Claw of a milking machine

Details Claw of a milking machine Claw of a milking machine

1995-02-14

1997-01-07

Swiatek, Robert P.

Animal husbandry

Milkers

Claw

A01J 500

Patent

active

055906222

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in and/or Relating to Milking Systems and particularly, although not solely, to a claw for use in such milking systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide within a milking system a milking claw having a claw bowl member defining a sump having a claw milk line outlet and a claw body member engageable with or engaged with the claw bowl member to define, together with the sump, a chamber, the claw body member having four claw milk nipples to allow a stream of milk ingress into the chamber. Normally such a claw bowl member and/or the claw body member is associated with a pulsator assembly or unit to operate the cups which are to be connected by tubes to the claw milk nipples to operate in at least one of the modes (i) four and 0, (ii) 2 plus 2 (fore and aft) and (iii) 2 plus 2 (side to side).
U.S. Patent Specification 4,537,152 discloses such a claw assembly. A feature of the claw assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,152 is its recognition of a desire to reduce, foaming of the milk in the claw because foam, a result of the incorporation of air into the milk, causes off-flavours and also may render a downstream motoring system inaccurate. The applicant recognizes that any turbulent handling of milk in a claw additionally damages the integrity, of the milk and therefore the careful handling that can arise from the use of a claw assembly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,152 has the additional benefit of providing for a collection and dispatch of milk through the claw milk line outlet of a better quality,. This is achieved in the claw assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,152 by use of a tangential infeed of milk from the claw milk nipples onto a frusto conical surface.
Such prior art claw assemblies that do provide for a careful handling of the milk have the disadvantage in that there is no prospect of forms providing a real impediment to cross infecting movement of milk (or any foam that might be created) from one claw milk nipple to another.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an alternative claw assembly to those previously known which will in at least some embodiments provide the public with a useful choice.
In a first aspect the invention consists in a claw for use in a milking system, said claw comprising define together with said sump a chamber, said claw body member having four claw milk nipples to allow in use a stream of milk ingress from each respective inlet inwardly into said chamber and having surface defining means (whether in the form of webs, vanes or otherwise and whether interrelated or otherwise) that in use provide for each stream an (at least partly) inwardly extending surface which in use provides (at least in part) for a locus (eg by curving) of substantially non-turbulent milk flow down into the bowl.
Preferably, said surface defining means partitions, at least partly, the upper regions of said chamber so as to require in use a movement against gravity if any milk entering the chamber from any claw milk nipple inlet to the chamber is to contact any of the other inlets.
Preferably said claw body member is arranged with the claw milk nipples directed substantially radially inwardly if one considers the claw body as a notional circular member in plan.
Preferably said claw milk nipples are directed radially inwardly and downwardly i.e. with respect to the sump position which is below the claw body member.
Preferably a pulsator assembly is positioned either on said claw body member above the defined chamber or on said claw bowl member below said sump and thus below said chamber.
Preferably said pulsator system is operable in one of the following modes or preferably a choice of the modes (i) four and 0, (ii) 2 plus 2 (fore and aft) and (iii) 2 plus 2 (side to side).
Preferably the surface defining means each extend downwardly within said claw bowl member but each is spaced inwardly thereof to assist in cleaning.
Preferably said surface defining means is i

REFERENCES:
patent: 3150637 (1964-09-01), Fosnes
patent: 4807566 (1989-02-01), Chowdhury

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