Device for cleaning bee hive frames

The device of the present invention comprises an insulated box, having a drain opening in its bottom wall. Within the box is a ramp wall which is inclined and which divides the interior of the box into upper and lower portions. The ramp wall is inclined downwardly toward the drain opening. A drain extends through the lower end of the ramp wall and through the drain opening. Hangers are provided above the ramp wall for suspending a plurality of bee hive frames above the ramp wall. A heating element within the compartment heats the air to a temperature at least sufficient to melt the wax on the frames so that the wax will melt and run down the ramp wall and out through the drain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a device for cleaning the frames used within bee 
hives. The collection of honey within bee hives is usually accomplished by 
means of a plurality of rectangular frames having a flat sheet of wax or 
wax covered plastic therein. The bees build the honey combs on the sheet, 
and after the honey comb is complete the bee keeper removes the frames and 
removes the honey from the frames. 
One problem encountered in this process is the necessity for cleaning and 
sterilizing the bee frames before they are recycled back into the hive for 
reuse. The honey comb must be removed from the frames and the bee's wax 
must also be removed. Furthermore, a number of contaminants are often left 
on the frames after usage, and these contaminants must also be removed. 
Sterilizing and removing impurities from the frames is important in order 
to maintain a healthy hive of bees. Diseases such as "foul brood" present 
a serious danger to the health of the bees in the hive as well as the 
quality of honey which they produce. "Foul brood" is a spore that affects 
the larvae of bees. Once a hive has been infected with foul brood, the 
removal of the spore from the hive is very difficult. 
Another problem encountered in cleaning the frames is the removal of 
propropolis, which is a resinous glue which the bees obtain from trees and 
which they deposit on the frame. This resinous material is difficult to 
remove. 
Recovering the bee's wax from the frames is also a desirable result. Bee's 
wax is valuable, and the recovery of the bee's wax from the frames 
produces a valuable, marketable item. 
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an 
improved device for cleaning the bee hive frames. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which melts the bee's wax off of the frames so that it can be recovered. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which permits the recovery of the wax in a form which is marketable. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which sterilizes the bee hive frames at the same time that it removes the 
wax from them. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which renders the propropolis into a form which is crystallized and which 
is easily removed from the frames. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which sterilizes the frame so that diseases such as foul brood cannot 
infect the hive. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which renders the cappings from bee hive frames. 
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device 
which can also be used to liquify 60 pound cans of honey. 
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device which 
is economical to manufacture, durable in use and efficient in operation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises an oven box for melting the wax off the bee 
hive frames so as to clean them and reclaim the wax. The oven comprises a 
rectangular box having an inclined plate therein. Below the plate is a 
heating element which heats the interior of the oven for melting the wax. 
Hangers are provided on the interior of the oven for suspending a 
plurality of bee hive frames above the inclined plate. The hangers are 
positioned so that the frames hang in an inclined orientation so as to 
permit the wax to run downwardly toward the lower end of the inclined 
plate and thereby provide more complete removal of the wax. 
A drain is provided in the bottom end of the inclined plate and is covered 
with a screen. The wax is permitted to go through the screen and outwardly 
through the drain where it may be recovered. 
A heating element is provided below the plate for heating the interior of 
the oven to a temperature which causes the wax to melt and run off of the 
frames and down through the drain. A thermostat is also provided within 
the interior of the box so as to control the heating element and maintain 
the temperature at the desired level. 
The loose matter and extraneous fibers and other impurities which are 
within the wax are screened out by the screen so that only the wax is 
permitted to pass through the screen and the drain. 
The device will clean frames which have old honey combs thereon within 
approximately 21/2 to 3 hours when it is operated at a temperature of 
200.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. The wax is ready for selling when it is 
recovered from the drain. 
Because the heat within the oven is dry heat, the frames do not become 
warped or misshapen. In prior devices, steam cleaning was used and the 
frames often became warped and unusable. 
If desired, the oven temperature can be elevated to as high as 300.degree. 
F. to provide a good sterilization of the frames. Furthermore, instead of 
using frames, it is possible to place 60 pound cans of honey into the oven 
to permit the honey to be liquified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the device 
or oven of the present invention. Device 10 comprises a rectangular 
support frame 12 having four legs 14 for engaging the floor or supporting 
surface. An insulated box 16 is comprised of an insulated floor wall 18, a 
pair of opposite end walls 20, 22, a front wall 24, and a rear wall 26. 
All of the walls 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 are insulated and include an 
insulating material 28 therein. A top wall or lid 30 is similarly provided 
with insulating material 28. Top wall 30 includes a horizontal flange 32 
(FIG. 6) having a sealing member 34 extending around the perimeter of lid 
30 for engaging and sealing against the upper edges of walls 20, 22, 24, 
26. Top wall 30 is also provided with a pair of handles 36 for removing 
lid 30. When lid 30 is in place it encloses a compartment 38 within box 
16. 
Mounted within insulated box 16 is in interior box 40. Box 40 is comprised 
of an inclined plate 42 which forms the bottom wall thereof, a pair of 
opposite side plates 44, an upper end plate 46 and a lower end plate 48. A 
pair of inclined angle members 50 are attached to the interior surfaces of 
front wall 24 and rear wall 26 and provide support for the inclined plate 
42. Plates 44, 46 and 48 are spaced inwardly from the interior surfaces of 
front wall 24, rear wall 26 and end walls 20, 22 so as to permit air to 
circulate around interior box 40 within compartment 38. A divider wall 52 
spans the distance between opposite side plates 44 and includes a 
horizontal T-flange 54 on its upper edge. Also, a horizontal flange 56 is 
provided on the interior surface of upper end plate 46. Similarly, a 
horizontal flange 58 is provided on the interior surface of lower end 
plate 48. Flanges 54, 56 and 58 are in a line with one another, but this 
line is inclined slightly with flange 56 being at the upper end of the 
line and flange 58 being at the lower end of the line. 
Flanges 54, 56 and 58 are used to suspend conventional bee hive frames 60 
about inclined plate 42. Each frame 60 comprises upper and lower 
horizontal members 62, 64 and opposite end members 66, 68. Each upper 
member 62 includes an outwardly extending flange 70 which is adapted to 
engage and rest upon the flanges 54, 56 and 58, all as shown in FIG. 2. 
Each frame 60 also includes a wax sheet 72 or a plastic sheet coated with 
wax. It is upon this wax sheet 72 that the bees build their honey comb, 
with the honey comb extending outwardly from opposite sides of the sheet 
72 at an approximately perpendicular angle. 
Adjacent the lower end of inclined plate 42 is a drain 74 which extends 
downwardly through bottom wall 18 so as to provide communication from 
above plate 42 to the exterior of device 10. Fitted over drain 74 is a 
fine screen 76, and over this fine screen 76 is a primary screen 78. 
Screen 78 screens out the larger particles in the wax, and screen 76 
screens out the smaller particles. The screens 76, 78 are sufficiently 
large to permit the melted wax to pass therethrough and outwardly through 
the drain 74. 
A heating element 80 is provided in the lower portion of device 10 within 
compartment 38. Heating element 80 is covered by a protective plate 82. 
Connected to heating element 80 is a thermostat control 84 which is 
located outside device 10. Control 84 is connected to a temperature sensor 
86 within compartment 38 so that the control 84 is responsive to the 
temperature within compartment 38 to determine whether or not heating 
element 80 should be turned on or off. 
Also mounted within compartment 38 is an air circulation fan 88 which is 
driven by an electric motor 90. Fan 88 is connected to a manifold 92 which 
is used to provide better circulation of the air within the chamber 38. 
Manifold 92 forms a duct 94 for carrying the air from fan 88. When fan 88 
is operated in one direction, air is forced upwardly through duct 94. 
Alternatively, fan 88 may be reversed to draw air downwardly through duct 
94. The primary function of duct 94 and fan 88 is to permit the air to be 
circulated throughout the chamber 38 so as to provide even heat 
distribution. 
In operation, the frames 60 are suspended within chamber 38 in the manner 
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Lid 30 is placed on the device and heating element 
80 is actuated. Preferably the temperatures will be raised to approxiately 
200.degree.-250.degree. F. within chamber 38. These temperatures cause the 
wax to melt off of the frames 60 and to drip downwardly onto inclined 
plate 42. Because of the incline of plate 42, the wax runs downwardly 
towards drain 74, through screens 78, 76 and outwardly through drain 74. 
The impurities and foreign matter in the wax are captured by the screens 
76, 78. 
The frames 60 are surrounded by dry air, and therefore they do not tend to 
become warped or swollen as is the case with conventional steam cleaning 
equipment. Furthermore, because the frames are slightly inclined, the wax 
runs off the frames downwardly towards the drain 74. The heat within the 
oven 10 can be increased to such a level that it will kill all of the 
spores on the frames and all bacteria and other contaminating forms of 
life which may be present on the frames. The result is a sterilized group 
of frames which can be reused in the hive without fear of infecting the 
hive with some disease. 
Another use for the present invention would be to place large cans of honey 
therein so that the honey can be heated and liquified in the event that it 
should become crystallized. 
Many frames become black and darkened after extensive use, and the present 
invention permits these frames to be cleaned so that they can be used 
again. The propropolis which is placed on the frames by the bees can be 
easily removed because the heat causes it to crystallize and become 
brittle so that it can easily be removed from the frames. 
Thus, it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its 
stated objectives.