72 AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



Fig. 42. REVERSIBLE SIX-COMB HONEY-EXTRACTOR 



WITH ONE BASKET DETACHED. 



As designed and used by the Author at the Matamata 

 Afiary, New Zealand, in 1883 and following years. 



In the latest reversible extractors the extracting can 

 be done automatically by getting up a decent speed and 

 throwing the extractor out of gear. As the gearing 

 runs on ball bearings, the frame of baskets with their 

 combs will continue revolving and extracting the 

 honey for a long time. The baskets can be reversed 

 by pulling the lever working the break while they are 

 in motion, so that as labour-saving machines they seem 

 almost perfect. Automatic extractors are now made in 

 all sizes, two, four and eight combs, but the two and 

 four are mostly used. The principle is the same in all 

 extractors, whether they have fixed or reversible 

 baskets : the honey is throXvn or extracted from the 

 combs by centrifugal force, first from one side and 

 then from the other. The combs, after leaving the 

 extractor, can be returned to the bees to be refilled. 



