dislike to disturb one or two tiers not 

 finished in order to get off a tier that is 

 done. The description here given is 

 for the double portico Langstroth hive. 

 And one with a little ingenuity can 

 readily adapt it to any kind of a hive. 



I cannot close this article without 

 insisting that all measurements about 

 a hive must be very exact. It is very 

 annoying when working with the bees 

 to rind that things don't fit. It is also 

 very important whatever hive or box is 

 used, that everything is uniform. If 

 two or three kinds of hives and boxes 

 are used, in the same apiary, I think it 

 would save time and money in the long 

 run, to transfer and break up all but 

 one kind. 



Milan, 111. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Electric Alarm for the Apiary. 



BY JNO. Y. DETWILER. 



In response to tlie communication of 

 Mr. F. VV. Chapman, of Morrison, 111., 

 in the January number of Journal, I 

 herewith submit the following sketch 

 and explanation which may be of ad- 

 vantage to him as well as others who 

 wish to protect their apiaries by means 

 of an electric alarm : 



In the accompanying sketch, 1,1,1, 1,1, 

 represent the hives. u ; \ »>„ t _^ , 



2 Two Jars .Leclanehe or open circuit battery. 



3 Electric bell (continuous ringing). 



4 Switch or cut out. 



5 Adjustable contact point. 



6 Adjustable tension spring. 



7 Electro magnet. 



8 Gravity or callaud battery. 

 9a, !*b, Ground wire terminals. 



10 Armature in front of electro magnet 7. 



Suppose the circuit from [battery 8 

 through magnet 7 is open, by reason of 

 broken connection at hives 1,1,1,1,1. 



The armature 10 is drawn back against 

 contact-point 5 by tension of spring 6. 

 Cut out 4 is supposed to be closed, which 

 allows the current from local battery 2 

 to pass through contact point 5,armature 

 10, bell 3 and back to opposite pole of 

 battery 2 again giving continuous alarm 

 through bell 3 until cut out 4 is opened. 

 Suppose connections through hives 

 1,1,1,1,1 are closed. The current passing 

 through main battery 8, electro magnet 

 7 attracting armature 10,passes through 

 connections at hives 1-1-1-1-1 to ground 

 9a, and thence to main battery 8. When 

 the alarm is not in use, cut out 4 is sup- 

 posed to be kept open. When 4 is 

 closed, and armature 10 is not attracted 



Manner of connecting Alarm to the Hive. 



1— Broad head, tack or nail to wind wire around and 

 drive home. 

 2 -Hook. 

 3— Eye. 



x— Wire from magnet— course of current, 

 xx— Wire to next hive. 



by magnet 7, connections in apiary are 

 not properly closed, spring 6 should be 

 adjusted just sufficient to keep armature 

 10 in contact with point 5 when no cur- 

 rent is passing through magnet 7. The 

 attraction of magnet 7 is greater than 

 tension of spring 6 whenever the cur- 

 rent is passing through battery 8, which 

 keeps armature 10 from closing circuit 

 through local battery 2 at point 5, until 

 a connection is broken in apiary when 

 7 ceases to attract 10 and alarm is made 

 through bell 3 and battery 2, until cut 

 out 4 is opened. 



The probable cost of batteries, bells, 

 &c. , for the above closed circuit alarm 

 not including work, would be about 

 $20.00. Though a much cheaper alarm 

 could be constructed by any person 

 having a slight knowledge of electricty, 

 thereby making his own, and substitu- 

 ting an ordinary clock alarm for the 

 local apparatus shown in sketch, releas- 

 ing the trip wire of alarm by movement 

 of armature 10. 



Toledo, 0.,"Jan. 21,^1879. 



