Apparatus for separating honey and beeswax
OwnerHoward W. Cunninghaminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method using the apparatus for separating honey and beeswax from capping and refuse is disclosed. The apparatus includes a container, partially covered by a cap. A trough is formed between a side wall of the container and the side of the cap. Capping placed in the trough block heat from escaping the container when the heat requirement is high. When most of the capping in the container and troughs has been melted and the heat requirement is low, excess heat escapes through the open troughs. The capping in the container is heated by a conventional radiant heater placed below the cap and directing heat into the container and the honey is separated from melted beeswax and other refuse, by removing the different melted layers.
Claims10
A beeswax capping separator for recovering honey from beeswax and refuse in cappings, said apparatus comprising:
- (1) means designed for inherently regulating the heat within the apparatus by the amount of cappings load in said apparatus such that, at high cappings load, heat is consumed by melting the wax in said cappings and, at low cappings load, heat is inherently vented from said apparatus thereby precluding honey-damaging heat buildup including
- (a ) a container having an open top, a bottom and side walls defining a chamber in said container;
- (b) a cap spaced above the bottom of said container and covering part of the container below it, said cap being spaced from at least one side-wall of said container to define a feed opening therewith, said feed opening being adapted to receive said cappings;
- (c) heating means mounted in said chamber beneath said cap for heating cappings in said chamber to melt the beeswax and release the liquid honey from said cappings, the resulting melted beeswax and released liquid honey flowing to form a layer of released liquid honey adjacent the bottom of said container, and a layer of melted beeswax overlying the honey layer;
- (2) means for removing the melted beeswax from said container;
- and
- (3) means for removing the released liquid honey from said container, said means for removing melted beeswax and said means for removing honey being adapted to maintain said cappings and layer of melted beeswax at a level spaced below said cap and heating means thereby permitting said cappping to pass beneath said cap and heating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.