self-protected from the wax moth for the reason that there is only a thick foundation of pure beeswax remaining.

The easy trick cover comb honey on the plate members 80 (e.g. 7 plate members 80) i.e. plate cover member 82 of the present invention of the honey super chamber assembly 30 will prove to be very efficient for the total extraction of honey (e.g. Manuka or Pohutukawa honey) or even any honeydew already crystalized in the comb coming for example by the willow tree.

The system of the present invention will greatly impact on the cost of all the bulk honey being produced and aims to make beekeeping a greater chances of surviving through there difficult economic times, in offering our healthiest honey at a reasonable price to the average customer or consumer. Also the use of the present invention can give much more time and future employment for the very best care in attending to our beehives for AFB, varroa mite and any other threats to the bees.

One example of a method of assembly of the honey storing assembly 61 utilizing a plate members 80, plate cover member 82, spacer members 126 and end walls 104 or 114 whereby the steps include: a) Inserting the end walls 114 into space 62 of the honey super chamber assembly 30, to abut the front and rear walls 104 of the perimeter walls 60 having slots 110 to be facing each other from each end of space 62 and be aligned; b) Fastening end walls 114 to front and rear walls 104; c) Positioning and fastening spacers 126 to the bottom of the slots 110 to keep each plate member 80 from falling out of the honey super chamber assembly 30 and/or to keep a bottom of each plate member 80 upwardly from the bottom of the perimeter walls 60; d) Downwardly sliding each plate member 80 into opposing slots to provide a space 130 between the lower edge of the plate member 80 and lower edge 74 of perimeter walls 60; e) Laying down plate cover member 82 over the top of the top edge 72 of the perimeter walls 60 and top edge 86 of the plate member 80 thereby providing a space 142 between the top edge 72 and end walls 114.

Preferably before step e) or after c) the plate members 80 are coated with wax (e.g. pure beeswax) on both sides whereby the wax is melted on with a blow torch to glue it firmly in place.

Another method relates to a method of retrieving or harvesting the honey without the need to dismantle all of the parts or components of a honey super chamber assembly 30, whereby the steps can include: a) Lifting off the cover 34, inner cover 36; b) Peeling off the plate cover 82; c) Raising each plate member 80 by sliding upwardly; d) Scraping off the honey from each side of plate member 80; e) Downwardly sliding each plate member 80 back in the aligned slots 110; f) Laying plate cover 82 back into place; g) Putting the inner 36 on top of the plate cover 82; h) Putting the cover 34 on top of the inner cover 36.

This method can extract honey from an entire box in around 5 minutes, with an individual frame within 40-60 seconds.

With current known honey extraction techniques take some considerable time to extract honey from frames. The average time using a reversible extractor is approximately 25-30 minutes. The frames are run through an uncapping process to remove the top layer of wax. The frames are then loaded into baskets and spun in alternating circles, harnessing centrifugal force to extract the honey from the cells. There are also various types of honey which are very difficult to extract via this method, and often require further methods, such as warming prior to extraction. The time frame of an average of 25-30 minutes is the same regardless of number of frames.

With the proposed invention that is subject of this patent application the honey can be manually extracted just using a long bladed knife, such that an entire box is able to be extracted in around 5 minutes, with an individual frame able to be cut in 40-60 seconds.

Alternatively, with the proposed invention that is the subject of this patent application can be extracted using a machine having multiple blades, e.g. a 12 to 14 blades, cutting from above such that honey can be extracted from a frame within 7 to 10 seconds.

Parts schedule

Hive 1

Top 2

Bottom 4

Left Side 6

Right Side 8

Front 10

Rear 12

Width 14

Depth 16

Height 18

Horizontal surface 20

Honey super chamber 30

Brood chamber 32

Outer cover or lid 34 Inner cover 36

Queen excluder member 38

Bottom board 40

Hive stand 42

Perimeter walls 60

Enclosed space 62

Honey holding or storing vertical panel assembly 64

Outer planar surface 66

Thickness dimension 68

Inner planar surface 70

Upper edge 72

Lower edge 74

Area 75

Honey super chamber assembly height 76

Length 78

Honey holding or storing assembly 64,

Vertical plate member 80

Plate cover member 82

Vertical plate members 80

Vertical end edges 84

Horizontal top and bottom edges 86

Planar area 88

Thickness 90

Plate member length 91

Outer planar surfaces 92

Height 93 Plate cover member 82

End edges 94

Side edges 96

Thickness 97

Planar surfaces 98

Slotted elongate apertures 100

Space 101

Lifting means 102

Front end and rear end walls 104

Side walls 106

Honey holding or storing assembly fixing means 79

Vertical slot 110

Space 111

Inner surface 112 of end walls 114

Separate end wall members 114

Width 116

Height 118

Recessed 124

Spacer members 126

Upwardly spaced 130

Plate cover Member 82

Length 134

Width 136

Edge gap 142

Brood Assembly 32

Perimeter walls 200

Enclosed space 202 Cells housing assembly 204

Outer planar surface 210

Thickness dimension 212

Inner planar surface 214

Upper edge 216

Lower edge 218

Brood chamber assembly height 220

Length 222

Front and rear walls 226

Side walls 228

Planar panel member 230

Mounting ledge 236

Long side member 238

Short side member 240

Cantilever portion 242

Elongate slot apertures 243

Lateral planar space 244

Space 246

Alternative brood chamber assembly

Sliding plates 300

Slots 302

Opposing end walls 304

Spacer members 310

Alternative plate member construction

Side bar member 400

Plate member assembly 401

Tab member 402

Space 405 (between end walls and side bar member) Sides 404 Ends 406, length 408, edge 410, width 412, thickness 414

Slot or groove 416

Stop member 418

Seating 420

Optional Advantages a) Simple harvesting method b) Rapid harvesting method c) Very easy removal of honey d) Construction of honey super chamber can be used for brood chamber e) Simple construction for honey super chamber and brood chamber f) Easy and simple replacement or removal of plate cover from covering the plate member g) No need for use of expensive honey processing equipment h) Plate member(s) instead of frame being less costly and simple to make and replace i) Easy to apply bees wax to plate members j) Plate member 80 can include a slotted end or side bar member 400 to allow it to hang from a seating on top of the end walls k) Slotted side bar member 400 can includes a stop member at the bottom l) Low cost plate member 80 m) No need to touch the plate members 80 so less chance of damage during harvesting n) Less need for spare replacement honey super chamber assemblies o) Easy to honey harvesting by hand or mechanically p) Harvesting is much quicker and achieves a greater yield q) Less disruption to bees means bees more happy and likely to work sooner and harder r) Less time taken to harvest can mean less likely to accidently allow parasites and pathogens to enter into hive s) Harvesting honey can use sharp heated knife able to cut without disturbing the wax t) Easy to apply wax foundation to plate members u) Less waste of honey as able to harvest more honey v) Less likely to have contamination of honey from wax, or scrapping of plate/frame w) No need to have hanging frames in a honey super chamber assembly x) Plates being slidably supported being less likely to accidentally moved out of position y) Better able to maintain proper gaps for bees to travel between plates, and between the inner sides of the outer perimeter walls z) Sliding plates system of honey super chamber assembly able to be used with the brood chamber assembly aa) System of sliding plates in slotted walls can be used as a retro-fitting method of installation or if the honey super chamber assembly and/or brood chamber assembly is simply made with one end wall with slots without needing to slide in extra slotted walls.

Variations

Throughout the description of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprising" and "comprises", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is hereinbefore described.

Honey super chambers 30 have frames within a perimeter frame to better hold and store the honey which were developed to provide a more suitable stable structure to hold the honey thereon. Having no frames as in natural hives can mean that the honey is unstable being able to move or collapse the honey with the honeycomb. Having a frame has meant much greater stability and a better means to enable one to harvest the honey without destroying the hive and upsetting the bees which in turn means easier harvesting better enables the bees to be able to get straight back to gathering honey again.

The structure of the honey super chamber assembly 30 can equally be used in the brood chamber assembly 32 in either a retro-fitting option or designed as two lapped end walls or be constructed as a one slotted end wall per end. In yet other options the plate members 80 of either, the honey super chamber assembly 30 or brood chamber assembly 32 can be removed, upwardly or downwardly whereby the spacer members 126 can be temporarily removed to allow the downward removal.

The number of honey holding or storing vertical panel assembly 64 having plate members 80 in a honey super chamber assembly 30 of the present invention depends on the space available in the honey super chamber and can typically range from 2-10 vertical plate members 80 which is better for maximising honey yield for a structure that is stable and more easily transportable. Any material type can be used for the plate member 80 such as for example wood, plastic, compressed wood or aluminium. If using wood the thickness can be around 3.5-4.0 mm whereas for plastics which is more expensive than wood but can be made of a thinner thickness e.g. 3.0mm. The thicker the plate members 80 means less number of plate members 80 affect the space between plates to be fitted in a honey super chamber assembly 30 which also affects the bees work and output in terms of the amount of honey able to be stored and ideal spacing for the bees to be able to store that honey in a stable manner.

Before the honey can be placed on the plates of a hive the plate members 80 are waxed on both sides with a pure beeswax foundation sheet which is heated somewhat to make sure it is glued firmly in place, thereby giving the bees confidence and assurance to build and store their gathered honey thereon. The grooves or slots 110 in the end walls 104, 114 can be formed by raising the surface e.g. by placing beads or strips spaced apart.

The number of vertical plate members 80 in the chamber 30 though mentioned as being in a range of 2-10, is not limited to this range but can also be any suitable number of vertical plate members 80 depending on the size of the chamber 30 (internal space 62 and perimeter wall 60 thickness 68 (e.g. 22-25mm) and size of bee access required), site conditions and access and the amount of honey required.

Following are examples of measurements for parts and components of say a beehive with seven plate members 80.

Above pictures shows sample measurements for the honey super chamber assembly - side view

Above pictures show sample measurements for the honey super chamber assembly - front view

Above pictures show sample measurements for a plate cover member 80 - side view

Above top plan picture show sample measurements for the assembled honey super chamber assembly

Above top plan picture shows sample measurements for the honey super chamber assembly without the plate cover member 82.

Claims

CLAIMS:

Claim 1: A honey holding and a storing assembly for a honey super chamber assembly or for a brood chamber assembly, wherein the honey holding and a storing assembly includes: at least one plate member having planar faces and edges abutting a plate cover member or queen excluder member having planar surfaces and edges and end wall members having planar surfaces and edges, a perimeter wall assembly formed of planar members arranged, connected and configured into a frame enclosing a space there between including front and rear panels and the at least one plate member there between oriented on their edges, wherein the at least one plate member is oriented in a vertical orientation on its edges, the plate cover member or queen excluder member is oriented in a plane at right angles to the plane of the at least one plate member and the end wall members being oriented on their edges and oriented at right angles to the orientation of the at least one plate member forming end walls, and at least one seating is provided on the top edge of the end walls, wherein the end walls are shaped and adapted to be in use located and connected to inner surface of opposing end walls thereby providing one seating in the form of a ledge to be facing across space, to an opposing seating.

Claim 2: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each plate member includes side bar members attached thereto, each side bar member is an elongate shaped member having ends, a slot and a tab member at one end, wherein the slot or groove is shaped and configured to slidably receive an end portion of a plate member and the tab member outward protrudes at a top end of side bar member to hang from each seating of the end walls whereby the plate member is spaced from the end walls of the perimeter walls of the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member or queen excluder member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member to cover all of space.

Claim 3: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one slot is provided on the inner surface of the end walls, the end walls are shaped and adapted to be in use located and connected to inner surface of opposing end walls thereby providing the slots to be facing other across said space, at least one plate member is oriented vertically having its ends slidably received and captured in the at least one slot of both end walls, and the plate cover member or queen excluder member positioned on and abutting the top edge of the perimeter wall and also abutting the top edge of the plate member so as to cover all of said space.

Claim 4: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bottom edge of the plate member is spaced by space from the bottom edge of the perimeter wall by spacer affixed at the bottom of the slot which is also designed to hold or keep each plate member from falling out of the groove or slot.

Claim 5: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the end walls are made up of end walls as outer walls and abutting the inner surface of the outer walls there are end walls.

Claim 6: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the top edge of the end wall is located below the top edge of the perimeter walls forming step or gap there between.

Claim 7: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein there are several slots vertically oriented on inner surface of the end walls spaced by space.

Claim 8: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plate cover member is a planar shaped member having planar surfaces separated by thickness having edges and slots and non-slot portions wherein the slots are elongate in shape and parallel with each other extending from a front end to rear end of the planar member.

Claim 9: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the slots are spaced by space and when the plate cover member is located in place on top of the top edge of perimeter wall, the non-slot portions at least cover the top edge of the plate member thereby allowing the worker bees to travel in and out of the space between the plate members within the honey super chamber assembly.

Claim 10: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein there are seven plate members spaced equally across the width of the assembly from front wall to rear wall is seven align slots located in the front rear walls and end walls.

Claim 11: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the queen excluder member is similar in shape to the plate cover member and functions to prevent or exclude the queen bee from leaving the brood chamber assembly and is a planar shaped member have elongate slotted apertures of a certain size that prevent the queen bee from escaping, wherein the queen excluder member spans all the top of the perimeter walls of the queen excluder member.

Claim 12: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a side bar member is attached to each end of each plate member, wherein the side bar member is an elongate slender shaped member having sides and ends between a length and a slot or groove extending on one side from one end to the other, the elongate slender shaped body have a tab member extending outwardly therefrom each end, such that an end portion of each plate member is slidably adhered within the slot, and the tab members are positioned and configured to cause the plate member to be hanging therefrom the end walls of the perimeter walls of the chamber, to be spaced sideways and at its bottom to provide space for bee travel there through. Claim 13: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one stop member is provided at the bottom of the slot of the side bar member to prevent the plate member from falling out of the slot.

Claim 14: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate cover member for covering at least one plate member containing stored honey, provides access for bees and be removable to allow easy access to the stored honey, the plate cover member including a planar shaped body having end edges, side edges and planar surfaces defining an area between edges and a thickness between the planar surfaces, the plate cover member includes slotted elongate apertures located in parallel spaced rows spaced by space from each end edge to the other and extending through the thickness from the upper to lower planar surfaces wherein the plate cover member is operationally positioned to abut an upper end edge of spaced plate members being vertically oriented, and abut the upper edge of the perimeter walls of honey super chamber assembly to provide a top cover there on.

Claim 15: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the slots are sized in terms of width to allow bees to pass there through.

Claim 16: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the slots are elongate in shape having rounded ends.

Claim 17: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bottom edge of the plate member is spaced by a space from the bottom edge of the perimeter wall by spacer affixed at the bottom of the slot.

Claim 18: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the end walls are made up of end walls as outer walls and abutting the inner surface of the outer walls there are end walls. Claim 19: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the top edge of the end wall is located below the top edge of the perimeter walls forming step or gap there between.

Claim 20: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein there are several slots vertically oriented on inner surface of the end walls spaced by a space.

Claim 21: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the slots are spaced by space and when the plate cover member is located in place on top of the top edge of perimeter wall, the non-slot portions at least cover the top edge of the plate member thereby allowing the worker bees to travel in and out of the space between the plate members within the honey super channel assembly.

Claim 22: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein the queen excluder member is similar in shape to the plate cover member and functions to prevent or exclude the queen bee from leaving the brood chamber assembly and is a planar shaped member have elongated slotted apertures of a certain size that prevent the queen bee from escaping, wherein the queen excluder member spans all the top of the perimeter walls of the queen excluder member.

Claim 23: The honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the space between slots being non-slot portions is configured, when the plate cover and the tops of the plate members are in position when in use, not to block access for the bees.

Claim 24: A honey super chamber assembly, wherein the honey super chamber assembly includes the honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23.

Claim 25: A brood chamber assembly, wherein the brood chamber assembly includes the honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23. Claim 26: A hive shaped and configured having from top to bottom an outer cover, inner cover, a honey super chamber assembly, a queen excluder member, a brood chamber assembly, a bottom board and base, wherein the hive includes the honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23.

Claim 27: A method of assembly of a honey holding and a storing assembly for a honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly wherein the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assemble includes the perimeter frame assembly operatively configured with the honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 23, wherein the method includes the steps of: a) Inserting the end walls into a space of the honey super chamber assembly or brood chamber assembly to abut the front and rear walls of the perimeter walls having slots to be facing each other from each end of space and be aligned; b) Fastening end walls to front and rear walls; c) Positioning and fastening spacers to the bottom of the slots to keep each plate member from falling out of the honey super chamber assembly; d) Downwardly sliding each plate member into opposing slots to provide a space between the lower edge of the plate member and lower edge of perimeter walls 60; e) Laying down plate cover member over the top of the top edge of the perimeter walls and top edge of the plate member thereby providing a space between the top edge and end walls.

Claim 28: The method of assembly of a honey holding and a storing assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein before step e) or after c) the plate members are coated with wax whereby the wax is melted on with a blow torch to glue it firmly in place.

Claim 29: A method of retrieving honey from the hive as claimed in claim 26, wherein the method steps include: a) First using a bee blower or bee escape' between the queen excluder and honey super chamber assembly to cause the bees to vacate the honey super chamber assembly and hive; b) Separating the vacant honey super chamber assembly that includes the perimeter walls, plate members, end walls and plate cover member from the hive and moving and placing the vacant honey super chamber assembly over a collection container; c) Removing the plate cover member from the perimeter walls to reveal the exposed tops of the plate members; d) While leaving the plate members in place without having to touch the plate members, cutting with a sharp blade the honey comb with honey so as to leave the foundation wax in place on the plate members; and e) Allowing the honey, once cut from the plate members, to drop down into the container for collection.

Claim 30: A method of retrieving honey from the hive as claimed in claim 26, wherein the method steps include: a) Lifting off the cover and inner cover; b) Peeling off the plate cover; c) Raising each plate member by sliding upwardly; d) Scraping off the honey from each side of plate member; e) Downwardly sliding each plate member back in the aligned slots; f) Laying plate cover back into place; g) Putting the inner cover on top of the plate cover; and h) Putting the cover on top of the inner cover.

Claim 31: The method of anyone of claims 29 to 30, wherein honey is able to be retrieved from the hive in approximately five minutes.

Claim 32: The method of anyone of claims 29 to 30, wherein honey is able to be extracted from an individual plate member within approximately 40 to 60 seconds. Claim 33: The method of anyone of claims 29 to 32, wherein the method of retrieving honey is performed manually using a long bladed knife.

Claim 34: The method of anyone of claims 29 to 32, wherein the method of retrieving honey is performed by a honey extraction machine having multiple blades such that honey is able to be extracted from multiple plate members at the same time.

Claim 35: The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the honey extraction machine has 12 to 14 blades.

Claim 36: The method of any one of claims 34 to 35, wherein the honey is able to be extracted from the plate members within approximately 7 to 10 seconds.

PIPERS

Attorneys for the Applicant

BILLE, Sylvain