Bee wire guidance system for beehive frames

Abstract

See wire guidance system for beehive frames, wherein the frame comprises an top bar, two side bars and a bottom bar on which the guidance system of bee wire is attached, the ends of which are arranged at anchor points, wherein the guidance system of the bee wire (11) in the frame (1) is provided as an assembly of on opposite bars arranged of at least two reversal guides (6), consisting of two side-by-side and spaced apart threading protrusions around which threading grooves (8) are arranged, and between threading protrusions a relief (14) is arranged under the top portion (17) of the side surface (5) of the inner reinforcement (18) of the bar, wherein in the comer below the top portion (17) of the side surface (5) a guiding edge (15) in the relief (14) for guiding wire (11) between the protrusions (9, 9') Is provided.

Description

[0001] Bee wire guidance system for beehive frames

[0002] State of the art

[0003] The frames of the beehive used so far can be divided into three basic groups, namely: wooden frames wired with steel wire, plastic frames with a moulded plastic intermediate wall as a part of them and a combination of these two solutions, where the wax intermediate wall is attached to wooden or plastic frame by means of ribs or plastic clips.

[0004] The wooden frames of the beehive used so far consist of four rectangular slats, which are called hive bars. Hive bars are joined together with nails or steel staples, with possible previous auxiliary gluing to form the frame . Stainless steel or tin-plated steel wire, usually 0.4 mm in diameter, is used to position and attach the wax bee intermediate wall in the centre of the frame width. Holes for threading the wire through the bars are either drilled or pierced in the case of softwoods such as lime. Ends of the wire are fixed either by winding it around the bar and the stretched part of the wire or around a suitably placed nail.

[0005] Threading the wire to the outside of the bars through their entire thickness is very impractical, time consuming and laborious. Moreover, it is very difficult to imagine its meaningful automation.

[0006] Document CZ174346B1 presents a detailed procedure for the manufacture of the wooden frame of a beehive and its threading.

[0007] Document CZ20175U1 presents hive frames with Hofman-type plastic spacers.

[0008] Document CZ35068U1 presents a special U-shaped grip for attachement a wax intermediate wall into a bee frame.

[0009] Plastic beehive frames usually contain a moulded plastic intermediate wall as a necessary part of the plastic frame to achieve spatial stability. This requirement complicates some of the beekeeper’s activities and the zootechnical assumptions of bee keeping. A complication and source of uncertainty is the technology of preparing the frame before it is inserted into the hive. In order for the bees to accept such a frame for the construction of their work, it needs to be waxed using a precise procedure, but even then the success of the bees' acceptance of the frame is not guaranteed. Another complication is the very laborious method of cleaning of the remains of the larvae of the bees. The zootechnical assumptions of bee keeping are allegedly violated by frames with a plastic intermediate wall because the intermediate wall does not act as a resonator through which the bees in the hive supposedly communicate with the wax intermediate walls. Furthermore, the plastic intermediate walls interfere to some extent with the satisfaction of the bees’ building instinct.

[0010] The last variant of the beehive frames are various ribs or clips, which are used to fix the wax intermediate wall to the perimeter of the beehive frame. The ribs are usually part of the plastic frames, the clips are separate plastic parts that surround the bars of standard frames. The lack of stability of the builded bee work, particularly when the honey is drawn in centrifugal honey extractors, has been cited by users as potentially threads for collapse of the frame. In addition, the relatively thick plastic ribs hinder the bees in the construction of the honeycomb and thus reduce the usable area of the frame. Clips extending beyond the perimeter of the hive are susceptible to contact with the beekeeper's tools, which can cause shifting of the clips and thus cause the bee work to collapse.

[0011] From the above, it is obvious that the main shortcomings of the current solutions are inefficient. The production and threading of wooden frames of the beehive has a non- ecological character due to the large waste of wood mass. There is the resignation to the zootechnicai assumptions of bee keeping by the existing plastic frames. And there is a shape instability of the bee work in frames combined with different types of plastic reinforcements for attaching the wax intermediate wall, together with their obstruction to the bees during the construction of the bee work and during various activities of the beekeeper.

[0012] The aim of the invention is to present a bee wire guiding system for beehive frames in which the threading process can be made more efficient by facilitating or even eliminating manual work, which could be replaced by fully automated production.

[0013] Summary of the invention

[0014] The above-mentioned shortcomings are eliminated by the bee wire guiding system for beehive frames according to the invention, which is implemented as the guidance system of the bee wire in the frame is provided as an assembly of on opposite bars arranged at least two reversal guides, consisting of two side-by-side and spaced apart threading protrusions around which threading grooves are arranged, and between threading protrusions a relief is arranged under the top portion of the side surface of the inner reinforcement of the bar, wherein in the corner below the top portion of the side surface a guiding edge in the relief for guiding wire between the protrusions is provided. In an preferred embodiment, the protrusions in the reversal guide are made as an inlet threading protrusion and an outlet threading protrusion, wherein the inlet threading protrusion is provided at the wire entry point with a recess perpendicular to threading groove and connected to it, wherein the recess is terminated by the top wall and the groove is opposite provided with an inclined ramp surface and, at the point of the wire exit the groove is followed a guiding edge formed between the top portion of the side surface and the relief, wherein the threading groove of the outlet threading protrusion is connected to the aforementioned guiding edge and at the exit point of the wire the protrusion is also provided with a recess, perpendicular to the threading groove and connected to it and it is terminated by the top wall, and the threading groove is provided opposite the top wall of the recess with an inclined ramp surface.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment are the threading protrusions arranged opposite to each other and to the anchor points.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment are the threading protrusions are arranged in an offset arrangement with respect to each other and to the anchor points.

[0017] In another preferred embodiment is the frame provided as a moulding of a plasticwood composite WPG, i.e. a composite material made of thermoplastic and wood fibres or wood flour.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment are the ends of the bee wire provided with fixing rivets at the anchor points.

[0019] Brief description of drawings

[0020] The invention will be illustrated by means of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a bee frame according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 is a detail of the botom bar of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a detail of the top reversal guide on the top bar, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wired frame with the wire in a vertical run, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the wired frame with the wire in a horizontal run, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the wired frame with the wire in an angled run.

[0021] Description of preferred embodiments

[0022] Fig. 1 is a front view of a bee frame 1 according to the invention, which comprises four bars, namely a top bar 2, two side bars 3 and a bottom bar 4. There are more such frames in the hive and to ensure that they are spaced apart from each other, on the side bars 3 spacers 7 are arranged, which are made, for example, as spacing pins. On the top bar 2, in this embodiment, two anchor points 10 for anchoring the ends of the bee wire 11 are arranged. The bee wire 11 is shown in Fig. 5, 6 and 7. To anchor the ends of the bee wire in the anchor points 10, various types of rivets, such as a tear-off rivet, can preferably be used.

[0023] In contrast to existing wooden frames, the frame is made as a moulding of plasticwood composite WPC, i.e. a composite material made of thermoplastic and wood fibre / wood flour. This method of manufacture makes it possible to provide the frame with integrated construction elements according to the invention, which will make the installation of the bee wire 11 much easier or more automated. The facilitation consists in eliminating the laborious threading of the bee wire through the bars. In the embodiment according to the invention, the wire is positioned without the need for threading through the bar.

[0024] The main Inventive feature, obvious from the Fig. 2 is, that on the top bar 2 and the bottom bar 4, there are in the region of the side surface 5 inner reinforcements 18 arranged, extending inwardly from the frame and oriented from the Inner frame surfaces 19, on which reversal guides 6 are arranged offset with respect to each other. These reversal guides 6 comprise two side-by-side and spaced-apart threading protrusions 9, 9', provided in the inner reinforcement 18 and between them a relief 14 is arranged below the top portion 17 of the side surface 5, whereas the guiding edge 15 of the relief 14 is arranged in a corner below the top portion 17 of the side surface 5. This will be described in detail in connection with Fig. 4.

[0025] Since the wire 11 is assumed to be guided from left to right, the input threading protrusion 9 is marked as left in the exemplary embodiments in the figures and the output threading protrusion 9' is marked as right. It is understood that if the wire is guided from right to left, then the input protrusion would be marked as right and the output protrusion as left. For simplicity, we will only use the terms left and right in the description.

[0026] The right threading protrusion 9’ of the bottom bar 4 is located opposite the left threading protrusion 9 of the top reversal guide 6 on the top bar 2. The right threading protrusion 9’ of the first top reversal guide 6 on the top bar 2 is opposite the left threading protrusion 9 of the second botom reversal guide 6 of the bottom bar 4. Opposite the edge protrusions 9 and 9!of the both bottom reversal guides 6, on the top bar 2, anchor points 10 for attaching the ends of the bee wire 11 are arranged. This preferred arrangement will allow guiding of the bee wire 11 as shown in the preferred embodiment of Fig. 7, but it is evident, that the threading protrusions 9, 9' need not be opposite each other on the two bars 2, 4, but may be offset from each other and the anchor points 10 are on the side bars 3, then the guiding of the bee wire 11 is provided as shown in the preffered embodiment of Fig. 8. it is aiso possible to place the reversal guides 6 on the side bars 3 and then, the bee wire 11 will be arranged longitudinally in the frame 1.

[0027] The preferred number of tensioned free parts of the bee wire 11 in the frame may range from 2 to 9 and is determined in particular by the size of the particular frame of the beehive, its intended use (for bee brood and / or pollen and / or honey) and the opinion of the beekeeper. The same applies to the direction of the frame threading, which may be either vertical, horizontal or, where appropriate, oblique.

[0028] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame 1 of Fig. 1, wherein the embodiment of the threading protrusions 9, 9' with the threading grooves 8 arranged on the bottom bar 4 can be better seen.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows a detail of the bottom bar 4 from Fig. 2, where the shape of the protrusions 9, 9' and the section through the bottom bar 4 can be seen even better.

[0030] Fig. 4 is a detail of the top reversal guide 6 on the top bar 2. It is shown in detail the embodiment of the left and right threading protrusion 9, 9' of the top reversal guide 6 and its connection to the guiding edge 15. Shaped protrusions 9, 9 are substantially hemispherical and a threading groove 8 is arranged around their entire circumference for accommodating the bee wire 11. On the side where the wire enters, the protrusion 9 is provided with a recess 16 which is terminated by an top wall 12. Through this top wall 12, the bee wire 11 enters the left protrusion 9 of the top reversal guide 6, is lifted by the inclined ramp surface 13 and is introduced under the top wall 12 of the recess 16. After that, the bee wire is wound through the threading groove 8 around the protrusion 9 and on the exit side the bee wire 11 is led directly under the top portion 17 of the side surface 5 into the guiding edge 15 to the relief 14. This is where the bee wire 11 is led to the right threading protrusion 9’.

[0031] The right threading protrusion 9’ of the top reversal guide 6 is provided as mirror opposite to the left threading protrusion 9. The bee wire 11 is guided from under the guiding edge 15 to the relief 14. The it is winded around the threading protrusion 9’ in the threading groove 8 and exits through the recess 16 which is terminated by the top wall 12, and under this wall 12 the bee wire 11 exits from the protrusion 9* or from the entire top reversal guide 6 and is guided to the left threading protrusion 9 of the bottom reversal guide 6 at the bottom bar 4. The threading protrusions 9, 9' are made analogously on the bottom bar 4. Fig. 5 is a view of the wired frame 1 with the bee wire 11 in vertical guidance, where the threading protrusions 9, 9' are opposite each other. Fig. 6 is a view of the wired frame 1 with the bee wire 11 in horizontal guidance and Fig. 7 is a view of the wired frame 1 with the bee wire 11 in an oblique orientation, where the threading protrusions 9, 9' are in an offset arrangement within the assemblies at the bars 2 and 4.

[0032] List of reference signs:

[0033] 1 frame

[0034] 2 top bar

[0035] 3 side bar

[0036] 4 bottom bar

[0037] 5 side surface

[0038] 6 reversal guide

[0039] 7 spacer

[0040] 8 threading groove

[0041] 9 left threading protrusion

[0042] 9' right threading protrusion

[0043] 10 anchor point

[0044] 11 bee wire

[0045] 12 top wail of recess

[0046] 13 inclined ramp surface

[0047] 14 relief

[0048] 15 guiding edge

[0049] 16 recess

[0050] 17 top portion of the side surface

[0051] 18 inner reinforcement

[0052] 19 inner frame surface

Claims

Claims1. Bee wire guidance system for beehive frames, wherein the frame comprises a top bar, two side bars and a bottom bar on which the guidance system of bee wire is attached, the ends of which are arranged at anchor points, characterized in that the guidance system of the bee wire (11) in the frame (1) is provided as an assembly of on opposite bars arranged at least two reversal guides (6), consisting of two side-by-side and spaced apart threading protrusions around which threading grooves (8) are arranged, and between threading protrusions a relief (14) is arranged under the top portion (17) of the side surface (5) of the inner reinforcement (18) of the bar, wherein in the corner below the top portion (17) of the side surface (5) a guiding edge (15) in the relief (14) for guiding wire (11) between the protrusions (9, 9') is provided.

2. Bee wire guidance system according to claim 1, characterized in that the protrusions in the reversal guide (6) are made as an inlet threading protrusion (9) and an outlet threading protrusion (9'), wherein the inlet threading protrusion (9) is provided at the wire entry point with a recess (16) perpendicular to threading groove (8) and connected to it, wherein the recess (16) is terminated by the top wall (12) and the groove (8) is opposite provided with an inclined ramp surface (13) and, at the point of the wire exit the groove (8) is followed a guiding edge (15) formed between the top portion (17) of the side surface (5) and the relief (14), wherein the threading groove (8) of the outlet threading protrusion (9') is connected to the aforementioned guiding edge (15) and at the exit point of the wire (11) the protrusion (9) is also provided with a recess (16), perpendicular to the threading groove (8) and connected to it and it is terminated by the top wall (12), and the threading groove (8) is provided opposite the top wall (12) of the recess (16) with an inclined ramp surface (13).

3. Bee wire guidance system according to claim 1, characterized in that the threading protrusions (9, 9') are arranged opposite to each other and to the anchor points (10).

4. Bee wire guidance system according to claim 1, characterized in that the threading protrusions (9, 9") are arranged in an offset arrangement with respect to each other and to the anchor points (10).

5. Bee wire guidance system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame is provided as a moulding of a plastic-wood composite WPC, i.e. a composite material made of thermoplastic and wood fibres or wood flour.

6. Bee wire guidance system according to claim 1,3 or 4, characterized in that the ends of the bee wire (11) are provided with fixing rivets at the anchor points (10).

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