Bee culture – Hive – Stand or hive container
Patent
1997-07-31
1999-11-30
Swiatek, Robert P.
Bee culture
Hive
Stand or hive container
449 50, A01K 4700
Patent
active
059932880
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to bee keeping generally, and, more particularly, to beehive structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many beehives in commercial use comprise a plurality of generally square or rectangular-shaped, hollow, box-like compartments or "floors", which are manufactured for modular stacking in a tower arrangement. Typically, the bottom most compartment is the "nest floor" where the queen bee resides and in which procreation occurs. This compartment is closed only at the bottom, and is open at the top. One or more upper compartments, known as "honey floors", and having neither a floor nor a ceiling, are arranged above the nest floor so as to be contiguous therewith. Depending on the size of the nest, the amount of honey being produced, and the time of year, the number of honey floors may be either increased or reduced.
In the specification and claims, the term "commercial beehive" refers to the type described above.
From time to time, it may be necessary to access the nest floor for periodic treatments, or to replace it completely. In accordance with the prior art, in order to gain access to the nest floor all of the honey floors must be removed. This, of course, causes great disturbance to the beehive activity.
It is also noted that, while commercial beehives are generally of similar construction, their width, height and length dimensions may differ from region to region.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a universal beehive support structure for supporting all the floors of a commercial beehive of substantially any size so as to facilitate convenient access to the nest floor for treatment or removal thereof, without requiring prior removal or other substantial disturbance, of the honey floors.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a universal beehive support structure for supporting on a support surface a beehive having a nest floor having a selected number of honey floors, wherein the support assembly includes a base assembly, width adjustable means, and height adjustable means. The base assembly includes a support for the beehive on a support surface, and length adjustable means, mounted onto the base, for support and lengthwise engagement of the nest floor; the width adjustable means are associated with the base assembly, and provided for widthwise engagement of the nest floor; and the height adjustable means are associated with the base assembly, and provided for height positioning in accordance with the height of the nest floor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base assembly also includes a support permitting selectable transverse positioning of the nest floor with respect to the base.
According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustable support includes a horizontal track associated with the base assembly.
According to a preferred embodiment, the height adjustable means include an upper support for supporting a stack of honey floors in vertical registration with the nest floor.
The base apparatus can include a plurality of base members for supporting the nest floor on a support surface, and a plurality of vertical track members associated with the base members; and the upper apparatus includes an upper support slidably mounted onto the vertical track members, thereby to constitute the height adjustable means, and means for selectably locking the upper support in a vertical position along the vertical track members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the universal beehive support structure of the present invention, in which are seen a length adjustable base assembly, a height and width adjustable upper support assembly, and a removable support;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base assembly and upper support assembly seen in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3A is a pictorial illustration of a rul
REFERENCES:
patent: 2036113 (1936-03-01), Befera
patent: 4375113 (1983-03-01), Ewert
patent: 4722106 (1988-02-01), Scegiel et al.
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