190^) 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



165 



THE BAYLESS UNCAP - 

 PING-MACHINE. 



A Device for Cutting Cappings 



from Both Sides of a Comb 



at One Operation. 



BY R. F. HOLTERMANN. 



For many years bee-keepers en- 

 gaged in the production of extract- 

 ed honey liave desired something 

 more suitable for uncapping the 

 combs than the present honey-knife. 

 For my own part I have done very 

 little uncapping, as I have always 

 felt that my services were more 

 needed in the apiary. There is 

 mucii difference in the degree of 

 success that different operators have 

 id uncapping combs with the ordi- 

 nary knife. Some readily become 

 experts, while others never do. 



Various uncapping-machines have 

 been suggested — two rollers, for in- 

 stance, with projecting pins to re- 

 move the cappings as they revolve 

 at high speed. I understand that a 

 machine of this nature has already 

 been used, but it does not appear to 

 have made much headway. 



An u nc a p p 1 n g-machine that 

 would meet the requirements of 

 practical bee-keeping has been my 

 desire for some years; but after a good deal of 

 deliberation I had almost concluded to give the 

 subject no more thought, for the task seemed al- 

 most hopeless. However, so far as I can judge, 

 the Bayless uncapping-machine is likely to meet 

 the requirements of the apiarist, and others who 



FIG. 2. — bayless' uncapping-machine. 



In this model, the comb, beginning at the upper end-bar, is uncapped down to 

 the lower end-bar as the frame is pulled up. 



have seen the machine work share this opinion 

 with me. 



Mr. Wm. Bayless, of Brantford, Ontario, Can- 

 ada, has a mechanical turn of mind, his experi- 

 ence as a bee-keeper and his employment with a 

 firm which for years made bee-keepers' supplies, 



giving him an 

 excellent o p- 

 portunity for 

 designing an 

 article of this 

 kind. His ma- 

 chine, which 

 is herewith il- 

 lustrated, 

 works well ; 

 and from the 

 simplicity of 

 its construc- 

 tion I judge 

 that the price 

 will bring it 

 within the 

 range of even 

 comparatively 

 small bee- 

 keepers. It 

 may be very 

 rapidly operat- 

 ed by hand, 

 or a device for 

 power can be 

 attached. Both 

 sides of the 

 combs are un- 

 capped simul- 

 taneously; the 

 machine may 



FIG. 1. — bayless' uncapping-machine. 



In ihis model, the comb, beginning at the bottom-bar, is uncapped down to the top-bar by the sliding 

 knife, a* the frame it pulled upward. 



