Improved Centrifugal Apparatus for Extracting Honey from Honey Comb.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1889-
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Centrifugal Apparatus for Extracting Honey from Honey
Comb.
I, THOMAS LOWTH, of Brant Broughton, in the County of Lincoln, Bee Keepër, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a centrifugal apparatus' which is principally
suitable for extracting honey from the delicaté honey combs which are built in sections;
and known as' section combs, being the combs which are built up by the bees in frames
of wood, usually of à 'size 4 x 4x2 inches, and each containing approximately 1 lb.
of honey, but the apparatus' may also be employed' to extract honey from other than
section combs if desired.
The apparatus consists of an outor cylindrical case of tin or other suitable material,
the 'top of which is open, and the bottom' made' conical, rising from" the edges to the
apex in the centre, 'so that anything falling thereon will be directed to the edges, at
any suitable position in which an outlet is provided, preferably in the form of a nozzle
provided with an external screw cap.
At the apex of the cone a conical toe step bearing is provided to receive the corre-
spondingly shaped lower end of a 'vertical shaft, the upper end of which is supported by
a cross bar secured' across the upper end of the cylindrical case by 'thumb screws
entering lugs or ears forined on the periphery of such case; 'so that by unfastening the
screws the bar inay' be at once taken away and the spindle be removed for the purpose
hereinafter explained.
To the centre spindle is secured a frame made up of two, three, four or more recep-
tacles or cages, of rectangular section,' and' of a size to receive the "section" or other
piece of comb from which it is desired to extract the honey. The receptacles or cages
are made of tin or other suitable métal or material and are of skeleton form "except the
bottom, which is preferably composed of a perforated sheet of tin so that any honey
falling thereon may drain through, and the front side of the cage is covered with wire
gauze to prevent the comb flying out, while at the same time permitting the honey to
do so
The whole of the receptacles or cages are connected together at their adjacent angles
so as to form a skeleton frame, which (when three or more are employed) is of

page_text: triangular, rectangular, or polygonal section (according to the number of cages)
at their point of connection, and such frame is firmly and solidly secured to the
centre spindle in any suitable manner, the spindle being situated centrally with
regard to the whole of the cages. If only two cages are employed they will be
placed back to back with the vertical shaft passing centrally between them.
Each cage receives one of the sections of comb and the spindle and frame are
then caused to revolve rapidly within the cylindrical case, carrying with them the
comb, from which the honey will consequently be ejected outwardly by centrifugal
force, and coming into contact with the inner surface of the case will trickle down
same and accumulate at the bottom, whence it can be run off when desired, by remov
ing the screw cap from the nozzle provided on the outer edge of the caso, the conical
form of such bottom facilitating the withdrawal. The sections of comb are placed in
the cages with their wooden frames, the side from which it is first desired to extract
the honey having been previously unsealed, and such side being then placed outwards,
and when all the honey has been extracted from this side, the sections are reversed,
the opposite, side being unsealed when they are withdrawn for reversal and before
placing them again in the cages with the other side outwards. The operation is then
repeated, and the whole of the honey thus having been extracted, the combs, which
are left behind in their frames, are removed and replaced by frosh sections.
Any suitable arrangement may be employed to rotate the contral spindle and frame,
but I prefer to actuate same by means of an internal toothed wheel which is closed in
on top and provided with a handle near its outer edge, such wheel being secured to
the cross bar arranged across the top of the cylindrical case, but so that it can revolve
froely on such bar. The wheel gears with a pinion also carried by the bar so that it
can revolve thereon, and having a hole shaped so as to key with the upper end of the
central shaft, which is correspondingly shaped to enter such hole. It will be seen that
upon rotating the internal toothed wheel by means of its handle the pinion will be
driven at an increased speed, and the central shaft passing through such pinion will
consequently have movement imparted thereto, thus revolving the frame of cages con-
taining the sections of comb, which is secured to such shaft, at a speed suitable for
ensuring the extraction of the whole of the honey from the combs. The above arrange-
ment forms an efficient and light running driving mechanism for my purpose, and in
addition thereto it will be seen that the gearing will be all enclosed or hidden, so as to
not be liable to catch hold of anything or do damage when revolving, while at the same
time when the bar is removed it carries with it the gearing (the pinion being drawn
off the square end of the vertical shaft as the bar is moved upward), thus leaving the
frame of cages free to be removed with the central shaft for inspection, cleaning or
repair when requisite. The gearing remaining attached to the cross bar it is only
requisite to place and secure same in position again, with the end of the vertical shaft
entering the hole in the pinion, when the apparatus will be ready for operation once
more.
The cylindrical case is preferably provided with external ears or handles to enable
the whole apparatus to be easily shifted from place to place.
When desired to act upon other than "section" comb, seeing that this is not built
up in frames it will be requisite to supply a slide or frame (preferably of metal), such
slide being open at front and also preferably at top, so that when the portion of comb
to be operated upon is placed in the slide or frame one side of same will be exposed
and the slide is then slipped into one of the cages to receive the comb, with its exposed
side outwards. The top of the slide is preferably provided with a handle to facilitate
its introduction and withdrawal to and from the cage. The slides may also if desired
be employed when section comb is being operated upon.
Dated this 10th day of May 1888.
ALLISON BROS,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Centrifugal Apparatus for Extracting Honey from Honey
Comb.
I, THOMAS LOWTH, of Brant Broughton, in the County of Lincoln, Bee Keeper,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide a centrifugal apparatus which is principally
suitable for extracting honey from the delicate honey combs which are built in sections,
and known as section combs, being the combs which are built up by the bees in frames
of wood, usually of a size 4 × 4 × 2 inches, and each containing approximately
1lb. of honey, but the apparatus may also be employed to extract honey from other than
section combs if desired.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and
Fig. 2 a plan view of an apparatus having 3 receptacles to receive the section or
other combs.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the under side of a suitable arrangement of gearing for
actuating the apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of a suitable form of slide to receive
the comb.
Fig. 5 a similar view of a cage with the slide in position therein, and
Fig. 6a transverse section of Fig. 5.
The apparatus consists of an outer cylindrical case A of tin or other suitable material,
the top of which is open, and the bottom A' made conical, rising from the edges to the
apex in the centre, so that anything falling thereon will be directed to the edges, at any
suitable position in which an outlet B is provided, preferably in the form of a nozzle
provided with an external screw cap B¹.
At the apex of the cone A' a conical toe step bearing C is provided to receive the
correspondingly shaped lower end of a vertical shaft D, the upper end of which is
supported by a cross bar E, secured across the upper end of the cylindrical case A, by
thumb screws F, entering lugs or ears G, formed on the periphery of such case A, so
that by unfastening the screws F the bar E may be at once taken away, and the
spindle D be removed for the purpose hereinafter explained.
To the centre spindle 1) is secured a frame made up of two, three, four or more
eceptacles or cages H, of rectangular section, and of a size to receive the "section" or
ther piece of comb I from which it is desired to extract the honey.
r cages are made of tin or other suitable metal or material, and are of skeleton form
The receptacles
s shown, except the bottom J, which is preferably composed of a perforated sheet of
in, so that any honey falling thereon may drain through, and the front side of the

page_text: cage is covered with wire gauze or netting H³ to prevent the comb flying out, while at
the same time permitting the honey to do so.
The whole of the receptacles or cages H are connected together at their adjacent
angles so as to form a skeleton frame, which (when three or more are employed) is of
triangular, rectangular, or polygonal section (according to the number of cages) at their 5
point of connection, and such frame is firmly and solidly secured to the centre spindle D
in any suitable manner, the spindle being situated centrally with regard to the
whole of the cages.
If only two cages are employed they will be placed back to back
with the vertical shaft D passing centrally between them.
Each cage H receives one of the sections of comb, and the spindle D and frame H
are then caused to revolve rapidly within the cylindrical case A, carrying with them
the comb I, from which the honey will consequently be ejected outwardly by centri-
fugal force, and coming into contact with the inner surface of the case will trickle
down same and accumulate at the bottom, whence it can be run off when desired, by
removing the screw cap B' from the nozzle B provided on the outer edge of the case,
the conical form of such bottom A' facilitating the withdrawal. The sections of comb I
are placed in the cages H with their wooden frames I, the side from which it is first
desired to extract the honey having been previously unsealed, and such side being then
placed outwards, and when all the honey has been extracted from this side, the sections
are reversed, the opposite side being unsealed when they are withdrawn for reversal
and before placing them again in the cages with the other side outwards. The opera-
tion is then repeated, and the whole of the honey thus having been extracted, the
combs, which are left behind in their frames, are removed and replaced by fresh
:sections.
Any suitable arrangement may be employed to rotate the central spindle D and
frame, but I prefer to actuate same by means of an internal toothed wheel K which is
-closed in on top and provided with a handle I near its outer edge, such wheel being
secured to the cross bar E arranged across the top of the cylindrical case A, but so
that it can revolve freely on such bar. The wheel K gears with a pinion M, also
carried by the bar E so that it can revolve thereon, and having a hole shaped so
as to key with the upper end of the central shaft D, which is correspondingly
shaped to enter such hole. It will be seen that upon rotating the internal toothed
wheel K by means of its handle L, the pinion M will be driven at an increased speed,
and the central shaft D passing through such pinion will consequently have movement
imparted thereto, thus revolving the frame of cages H, containing the sections of comb I,
which is secured to such shaft, at a speed suitable for ensuring the extraction of the
The above arrangement forms an efficient and
whole of the honey from the combs.
light running driving mechanism for my purpose, and in addition thereto it will be seen
that the gearing will be all enclosed or hidden, so as to not be liable to catch hold of
anything or do damage when revolving, while at the same time when the bar E is
removed it carries with it the gearing (the pinion M. being drawn off the square end of
cages H
the vertical shaft D as the bar E is moved upward), thus leaving the frame of
free to be removed with the central shaft D for inspection, cleaning or repair wher
requisite. The gearing remaining attached to the cross bar E it is only requisite to
place and secure same in position again, with the end of the vertical shaft Dentering
the hole in the pinion M, when the apparatus will be ready for operation onc
more.
The cylindrical case A is preferably provided with external ears or handles Xt
enable the whole apparatus to be easily shifted from place to place.
comb, seeing that this is not buil
When desired to act upon other than "section
up in frames it will be requisite to supply a slide or frame N° (preferably of metal
such slide being open at front and also preferably at top, so that when the portion
comb to be operated upon is placed in the slide or frame, one side of same will b
exposed, and the slide N is then slipped into one of the cages H to receive the com
with its exposed side outwards. The top of the slide N is preferably provided with
handle N to facilitate its introduction and withdrawal to and from the cage H. T
slides N may also if desired be employed when section comb is being operated upon.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improved centrifugal apparatus for extracting honey from honey combs con-
structed and operating substantially as specified.
2. In a centrifugal apparatus for extracting honey from honey combs the employ-
ment of an outer casing having a conical bottom, in the apex of which is formed a
bearing for the lower end of a contral spindle to which are secured cages for receiving
the combs, the upper end of such shaft entering a suitable bearing arranged at or near
the upper part of the casing, the whole in combination with suitable means for
causing the central shaft and the cages to rotate, substantially as specified.
3. In a centrifugal apparatus constructed as described in the preceding claim, the
employment of a cross bar detachably secured to the upper end of the outer casing,
and serving to receive the upper end of the central shaft to which the cages to
receive the honey comb are secured, substantially as specified.
4. The arrangement of gearing consisting of an internal toothed wheel K having
an actuating handle L, and secured to the cross bar E so that it can rotate freely
thereon, in combination with a pinion M also mounted on bar E so that it can
rotate thereon, such pinion gearing with wheel K, and having a central hole to
receive and key with the upper end of the central shaft, all substantially as
specified.
5. The employment of a slide N to receive the comb, and which can be inserted
and withdrawn from the cages H secured to the central shaft D, substantially as
specified.
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12 1
1000