A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Collecting Honey- comb in its Natural State.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov.; 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Collecting Honey-
comb in its Natural State.
'
I, LUDOVIC LORAILLE of La Ferrière-Béchet, Orne, in the Republic of France,
Bee Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention forming the present application for a patent relates to a method of
and apparatus for collecting honeycomb, in its natural state as made by the bees, in
transparent receptacles.
The novel features of my invention and the advantages resulting from its application
may be easily understood from the following description:
I use a transparent glass vase, the open end of which carries stretched across it a
small piece of wood attached with wax or held in any other manner at its ends. I
attach to the sides of the vessel a bait or foundation of honeycomb or wax in order to
direct the work of the bees. This foundation lies approximately in the central plane
of the vessel, the sides of which can be supplied with grooves to facilitate the fixing
of the foundation or bait.
To prevent the bees obscuring the transparent side walls of the vessel, two pro-
tecting plates of unassailable metal or any other suitable material are inserted at the
end of the vessel and lie against. the sides thereof. Grooves may be arranged in
these walls to hold up the plates.
These glass receptacles are placed side by side, in such a manner that the open end
of each is in direct communication with the body of the hive containing the whole
population of bees. The bees have only to carry out their usual work, and at the end
of eight or ten days the vessels will be found to be quite filled with honeycomb.
When the bees have completed their work, the isolating plates aforesaid are with-
drawn, and the vessel is reversed and shaken sharply. The bees cannot cling to the
clean smooth glass at the sides of the vessel and must fall down either into the hive
or at the entrance. The comb is thoroughly consolidated and will resist strong
shocks; the bees, even the most obstinate ones, are driven out and the comb remains
intact as they have not time to bite the cells and gorge themselves with honey. The
full glasses are each closed by means of a cardboard lid or in any other suitable
manner; the edges of the lid are carefully fastened to the sides. In this manner the
honeycomb is preserved solid and unaltered in a thoroughly tight vessel. It thus
preserves its good quality, and can, furtlier, be delivered direct to the consumer with-
out having to undergo any handling which may damage its structure.
Finally, the honeycomb thius preserved will undergo transit without fear of accident
on account of its fragility.
In case it is desired to supply the consumer with a piece of honeycomb at a lower
price, it is collected in a square frame or section which is placed, after being cut off,
in a glass vessel which is sealed hermetically.
A piece of wood need not necessarily be fitted on the open end of the glass vessel,
the bait or foundation which abuts against the three other sides of the vessel being
quite sufficient to direct the work of the bees, nevertheless the strip of wood serves a
useful purpose in completely protecting the comb at the mouth of the glass during
the closing operation. In place of affixing one bait only, I can use several, and thus
obtain as many pieces of comb. Finally, it is evident that, by varying the shape of
the transparent vessel, the mass of comb can be made to assume any form which may
appear most agreeable to the eye.
Dated this 14th day of November 1889

page_text: харготой шоший стали дррагати от спесите попсу
comb in its Natural State.
I, LUDOVIC LORAILLE of La Ferrière-Béchet, Orne, in the Republic of France,
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 invention forming the present application for a patent relates to a method of
and apparatus for collecting honeycomb, in its natural state as made by the bees, in
transparent receptacles.
The novel features of my invention and the advantages resulting from its applica-
tion may be easily understood from the following description and the drawing
annexed, of which
Figures 1 and 2 show the system in elevation and plan view respectively.
Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal and transverse sections of the glass jar with the
honeycomb.
Figure 5 shows separately the springs by means of which the protective plates are
held up for the purpose of preserving the sides of the jar from being used by
the bees.
Figures 6 and 7 show, in profile and plan, the mode of applying the retaining
springs.
In these figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
I use a transparent glass vase a, the open end of which carries, stretched across
it, a small piece of wood c smaller than the jar so as to allow a passage for the bees,
attached with wax or held in any other manner at its ends longitudinally, as shown in
Figure 2 on the drawing. I attach to the sides of the vessel a bait or foundation of
honeycomb or wax in order to direct the work of the bees. This foundation lies
approximately in the central plane of the vessel, the sides of which can be supplied
with grooves to facilitate the fixing of the foundation-or-bait.
To prevent the bees obscuring the transparent side walls de of the vessel, two pro-
tecting plates of unassailable metal ff or any other suitable material are inserted at
the end of the vessel and lie against the sides thereof. Grooves may be arranged in
these walls to hold up the plates.
The said plates can also be held up by means of metal wire springs has shown
separately in Figure 5 of the drawing. In this case the springs have their
branches inserted in the jar in such a way-as-to-press-the-plates. against the sides of
the jar, as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing. The springs made of metal
wire can be protected against oxidation by plunging them in liquid varnish or in pure
melted wax, etcetera.
These glass receptacles are placed side by side in such a manner that the open end
of each is in direct communication with the body of the hive containing the whole
population of bees. The bees have only to carry out their usual work, and at the
end of eight or ten days the vessels will be found to be quite filled with honey-
comb.
When the bees have completed their work, the isolating plates ff aforesaid are with-
drawn, and the vessel is reversed and shaken sharply. The bees cannot cling to the
clean smooth glass at the sides of the vessel, and inust fall down either into the hive
or at the entrance. The comb is thoroughly consolidated and will resist strong
shocks the bees, even the most obstinate ones, are driven out and the comb
remains intact as they have not time to bite open the cells and gorge themselves
with honey. The full glasses are each closed by means of a cardboard lid or in
any other suitable manner; the edges of the lid are carefully fastened to the
sides. In this manner the honeycomb is preserved solid and unaltered in a
thoroughly tight vessel. It thus preserves its good quality, and can, further, be

page_text: delivered direct to the consumer without having to undergo any handling which
may damage its structure.
Finally, the honeycomb thus preserved will undergo transit without fear of
accident on account of its fragility.
A piece of wood c need not necessarily be fitted on the open end of the glass
vessel, the bait or foundation which abuts against the three other sides of the
vessel being quite sufficient to direct the work of the bees, nevertheless, the strip
of wood serves a useful purpose in completely protecting the comb at the mouth of
the glass during the closing operation. In place of affixing one bait only, I can use
several, and thus obtain as many pieces of comb. Finally, it is evident that, by
varying the shape of the transparent vessel, the mass of comb can be made to
assume any form which may appear most agreeable to the eye.
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 :-
The herein described method of and apparatus for collecting honeycomb in its
natural state, substantially as set forth.
WM. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
WM. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.