ANIMAL MILKING APPARATUS

• US 3,738,321 A
• Filed: 04/23/1971
• Issued: 06/12/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mervyn Lance Hicks
• Original Assignee: Mervyn Lance Hicks
• Inventors: Hicks, Mervyn Lance
• Primary Examiner(s): Chamblee, Hugh R.
• Application Number:
  US05/136,783
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 119/14.08,14.1,14.45,14.04
• US Class Current: 119/14.45
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/017 Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters

Abstract

Means for supporting a teat cup assembly of milking apparatus in a position adjacent a milking stall whereby the teat cup assembly is supported above the floor of the stall and readily accessible to a milker. The support means includes a hinged arm so that the teat cup assembly may be supported at or near the outer end of such arm, and the teat cup assembly is supported in a retractible manner whereby it may immediately retract to a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'home'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position supported by the arm upon removal of the teat cups from a milked animal and so that the teat cup assembly cannot fall and contact the floor of the stall on removal from the animal. A vacuum supply cut-off device is associated with the retractible support means and the vacuum supply hose for the teat cup assembly to provide an arrangement whereby the vacuum supply to a teat cup assembly fitted to an animal can be cut off to permit the teat cup assembly to fall away from the animal with the result that the retractible support means immediately comes into operation to retract the teat cup assembly to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'home'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and supported position without manual effort.

Claims

1. Teat cup support and removal means for milking apparatus comprising, a support member in the form of a substantially horizontal arm which is hingeably mounted on such as a post or wall of the stall so as to be hingeable to a position convenient for use of the apparatus in milking an animal, or hinged out of the way when not required for use;

flexible pulsator and vacuum supply/milk return hoses provided for the milk cup assembly and passing to the arm at or near the hinged end thereof and extending along the length of the arm to pass from the free end of the arm to a milking claw and teat cup assembly;

a pinch member mounted on said arm above the vacuum supply/milk return hose;

a lever member pivotally mounted on said arm;

a pressure element on said lever located below the vacuum supply/milk return hose;

retractible support means associated with the support member and including a retractible flexible link engaged with the lever and connected to the teat cup assembly of milking apparatus for the stall and at a point near the teat cups; and

there being a vacuum supply cut-off device associated with the retractible support means and a source of vacuum supply and operable so that the teat cup assembly can be retracted for support by the support member above the floor of the stall when vacuum supply to the teat cup assembly is cut off and the teat cups are removed from the animal after milking, retraction of the flexible link and the weight of the attached teat cup assembly simultaneously exerting pressure on the lever to pinch and close the vacuum supply/milk return hose between the pinch member and co-operating lever pressure element.

2. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the teat cup assembly is retractible to a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'home'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' non-operative position by means of a pneumatically or hydraulically operable piston and cylinder arrangement, the cylinder being open at one end and the piston being movable therein towards the inner closed end by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure and the piston being connected by a flexible link, passing over a wheel or wheels, to the teat cup assembly so that movement of the piston towards the inner closed end of its cylinder will draw the flexible link in the same direction and retract the teat cup assembly.

3. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cylinder is disposed vertically below the hinge connection of the arm and with its open end directed upwardly, a jockey wheel for the flexible link member being provided at the open upper end of the cylinder.

4. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 3 wherein the lever member is pivotally mounted on the arm for pivotal movement about a horizontal transverse axis disposed below the vacuum supply hose for the teat cup assembly, the lever having a portion extending outwardly and downwardly from its pivotal connection and having a pulley at its outer end over which the flexible link may pass for connection to the teat cup assembly, and the lever having a shorter other end portion directed inwardly and upwardly from the pivotal connection of the lever, said pressure element in the form of a transverse bar being located at said inner end portion and being arranged to bear against the under side of the vacuum hose supported by the support arm so that downward pressure on the oUtwardly extending portion of the lever will cause the inner end portion to be pivoted upwardly about its pivotal connection to compress the vacuum hose and cut off the source of vacuum supply to the teat cup assembly.

5. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 4 wherein the flexible link extends from a fixed connection at or near the open end of the cylinder, into the cylinder to be located about a pulley wheel provided on the piston and then extends out of the cylinder for location about the lever pulley and connection to the teat cup assembly.

6. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 4 wherein the support arm is in the form of an inverted channel housing within which portions of the flexible vacuum supply and milk return hoses are located, the transverse pivot connection for the lever extending between the two depending walls of the housing and the inner upwardly directed portion of the lever being movable within the housing about its pivotal connection.

7. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cylinder is disposed in a horizontal position below and/or within the support arm housing and extending in the same general direction as the support arm and being movable therewith.

8. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 1 and used in conjunction with a rotary milking platform comprising a horizontal rotary platform divided to provide a plurality of milking stalls disposed about its peripheral part, the support arm being hingeably connected to a wall or post of the stall and the complete apparatus including trip mechanism actuable for removal and retraction of the teat cup assemblies when a prescribed part of a revolution of the rotary milking platform has been completed.

9. Teat cup support and removal means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support arm is arranged to be movable about its hinged connection by means of a horizontally disposed hydraulic or pneumatic ram unit having its body pivotally connected to a fixed support adjacent the stall and its ram pivotally connected to a bracket or like projection of the support arm so that retraction of the ram will move the support arm to a position clear of the milking stall to permit an animal to gain access to, or leave from, the stall.