404 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



July 1 



FIG. 2.— THE ADJUSTMENT CHANGED SO AS TO TAKE SHALLOWER FRAMES. 



pushed into the machine by the hand press- 

 ing on the end-bar until it is flush with the 

 front uprights of the machine as shown in 

 Fig. 2, when a dog, or catch, drops behind 

 the end of the top-bar, and a push on the 

 thrust-bar which forms part of the top-guide 

 will force the frame past the knives and fin- 

 ish the cut, when the frame may be with- 

 drawn, a spring returning the thrust-bar to 

 its place. 



Fig. 1 also shows a special feature of the 

 machine which allows the use of a frame with 

 the top-bar wider than the end-bars, or one 

 having spacing-devices on the top-bar, the 

 removal of the knives opposite the top-bar 

 giving a passage for these, while the knives 

 below will uncap down close to the end-bars; 

 in the view shown, the frame is spaced by 

 staples driven near each end of the top-bar, 

 one of which is shown in position to enter 

 the notch in the knife-bar; any pair of the 

 knives may be removed to suit the height of 

 frame used. 



Fig. 1 shows the machine equipped with a 

 special quick adjustment device for changing 

 the depth of cut. For instance, if the ma- 

 chine IS set to cut the comb down to one inch 

 in thickness, and the operator gets hold of a 

 thick heavy comb, and for any reason wishes 

 to leave it as thick as possible, a slight move- 

 ment of the lever or slide at the top of the 

 machine will throw the knives out so as to 

 cut to a thickness of two inches, or any in- 

 termediate thickness; this feature was de- 

 signed after I had been strongly advised by 

 exi)erienced men that such a feature would 

 be of much use, one very extensive producer 

 in particular saying that he made an effort 

 to have as little honey as possible taken off 

 with the cappings. 



For my own use I much prefer the simpler 



and stronger form of fastening, shown in 

 Fig. 2, in which the knife-bars are brouglit 

 to the desired position and clamped fast hy 

 two cap-screws, when every comb which 

 passed through would be cut down to the 

 same thickness, and be in better shape for 

 future use. 



Fig. 2 also shows the top guide lowered 

 for use with shallow extracting-frames. 



Fig. 3 shows the knife-bars removed, which 

 gives easy access to all parts for cleaning; 

 and as each knife is fastened with a single 

 screw, all are easily removed for sharpening; 

 but as the work is done with a sliding or 

 drawing cut I do not think there will be the 

 necessity for the extremely sharp edge re- 

 quired on the hand knife. 



With the wooden base-bar made in three 

 pieces, and connected by plates as shown, 

 the outer sections may be removed, when the 

 whole machine may be packed in a box 

 (ix 13'2 Xl4'4. inside measurement; and as 

 the weight of the machine is only 24 pounds 

 it can be very easily transported; or, if used 

 in connection with one of the new capping- 

 melters, it could be simply inverted ana hung 

 inside the melter while being moved. 



Almost any plain frame in common use 

 may be used with the machine, as all guides 

 are adjustable; but as the bottom-bar has to 

 support the weight of the comb while being 

 uncapped, a stronger bottom-bar than many 

 of those in use would be desirable; or better 

 still would be the building of all combs down 

 to the bottom-bar, and this, in connection 

 with wide spacing, would produce a set of 

 combs which would be easily and quickly 

 uncapped. 



I am very confident that this form of knife 

 will work in any kind or condition of honey, 

 as the-slim- sharp points are introduced un- 



