IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEE HIVES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Thomas Tancred, Baronet, of Rose Wood, Pang-
bourne, near Reading, in the County of Berks, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEE HIVES."-Partly a communi-
cation from abroad by Pfarrer Dzierzon, of Carlsmarkt, Silesia, in the
Kingdom of Devasio
Sealed the 13th December 1867; and dated the 17th June 1867:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Thomas Tancred"
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th June 1867.
I, Sir THOMAS TANCRED, Baronet, of Rose Wood, Pangbourne, near Reading,
in the County of Berks, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEE HIVES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the manipulation of bees in their
hives, and to this end I propose to use hives constructed and arranged in.
the following manner :-In a rectangular box closed at the top and bottom,
but open at one or both ends, a series of skeleton frames are suspended to
receive the combs in one or more tiers; the frames are severally, made of the
width of a comb, and the projecting ends of their top bar rest upon longi-
tudinal guide bars attached to the sides of the box; the box-may be of any
convenient. length, say, of a capacity to admit twenty-four frames, twelve in

page_text: The bottom of the
each tier; these frames are slidden in on their guide bars and pressed close
together, but they are so formed that a free passage will be left between them
for the bees to get access to their combs. The open end or ends of the box
I close by a glazed sliding door or doors which fit the box, and when slidden
in up to the last frame will contract the hive to any required extent to suit
the size of the swarm contained therein, which purpose may be further accom-
plished by a false floor slidden in above the lower guide bars. Outside of the
movable glazed door is one of wood, and between the two, a cushion of felt,
wool, wadding, or any other non-conducting material to prevent draughts of
air and retain the warmth. There is, a barred opening in the top of the box
for the working bees. to escape into a second box or hive that may be placed
above to receive them when their hive is too full, but the opening is sufficiently
contracted to prevent the passage upwards of the queen bee from her own
live. An opening is provided in the side or at one end of the hive for the
entrance and exit of the bees, as well as one on the opposite side for the pur-
pose of uniting two hives together. The box is provided with a false bottom
of boards, below which artificial food may be laid for the bees; access will be
gained to this store by sliding out part of the false bottom. And this contrivance
is also useful for facilitating the cleaning out of the hive.
box may also have an opening for admitting a swarm from below when the
bive is required to be filled or replenished from an overcrowded hive. It will
be understood that for the cultivation of bees on this system it will be requisite
to construct the boxes and frames on a uniform gauge, so that combs con-
taining honey or brood may be taken from any one hive and inserted in any
other. In preparing a hive it will be requisite to proportion the number of
the frames to the swarm that is to inhabit it, and as the colony increases the
number of the frames is to be increased, the sliding door or doors being moved
back as required to extend the internal capacity of the bive. To ensure the
formation of the combs within the limits of the frames, and to prevent their
being bound together into one mass by the labour of the bees, I provide a
guide comb for each frame, attaching a portion of a honeycomb to the upper
part of the frame. To facilitate the withdrawal of the frames for.the purpose
of removing so much of the honey as can be spared, or for the formation of
artificial swarms, introducing brood comb to strengthen a weak stock, searching.
for the queen, or feeding the bees, it is requisite to subject. the. bees to fumes
of tobacco or other smoke; to facilitate this operation holes are made in the
glass door or doors through which tobacco or other smoke. may be readily
injected. The principles involved in the construction of these. hives may be
applied to boxes of various sizes, ornamented in various ways, and of various

page_text: patterns and designs, calculated to stand either alone in the open air or'to be
protected by a shed or house, or to be placed in the window of a dwelling
room.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sir Thomas Tanered in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir THOMAS
TANCRED, Baronet, of Rose Wood, Pangbourne, near Reading, in the County
of Berks, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her' most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto the said
Sir Thomas Tancred, Her special licence that I, the said Sir Thomas Tancred,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sir
Thomas Tancred, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise; and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BEE HIVES," the result partly of a communication to me from
abroad by Pfarrer Dzierzon, of Carlsmarkt, Silesia, in the Kingdom of Prussia;
and partly of Invention and discovery made by me, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Sir Thomas Tancred, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
Q
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sir Thomas Tancred, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
::
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the manipulation of bees in their
hives, using for that purpose hives constructed and arranged in manner fol-
lowing: I provide a rectangular box-or case closed at the top and bottom,

page_text: but open at the front, or back, or both, or at each or one of the ends, and for
the reception of the combs I suspend in this box or case rectangular skeleton
frames in one or more tiers, the superficial areas of such frames being in the
perpendicular direction; the four sides of these frames are severally made of
the width of a comb, but the top bars are sufficiently enlarged at each end to
allow a free passage for the bee between the combs when two frames are
brought close together, this object being further secured by projections at
each of the lower corners of each frame. The projecting ends of the top bars
of the frames rest upon guide bars attached to the sides of the box. The box
may be of any convenient size, say, of a capacity to admit of twenty-four
frames being fitted therein, twelve in each tier; these frames are slidden in
from either end along the guide bars and pressed together as closely as the
projecting. parts will allow. A glazed door is provided to close the front or
fronts of the box, or doors sliding in the same guide bars as the frames are
adapted for such doors, being made to fit the box, and when slidden up to the
last frame will contract the box to any extent to suit the size of the swarni
contained therein, which purpose may be further accomplished by a false floor
slidden in above the lower guide bars with an opening in it to allow the bees
to descend to the aperture of the hive. Outside of each moveable glazed door
is one of wood, and between the two doors a cushion of felt, wool, wadding,
or other non-conducting material may be inserted for the prevention of air
draughts and the retention of warmth. There is a barred opening in the top
of the lower box through which the working bees can ascend into a second
box or hive which may be placed above to receive them when their hive is too
full, but the openings between the bars are sufficiently contracted to prevent
the passage upwards of the queen bee, so that none but virgin honey may be
stored in the upper box or other receptacle occupying its position. An opening
is provided on each side of the hive for the entrance and exit of the bees, as
well as for the purpose of uniting two hives together, a lighting board being
fixed below whichever opening the bees are to use. The box is provided with
a false bottom of boards sliding in and out upon runners about an inch above
the real bottom of the box; below this artificial food may be laid for the bees.
Access will be gained to this store by sliding out part of the false bottom. And
this contrivance is also useful for cleaning out the bottom of the hive. The
bottom of the box may also have an opening for admitting a swarm from
below. It should be understood that for the cultivation of bees on this system
it will be necessary to construct the boxes and frames on a uniform guage, so
that combs containing honey or brood may be taken from any one hive and
inserted into any other. In preparing a hive it will be requisite to proportion

page_text: the number of the frames to the swarm which is to inhabit it, and as the
colony increases, the number of the frames will have to be increased, for which
object the sliding door or doors may be moved back so as to extend the
internal capacity of the hive. To insure the formation of the combs within
the limits of the frames, and to prevent their being bound together by combs
formed diagonally from one frame to the other, I provide a piece of guide
comb which is attached by melted wax along the lower face of the upper bar
of each frame. To facilitate the withdrawal of the frames for the purpose of
removing so much of the honey as can be spared, or for the formation of
artificial swarms, introducing brood comb to strengthen a weak stock, searching
for the queen, or feeding the bees, it is occasionally necessary to subject the
bees to fumes of tobacco or other smoke. To facilitate this operation holes are
made in the frames of the glass door or doors through which tobacco or other
smoke may be readily injected. The principles involved in the construction
of these hives may be applied to boxes of various sizes ornamented in various
ways, and of various patterns or designs, calculated to stand either alone in
the open air or to be protected by a shed or house, or to be placed in the
window of a dwelling rooms.
By reference to the Drawing accompanying this Specification the arrange-
ment of the rectangular frames fitted in the boxes or hives, as herein-before
described, will be more readily understood.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, are respectively side view, end view, and plan of the frame for
containing the comb. Fig. 1 also shews the manner in which such frames are
hung in the box or hive. The following letters refer to the three Figures.
, a, a, the top, side, and bottom bars of frame, the top bar having side and
end projections, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 3; b, strengthening pieces at the
corners, also projecting at the sides and flush with the side projections of the
top bar; these projections are to allow spaces for the passages of the bees.
In Fig. 1, c is the top and sides of box; f,f, ledges on which the frames
are supported slidden into box. The other arrangements herein-before
described will be understood without the aid of a Drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that I claim the Invention of improvements in the construction of bee hives,
consisting in the means herein described of enabling the combs to be extracted
by sliding laterally to and fro, whether the combs are suspended to only a
single bar sliding along the guide bars or are formed within a complete frame,

page_text: and also by whatever contrivance the bar beneath which the combs are sus-
pended is enabled to slide to and fro, whether by resting by its two ends or
guide bars or in notches or rebates cut into the sides of the box.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Thomas Tancred, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
THOS. SELBY TANCRED.
"
THOMAS TANCRED. (L.S.)