Device for carrying a milking member, and method for carrying a milking member

• US 20040200421A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andersson, Kennet, Lindroth, Viktor
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/00 Accessories for milking machines or devices

Abstract

The invention refers to a device and a method for carrying a milking member (1), which includes at least one teacup (3) and which is connected to a milking machine (5) via a flexible conduit member (6). A support element (10) is fixedly mounted in or at a milking box (13) arranged to receive an animal to be milked. An arm arrangement (9) is pivotably connected to the support element and arranged to support the milking member at least in connection with the application of the teacup to a teat of the animal. The arm arrangement is movable from a first position, in which the milking member is located beside the animal, to a second position, in which the milking member is located below the animal. The device includes a first part arranged to lock the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement in order to facilitate the application of the teacup to the teat.

Claims

1. A device for carrying a milking member, which includes at least a teacup and which, via a flexible conduit member, is connectable to a milking machine arranged to provide a relatively low pressure,

wherein the device includes:

a support element, which is fixedly mounted to or at a milking box arranged to receive an animal to be milked, and an arm arrangement, which is pivotably connected top the support element and arranged to support the milking member at least in connection with the application of said teacup to a teat of the animal, wherein the arm arrangement is moveable from a first position in which the milking member is located beside the animal, to a second position, in which the milking member is located below the animal,

wherein the device includes means which are arranged to permit locking of the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement in order to facilitate the application of said teacup to the teat.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes means which are arranged to permit locking of the arm arrangement in relation to the support element in the second position.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the device includes means arranged to permit releasing of said locking of the arm arrangement and the conduit member during milking.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the device includes a balancing member which is arranged to balance the weight of the arm arrangement and the conduit member during the milking.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein the device includes means arranged to permit releasing of the locking of the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement after the application of said teacup, wherein the milking member is partly moveable in relation to the arm arrangement.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the milking member is connected to the arm arrangement via the conduit member which is fixedly connected to the arm arrangement.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least when the movement of the arm arrangement from the first position to the second position is initiated, said means are arranged to permit locking of the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the arm arrangement includes an arm element which is fixedly connected to the conduit member in the proximity of the milking member.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the arm element includes a telescope arm with at least a first part and a second part which is displaceable in relation to the first part and which is fixedly connected to the conduit member in the proximity of the milking member.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said means includes a first locking member, which includes a first locking part fixedly connected to the milking member and a second locking part displaceably provided on the projectable second part of the telescope arm between a locking position, in which the second locking part is in engagement with the first locking part and locks the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement, and a releasing position, in which the second locking part is not in engagement with the first locking part, wherein the milking member is partly moveable in relation to the arm arrangement.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein said means includes a second locking member which is arranged to permit the projecting of the second part during the movement of the arm arrangement from the first position to the second position and to lock the second part in relation to the first part in an opposite movement direction.

12. A device according to claim 8, wherein the arm element is tubular and that the conduit member extends through the arm element.

13. A device according to claim 8, wherein the arm arrangement includes a rotary member which is connected to the arm element and arranged to permit rotation of the arm element in a first rotary direction about a rotary axis of the rotary member during the movement of the arm arrangement from the first position to the second position.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein said means includes a third locking member, which is comprised by the rotary member and arranged to provide said locking of the arm element in a rotary position obtained through a rotation of the arm element in a second rotary direction which is opposite to the first rotary direction.

15. A device according to claim 8, wherein the arm arrangement includes a swing arm which is swingably connected to the support element by means of a swing joint, wherein the arm element is rotatably connected to the swing arm.

16. A device according to claim 9, wherein the first part of the telescope arm is connected to the rotary member, and wherein the telescope arm is rotatably connected to the swing arm by means of the rotary member.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein the swing arm is swingable between a rest position permitting access for an operator to the udder of the animal, and an application position permitting said rotation of the telescope arm to the second position of the arm arrangement.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a removing member which is arranged to retract said teacup from the teat of the animal and to move back the arm arrangement from the second position to the first position after milking of the animal is completed.

19. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device includes a removing member which is arranged to retract said teacup from the teat of the animal and to move back the arm arrangement from the second position to the first position after milking of the animal is completed, and wherein the removing member includes a pulling line which is connected to the second part of the telescope arm and to a pulling member.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a force-generating member which, during milking, is arranged to generate a substantially uniform force acting on said teacup and having a substantial force component directed forwardly towards the head of the animal.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein the force-generating member includes a cylinder including a piston which is displaceable in the cylinder through the supply or the discharge of a fluid.

22. A device according to claim 21, wherein the arm arrangement includes an arm element and wherein the arm element includes a telescope arm with at least a first part and a second part which is displaceable in relation to the first part and which is fixedly connected to the conduit member in the proximity of the milking member, wherein the first part of the telescope arm includes one of said cylinder and piston, and wherein the second part of the telescope arm includes the other of said cylinder and piston.

23. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes an activating member which is arranged to initiate the application of said relatively low pressure to the milking member when the arm arrangement is moved from the first position towards the second position.

24. A device according to claim 1, wherein the milking member includes a claw which is connected to the conduit member, and four teatcups each of which are connected to the claw via a respective short conduit.

25. A method for carrying a milking member which includes at least one teacup and which is connectable to a milking machine via a flexible conduit member, by means of a device which includes a support element, which support element is fixedly mounted to or at a milking box arranged to receive an animal to be milked, and an arm arrangement which is pivotably connected to the support element and arranged to support the milking member at least in connection with the application of said teacup to a teat of said animal, wherein the method includes the steps of:

moving the arm arrangement from a first position, in which the milking member is located beside said animal, to a second position, in which the milking member is located below said animal;

locking the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement; and

application of said teacup to said teat.

26. A method according to claim 25, including the further step of:

locking of the arm arrangement in relation to the support element in the second position.

27. A method according to claim 26, including the further step of:

releasing of the locking of the arm arrangement after the application of said teacup, wherein the arm arrangement is balanced with respect to the weight of the arm arrangement and the conduit member.

28. A method according to claim 25, including the further step of:

releasing of the locking of the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement after the application of said teacup, wherein the milking member is partly moveable in relation to the arm arrangement.

29. A method according to claim 25, including the further step of:

initiating said locking of the milking member in relation to the arm arrangement before the movement of the arm arrangement from the first position to the second position.

30. A method according to claim 25, wherein the arm arrangement includes a projectable telescope arm which carries the milking member and which is rotatably provided on a swing arm that is swingably provided on the support element, wherein the method includes the further steps of:

swinging of the swing arm from a rest position, which permits access for an operator to the udder of said animal, to an application position; and

rotating and projecting of the telescope arm to the second position of the arm arrangement.

31. A method according to claim 25, wherein the milking member includes a claw and four teatcups and wherein the method includes the further steps of:

gripping two teatcups of the milking member when it is located in the first position; and

moving the two teatcups while maintaining said gripping from the first position to the second position.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said application step includes:

application of the two gripped teatcups to respective teats of the animal; and

gripping of the two remaining teatcups and application of the two remaining teatcups to respective teats of the animal.