Animal husbandry – Milkers – Teat compressor or cup
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2003-11-11
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Milkers
Teat compressor or cup
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644240
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a milking device provided with cleansing means, in particular for cleansing/disinfecting the teat to which the milking device is connected. The invention furthermore relates to a method for cleansing the teats of an udder after milking.
From German patent application 26 22 794 such a device and method are known. This document shows a milking device for pneumatically milking a cow and the subsequent cleansing or disinfecting the teats of the cow's udder, with a system of four milk extractors, each comprising a teat cup which at one end is provided with an open lining and with the other end is connected to a milk line to a common milk collection chamber for the milk from the cow concerned, each cup having a connection to a source of changing underpressure, and an outflow opening of a line for the supply of cleansing liquid being arranged in the wall of a teat cup.
When using this known device the method used is to first place the teat cups around the cow's teats, after which the cow is milked with the help of the changing underpressure. After finishing milking the cow, while the cow's teats are still in the teat cups, a certain quantity of cleansing liquid is squirted into the teat cup with the help of a pump. Said liquid will disinfect the teat and the space in the teat cup, but will subsequently together with the milk residue in the teat cup deposit on the inner wall of the teat cup. The liquid will then have the chance, even before the teat cups have been removed from the teats, to go back past the inner wall or from the teat back down and thus partially end up in the milk line. As a result not only milk residues of a cow will be left in the teat cup and milk line but also transfer a contamination from the one cow to the other. Moreover, when milking the next cow residues of the cleansing liquid that have ended up in the milk line will end up in the central milk storage to which it is connected and therefore in the milk to be delivered.
An object of the invention is to provide a device and a method with which this is prevented.
From one aspect the invention to that end provides a device for pneumatically milking a cow, comprising a number of milk extractors, each comprising a teat cup as well as a milk line connected to the lower end of the teat cup, which leads from the teat cup to a collection chamber for the milk from the teat cups, each milk extractor being provided with a supply for a cleansing medium, such as a disinfectant, to the teat cup, in particular to the teat present in the teat cup, the supply comprising a line which at the location of an outlet debouches into the milk extractor, in particular the milk line, and each milk extractor being provided with means for closing off the milk extractor near or downstream of the outlet, preferably at that level, when discharging the cleansing medium through the outlet.
Thus, when discharging cleansing medium, and the aforementioned problem therefore exists, it is prevented that during discharging the cleansing medium, said medium can end up in the milk line and thus in the milk collection chamber.
The supply line for cleansing medium can have its outlet in the teat cup, but preferably, in the milk line, preferably as close as possible near the lower end of the teat cup. Preferably the closing means are arranged near the transition of the teat cup to the milk line, so that the portion of the milk line in which cleansing medium could possibly end up is as short as possible. The path the cleansing medium has to take in order to get into the teat cup can also be as short as possible.
Preferably, the closing means close off the supply line when in the deactivated position, so that entrance of milk therein is prevented. Preferably the closing means close off the outlet of the supply line when in the deactivated position, so that there are no blind spots present in which the milk may end up.
Preferably, the closing means comprise a closing body, which can reciprocate between a milking position in which it closes off the outlet and a cleansing position in which it closes off the milk extractor. Thus the one passage (for cleansing medium) and the other passage (to the milk collection chamber) is closed off/opened alternatingly with one single body.
Preferably, the closing body has planes for guiding the cleansing medium in the milk extractor in the direction of the teat cup, the supply line preferably debouching with a component in the direction towards the teat. In this way the closing body performs an additional function. These planes can also cooperate in the guidance of cleansing medium falling back to the supply line, where it can do no harm.
In order to promote the milk extractor to become open after the cleansing of and—possibly—the disconnection from the teat, means are furthermore preferably provided for biassing the closing body in the cleansing position towards the milking position.
Preferably, the closing body comprises an elastically flexible strip of material fixed at one end, which can be moved from the milking position to the cleansing position by bending. Preferably the elastically flexible strip is attached in the milk extractor, in particular in the milk line, near or downstream of the outlet, such as in a coupling piece between the teat cup and the rest of the milk line.
Preferably, a seat is placed in the milk extractor for sealing support of the closing body in the cleansing position, the seat preferably having a curved course in accordance with the bend line of the closing body. The closing body can then—freely or urged, see below—move towards or from the cleansing position, but provide an optimal sealing in the cleansing position.
Preferably, the seat is formed in the wall of the milk extractor, particularly in the milk line, so that the number of parts can be kept limited and moreover slits and holes in which milk could be left behind are prevented.
A simple and long term reliably working embodiment of the closing body is the one in which the strip is made of metal, particularly being a leaf spring.
The device according to the invention is preferably provided with operating means for the closing means, as well as control means for controlling the operating means in dependency of the discharge of the cleansing medium.
According to a further development of the device according to the invention, the operating means comprise an operating member, which can be moved between an active position which puts the closing means in the cleansing or closing position and a rest position. In this way it is promoted that the closing means can close off the milk line in a certain manner, for as long such is desired.
Preferably, the operating member, when in the active position, is accommodated to urge the closing means to the closing position, preferably against a returning force. The closing means are thus kept in the closing position in a positive manner, for as long such is desired. After that the returning force can be utilized for automatic clearance of the passage in the milk line.
Preferably, the operating member is in press contact with the closing means, which makes simple constructive arrangements possible. Such a arrangement may for instance be one in which the operating means comprise a pusher member and the closing means comprise a closing body which, at least in the rest position, is biassed towards the operating member.
Constructive simplicity is further promoted when the operating member and the outlet of the supply line are located on the same side of the milk extractor.
In this development the control means are advantageously adapted for activating means for pressurizing the supply line simultaneously with or shortly after activating the operating means for the closing means. The operation of the supply line and the discharge of cleansing medium will take place most reliably when the control means are adapted for activating the means for pressurizing the supply line shortly after activating the operating means for the closing means.
The closing means can also be adapt
Ladas & Parry
Price Thomas
Rieberjo B.V.
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