US59471A - Improvement in bee-hives - Google Patents

Description

PATENT OFFICE J. H. STARR, OF MIDDLEBURG, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,471, dated November 6, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J. H. STARR, of Middleburg, in the county of Schoharie and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Bee-House; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable ,others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of my invention, partly in section 5 Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line x fr, Fig. l Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line yy, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention .relates to a new and improved housev for the protection of bees from the extremes of both heat and cold, and also from the ravages of the bee-moth.

The invention consists of a close shed or house having an open bottom, in which bases for the hives to rest upon are placed, said bases being slotted both at their sides and bottoms for the admission of air, and having bee-en trances at their front ends. The shed or house is also provided with removable or detachable sides, so arranged that they may be readily applied to and detached from the structure, as occasion may require.

A represents the shed or house, provided with a roof, a, of either single'or double pitch, and having a frame constructed of four upright corner-posts, b, secured at their lower ends in sills e. This structure maybe of any desired length, according to the number of hives it is t'o receive, and its depth or Width should slightly exceed the depth of the hives.

The front and rear sides d of the structure are made separately from it, and are secured to it by pins e, which pass horizontally through the upright posts b, and through battens f on the sides d. By this arrangement the sides d may be readily applied to and detached from the structure.

B represents bases, which are fitted within the structure and rest upon its sills e. These bases are formed of four cleats, g, secured upon a bottom board, h, the latter aswell as the cleats being slotted, as shown at e', for the admission of air into the hives which are placed upon the bases. The front parts or sides of these bases are exposed, the lower end of the front side, d, not extending below them, and a space or opening, j, is allowed in the fronts of the bases to serve as bee-entran ces,

a notched strip, lo, being fitted in the front of y each opening. These strips may be made to close the bee-entranoes entirely by inserting them in the openings with the notches at the rear side.

It will be seen that by this arrangement the hives may be entirely inelosed, a free entrance. allowed for. the bees, while perfect ventilation is obtained by means of the slotted bases B, on which the hives are placed, and the moth or miller will be excluded, the perforations or slots in the bases being too small or narrow for them to pass through. During the Winter season the spaces between the hives, and at their front and rear, may be filled with straw or other suitable material, and in extremely cold weather a board, at, placed on the bases for the hives to rest upon, and the bees will be perfectly protected from cold thereby. Dur;-

ing the summer, if desired, the sides el maybe removed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcnt The bases B, constructed and perforated or slotted as shown, and placed within a bee house or` structure, A, provided with detachable or removable sides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JESSE H. STARR.

I Witnesses:

O. WATRow, PETER GoYs.

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