GB2053648A

GB2053648A - Milking machine

Info

Publication number: GB2053648A
Application number: GB8023818A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WOODVILLE POLYMER ENG
Current assignee: WOODVILLE POLYMER ENG
Priority date: 1979-07-20
Filing date: 1980-07-21
Publication date: 1981-02-11

Abstract

A milking machine comprises four steel teat cups 10, each of which has an elastomeric liner 11. The liners 11 are each connected to a common claw piece 21 by means of a milk line 14. The region 23 of each milk line 14 which curves round from a vertical to an inclined disposition has an elliptical cross-section the major axis of which is parallel to the axis about which the milk line 14 is curved. In operation the four teat cups 10 are fitted to teats 13 and a pulsating vacuum is applied by means of connections 15. If a teat cup 10 is dislodged its weight causes the elliptical section tube 23 to be pinched shut so that the milking machine can continue to operate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Milking machine The present invention concerns improvements in milking machines.

In milking machines in general use at present a metal teat cup is fitted with a liner of rubber (natural or synthetic) which fits over the teat of the cow's udder. A pulsating vacuum is applied between the cup and the liner to produce alternate contraction and dilation of the liner and the milk is delivered from the lower end of the liner through an integral milk line to a metal cluster or claw piece, common to four teat cups, from which the milk flows to a collecting pail.A steady vacuum or suction is used to draw the milk into the pail and is converted by a pulsator into the pulsating vacuum required for operation of the teat cup liner. Forfurtherdetails reference may be made to the Proceedings of the Institution of the Rubber Industry for a paper "Rubber in Milking Machines" by Cooper and Gardner read to a meeting of the West of England Section of 1Oth March 1953.

The claw piece is supported by the grip to the teat cups on the four teats of the cow's udder. It is sometimes necessary to increase the weight on one of the teat cups and this is often done by placing a brick or stone on the appropriate part of the claw piece. As may be imagined, this is not a very reliable proce dure. Moreover it may result in one of the teat cups being pulled off and if a teat cup comes loose for this or any other reason the milk line is open and the machine stops working because there is insufficient vacuum. Apart from the inconvenience and delay which results, there is a danger of fouling of the open cup and the associated milk line.

To deal with the problem of a fallen teat cup, which may occur for reasons other than excessive or irregular weighting of the cup, there is provided in accordance with the invention a milking machine comprising a plurality of teat cups, each of which has a liner of elastomeric material, and at least one claw piece; each teat cup liner being joined to a claw piece by a milk line which, at least over the portion which curves round from the teat to the claw piece in the normal position of use, has an elliptical crosssection such that the major axis of the ellipse is generally parallel to the axis of curvature of the milk line, whereby, if the teat cup falls off, the elliptical section tube is pinched by the weight of the cup hanging down from the claw piece, thus closing the milk line.

In this way milking can continue until the fallen teat cup is repiaced.

The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of examples illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a teat cup and milk line of a milking machine in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a partial view in longitudinal section of the teat cup and milk line of Fig. 1 when the teat cup has fallen off.

Referring to Fig. 1, this shows a conventional cylindrical steel teat cup 10 with a rubber liner 11 whose upper end 12 is shaped to fit the cow-teat 13 and whose lower end is continuous with a milk line 14. The pulsating vacuum for operation of the teat cup liner is supplied to the cup 10 through a connection 15.

The milk line 14 curves round from a vertical to a downwardly inclined direction and fits onto an upwardly-inclined spigot 20 on a claw-piece 21 which is common to, and is supported by, four teat cups. The milk line 14 is of circular cross-section where it leaves the cup 10 and also where it fits over the spigot 20. At the latter point the wall of the milk line has a thickened portion 22 to give greater stiffness. Between the cup 10 and the spigot 20, in the curved region 23 of the milk line, the line is of elliptical section, as shown in Fig. 2, with the major axis of the ellipse extending generally parallel to the axis of curvature of the tube, that isto say perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Fig. 1.Conveniently the major axis of the ellipse corresponds to the diameter of the milk line where it emerges from the cup 10, while the minor axis corresponds to the reduced diameter where the milk line fits on the spigot 20.

If now the teat cup comes away from the teat and falls into the position shown in Fig. 3, the weight of the cup causes the elliptical section region 23 of the milk-line to be flattened or pinched, thereby sealing the milk line and preventing loss of vacuum. The other three teat cups on the claw piece 21 can therefore continue working without difficulty.

1. A milking machine comprising a plurality of teat cups, each of which has a liner of elastomeric material, and at least one claw piece; each teat cup liner being joined to a claw piece by a milk line which, at least over the portion which curves round from the teat to the claw piece in the normal position of use, has an elliptical cross-section such that the major axis of the ellipse is generally parallel to the axis of curvature of the milk line, whereby, if the teat cup falls off, the elliptical section tube is pinched by the weight of the cup hanging down from the claw piece, thus closing the milk line.

2. A milking machine according to claim 1 wherein the length of the major axis of the elliptical section tube is equal to the diameter of the milk line where it is joined to the teat cup liner.

3. A milking machine according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the length of the minor axis of the elliptical section tube is equal to the diameter of the milk line where it is secured to the claw piece.

4. A milking machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Milking machine The present invention concerns improvements in milking machines. In milking machines in general use at present a metal teat cup is fitted with a liner of rubber (natural or synthetic) which fits over the teat of the cow's udder. A pulsating vacuum is applied between the cup and the liner to produce alternate contraction and dilation of the liner and the milk is delivered from the lower end of the liner through an integral milk line to a metal cluster or claw piece, common to four teat cups, from which the milk flows to a collecting pail.A steady vacuum or suction is used to draw the milk into the pail and is converted by a pulsator into the pulsating vacuum required for operation of the teat cup liner. Forfurtherdetails reference may be made to the Proceedings of the Institution of the Rubber Industry for a paper "Rubber in Milking Machines" by Cooper and Gardner read to a meeting of the West of England Section of 1Oth March 1953. The claw piece is supported by the grip to the teat cups on the four teats of the cow's udder. It is sometimes necessary to increase the weight on one of the teat cups and this is often done by placing a brick or stone on the appropriate part of the claw piece. As may be imagined, this is not a very reliable proce dure. Moreover it may result in one of the teat cups being pulled off and if a teat cup comes loose for this or any other reason the milk line is open and the machine stops working because there is insufficient vacuum. Apart from the inconvenience and delay which results, there is a danger of fouling of the open cup and the associated milk line. To deal with the problem of a fallen teat cup, which may occur for reasons other than excessive or irregular weighting of the cup, there is provided in accordance with the invention a milking machine comprising a plurality of teat cups, each of which has a liner of elastomeric material, and at least one claw piece; each teat cup liner being joined to a claw piece by a milk line which, at least over the portion which curves round from the teat to the claw piece in the normal position of use, has an elliptical crosssection such that the major axis of the ellipse is generally parallel to the axis of curvature of the milk line, whereby, if the teat cup falls off, the elliptical section tube is pinched by the weight of the cup hanging down from the claw piece, thus closing the milk line. In this way milking can continue until the fallen teat cup is repiaced. The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of examples illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a teat cup and milk line of a milking machine in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a partial view in longitudinal section of the teat cup and milk line of Fig. 1 when the teat cup has fallen off. Referring to Fig. 1, this shows a conventional cylindrical steel teat cup 10 with a rubber liner 11 whose upper end 12 is shaped to fit the cow-teat 13 and whose lower end is continuous with a milk line 14. The pulsating vacuum for operation of the teat cup liner is supplied to the cup 10 through a connection 15. The milk line 14 curves round from a vertical to a downwardly inclined direction and fits onto an upwardly-inclined spigot 20 on a claw-piece 21 which is common to, and is supported by, four teat cups. The milk line 14 is of circular cross-section where it leaves the cup 10 and also where it fits over the spigot 20. At the latter point the wall of the milk line has a thickened portion 22 to give greater stiffness. Between the cup 10 and the spigot 20, in the curved region 23 of the milk line, the line is of elliptical section, as shown in Fig. 2, with the major axis of the ellipse extending generally parallel to the axis of curvature of the tube, that isto say perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Fig. 1.Conveniently the major axis of the ellipse corresponds to the diameter of the milk line where it emerges from the cup 10, while the minor axis corresponds to the reduced diameter where the milk line fits on the spigot 20. If now the teat cup comes away from the teat and falls into the position shown in Fig. 3, the weight of the cup causes the elliptical section region 23 of the milk-line to be flattened or pinched, thereby sealing the milk line and preventing loss of vacuum. The other three teat cups on the claw piece 21 can therefore continue working without difficulty. CLAIMS