USRE2984E - Improvement in bee-hives - Google Patents

Description

' on the under side of the top piece,

UNH-ED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BEEBE, on GASADAGA,.NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT iN BEE-Hives. l

Specification forming part of Letters Patent $010,732, dated November 12, 1867 ;.Rcissue No. '2,9-84, daJed .lune 16, 1w. v

To Il whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BEEBE,'of Casadaga, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new i and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and

my improved hive with the auxiliary boxes removed and the winter'board H arranged in place. Fig. Il is a crosssection with the` b ard H removed'aud the auxiliary boxes in place, summer. Fig. lll is a plan of thel inner hive or hive proper. F ig. lV is a perspective view showing the condition of the hive in of one ot' the comb-frames C detached. Fig.

bees.

V is a crossvertical section of the bottom board through one ofthe bridges P or bee-l y pieces of the top ,of the comb-frames are re entrances.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The invention consists, first, 1n the combination and arrangement of the outer case, 5 inner hive, and veutilating-board to permit the packing of the hive in vWinter to protect the bees from' cold; second, in the special means for :securing the co1nb-frames forming the inner hive together.

ln the drawings, A represents a rectangular box', made without top or bottom, but which rests when in use upon the bottom board, B,of the hive. A ledge, a, is formed around this box on the outside near the top, on which rests another similarly-formed box, A', as clearly shown in Figs. I and Il. This box A is provided with a suitable top or cover to protect both boxes, and the hive which is arranged therein.

. C C represent a series of comb-frames coinstrips connected by a with a central bead, c, l (and sides if desire-th) which servesA as a guide for the bees in attaching the comb, as most clearly shown in Fig. IV. These frames are prcfer ably made of the height of the case A, and of such a length as to leave a space, D, be'

posed of two upright cross-picccat the top,

tween their endsV and the sides of the sur- 1 purpose presently to be A suicient number ot' these rounding box, for explained.

frames is arranged side' by side, snugly littng together with their ends resting on the bottom board to form a hive ot' the required size, the ends of which are closed by boards C' C. These frames I prefer to secure together by a wire bail, b, ot' the rectangular form of the. hive. The ends of this wire are fastened to the edges otoneof the end comb-frames, while the frames are arranged within the bail, and then firmly-clamped together by a wedge, e.

The bees enter the hive through a passage or passages, j. recessed in the ends of the hive and'case A, as represented. These passages between the ends of the hive and the outer case are bridged over by boards P, which prevent lthe packing'material that is filled in the space D in. cold weather from closing the passage, which would cause a sul'ocation of the The contiguous edges of some of the crosscessed, so that when the frames are put tio-A gether a suicient number'ot' apertures g g will be formed for the passage of the bees into the honey-boxes h h above. Y

It is of the utmost importance that the bees in winter be protected from the extreme cold. This I accomplish by reiuow'ng the honey- L boxes and filling iii the space above and in the space D around the hive with straw,shavings,

or other suitable packing material, J. Before doing this, however, I arrange on top of the hive a board, H, constructed with a ledge, i, on each side, which rests on the edge of the hive, so as to leave a space, m, between said board and the top of the hive. This space at the ends is left open, and apertures u n are also formed in the ledges i, so as toV permit a free circulation from the hive to the packing material. V

Moisture arising from the breath and set- `free by the heat of the bodies of the bsot'en freezes, and thus many valuable swarmfs are killed. The packing material J not only protects the hive in a great degree A but it rapidly absorbs the moisture exhaling from the hive, and thereby prevents its freez ing and forming by i, mass of ice around the hive. as it lotherwise would. i

The veutilating-boad H is very essential,

as the spare m formed thereby permits the from the cold` gradualvhicretion .a solid free escape of the moisture from the hive and through it into the porous packing. X'Vithout -such protection and space as this board affords the packing material would in a great meas- Iure (if not entirely) close the apertures in the `hive of bees by forming what is called an ar- `ticial swarm?, 'lhe hive for this purpose is readily divided into two compartments by means of partitionmboard, E, which is inl serted between the comb-frames C at any point required,as represented in Fig. L With small swarrns itis sometimes desirable to reduce the size of the hive. A'lhis'rcduction can obviously be accomplished by the same means. J

Making the outer case in two parts enables the upper portion, A', to be removed in order to get at the surplus honeyboxes Without disturbing the lower portion, A. When required, however, the entire case can he easily removed, as in spring for clearing the hive.

The bead c of the comhframes serves as la guide for the bees in attaching their com'b thereto, which is therebyy made straight. l

What I claim as lnyinvention, and desire to secure l yLetterslPatent, isl. The combination and arrangement ot' the Unter case, A A', Ventilating-board H, inner hive, and packing material J, substantially as .and for the purpose set forth.

2. Securing the said comb-frames together by means of a wire bail, kb, and Wedge c,` in the manner shown and described.

Witnesses: JAMES M. .BEERBU AARON SMITH, WILLIAM SMITH.

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