Animal husbandry – Milkers – With signals – indicators – registers – and timers
Patent
1992-10-15
1993-10-26
Mancene, Gene
Animal husbandry
Milkers
With signals, indicators, registers, and timers
251901, 13759617, A01J 300, F16K 3100
Patent
active
052556280
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a milking pulsator for alternate connection of a source of vacuum to a number of teat cups. The milking pulsator comprises a housing forming a chamber, a vacuum passage to be connected to said source of vacuum and opening into the chamber via a first opening, and a pulsation channel to be connected to at least one of said teat cups and communicating with the chamber and with atmosphere via a second opening. The chamber is provided with a first vale means to close and open said first opening, and a second valve means to close and open said second opening. Means is provided for adjusting each valve means between an opened position and a closed position.
A milking pulsator of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,864. The known milking pulsator has its first and second valve means assembled into one single valve body with double valve cones connected to the housing via a membrane. The adjustment of the valve body is provided by alternately applying a pressure difference over the membrane by means of a slide valve controlled by a double acting solenoid. The current supply of the solenoid can be provided by for instance a rechargeable battery, which is relatively large in size because of the required power capacity. Thus, the membrane and the slide valve constitute components in a servo system, by means of which the required current consumption for adjusting the valve body can be kept relatively low. In comparison with the entirely pneumatically operated milking pulsators currently available in the market, the known electrically operated milking pulsator has the advantage that its rate and pulsation ratio can be maintained substantially constant during a long period of operation.
However, the known electrically operated milking pulsator has the drawback that it is substantially more expensive than said pneumatically operated milking pulsators. In addition, the necessary conduits between a current source, for instance a battery, and the known milking pulsator mean the existence of contacts. Such contacts can easily corrode because of the damp environment, whereby the function of the milking pulsator is jeopardized.
The object of the present invention is to provide a new milking pulsator, which is inexpensive and can be operated during a long period of time in a constant rate and pulsation ratio. A further object of the present invention is to provide a new electrically powered milking pulsator enabling use of batteries small enough to be encapsulated in the milking pulsator, whereby corrosion sensitive contacts outside the milking pulsator are avoided.
These objects are obtained by means of a milking pulsator of the kind initially described, which mainly is characterized in that each valve means comprises an elongated flexible membrane with two ends, one of which is attached to the housing, and a pivoted member, to which the other end of the membrane is attached. Said pivoted members of the first and second valve means are journalled in the housing for pivotal motion back and forth between closing positions, at which said first and second openings are covered by the membrane of the first valve means and the membrane of the second valve means, respectively, and opening positions, at which said openings are uncovered from the membranes. Said adjustment means is adapted to adjust the pivoted members of the first and second valve means, such that the first opening is closed when the second opening is uncovered and vice versa.
In consequence, the new milking pulsator will have the advantages that it will be inexpensive, since no servo system is needed to adjust the valve means; it can be operated electrically, for instance by means of a stepping motor, whereby a constant rate and pulsation ratio easily can be maintained during operation; and, in spite of the lack of a servo system, it will be low power consuming, since an extremely small force is sufficient to provide a membrane to roll off an opening of a channel, in which vacuum prevails. Membrane valves of the kind in questio
REFERENCES:
patent: 2545857 (1951-03-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 3771563 (1973-11-01), Hayner
patent: 3931794 (1976-01-01), Chillingworth
patent: 4450864 (1984-05-01), Huckebrink
WO82/01924; Design & Technology Services Pty, Ltd.
Alfa-Laval Agriculture International AB
Mancene Gene
Price Thomas
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