End plug for bee shipping tubes
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorBryan H. Ashby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bee-shipping container comprising an elongated, hollow, imperforate-walled tube being open at both ends, a plug for each end, wherein each plug comprises a perforated disc having a thickness sufficient to substantially reduce visibility of the bees and prevent handlers from being stung through the disc, and at least one protruding member extending away from the disc and longitudinally beyond the outer extremity of the tube to butt against any external flat surface which inadvertently comes into contact with the plug, thereby to maintain direct communication between the disc and ambient air surrounding the tube whenever such contact is made.
Claims17
An apparatus for shipping bees comprising an elongated cylindrical container having an imperforate wall and being open at both ends, a removable end plug for each of said ends, wherein each plug comprises
- (a) a perforated disc which snugly fits in one of said open ends, wherein the thickness of said disc is sufficient to prevent bees in said container from stinging anyone handling said plug;
- wherein said thickness further is sufficient to substantially reduce visibility of said bees to anyone handling said container;
- and
- (b) at least one protruding member on said plug extending away from said disc and longitudinally beyond the outer extremity of said one open end to butt against any external flat surface which may come into contact with said plug, thereby to maintain direct communication between said disc and ambient air surrounding said container whenever said plug makes such contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.