Abstract:
The invention refers to a milking device for milking an animal during a milking operation. A milking member (5) includes at least one teatcup (6) to be attached to a teat of the animal. A long milk conduit (10) extends from the milking member for being connected to a milking machine. A support device (15) comprises a mounting device (16) mounted to a stationary structure (2), and a support arm (17a) in parallel to an arm axis and connected to the mounting device. The milking member is freely movable along the support arm. The milking member is attached to the support arm and displaceable on the support arm. The support arm includes a primary arm element (17a′) connected to the mounting device and a secondary arm element (17a″) holding the milking member. The primary arm element is telescopically introduceable into the secondary arm element, which is displaceable on the primary arm element.
Abstract:
The invention refers to a teatcup part and a teatcup to be attached to a teat of an animal. The teatcup includes the teatcup part (1) and a connection part (2). The teatcup part is disengageably mountable to the connection part. The teatcup part (1) includes a shell (3) and a teatcup liner (4) having an upper opening (5) and a lower opening (6). The liner forms an inner space (11) for receiving the teat through the upper opening and a pulsation chamber (12) between the liner and the shell. The connection part includes a milk-discharging member for the discharge of milk from the teatcup, and a milk channel (35) extending between the lower opening of the inner space of the liner and the milk-discharging member. The connection part also includes a pulse-supplying member for the supply of a pulsating pressure to the pulsation chamber, and a pulse channel extending between the pulsation chamber and the pulse-supplying member.
Abstract:
A diaphragm valve for shutting off milk flow through a claw (13) of a vacuum driven milking machine has, in a preferred embodiment, a lever (5) linked (6), outside the milk flow, to the diaphragm (4), thereby avoiding any bushings which are prone to leakage. The lever (5) can be swung manually to a position holding the diaphragm away from its seat thereby permitting milk flow. In the automatically closing embodiments, the lever is swung in this case against the bias of a spring (7) and is retained in this open position if the suction force acting on the diaphragm (4) and the link (6) is sufficient to overcome the bias of the spring (7), which will be the case when there is normal milk flow through the valve. Upon detachment of the tea from the animal's teat only air will flow through the valve, thereby reducing the suction force exerted on the link (6) and allowing the spring (7) to swing the lever away from its valve-open position to a diaphragm-release position where the air suction will pull the diaphragm to seal against its seat and cut off potentially contaminating air-flow through the system. This inventive principle can, for example, also be embodied in a rotary knob (21) linked to the diaphragm (4) and interacting with indined grooves (23) and springs (24) biasing the knob to advance to a diaphragm-release position when there is insufficient milk flow. Such a system is particularly useful in sheep or goat dairies where there is frequent attachment and detachment of the clusters.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for automatic separation of foremilk and/or milk not suitable for consumption from the milk line system of a milking plant and an apparatus for carrying out said method. A separating device (44) is arranged at the ends of a milk line (52) and a test milk line (56), said milk lines being parallel. The separating device is designed with a damper means (48) attached to a cup (46). When milk is fed through the outlet (16), the cup (46) is filled up and its weight pivots the separating device from a first position, in which the inlet to a milk line (52) is closed by means of the damper mean, to a second position, in which the milk in cup is poured into a test milk line (56) and the damper means is lifted off the inlet (50|) to the milk line (52).
Abstract:
An arrangement is provided in a milking system for simultaneous milking of a plurality of milking animals, wherein the milking system comprises a plurality of milking positions (P1-P24) and an arrangement for establishing identities of and expected milking times for the milking animals. Each of the milking positions is provided with teat cups, which are attached to the teats of a milking animal and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk the milking animal. The inventive arrangement comprises means (10) for determining a milking position, at which the milking animal having the longest expected milking time is present, based on the established identities and expected milking times; and a device (11, 13, 17; 20) for performing an action with respect to the milking system in response to the determination.
Abstract:
A method and arrangement are provided for controlling the milking by a milking machine, which comprises at least one teat cup having a flexible teat receiving liner arranged inside a teat cup shell, wherein, during milking, a vacuum is applied to a lower part of the interior of the flexible teat receiving liner to draw milk from a teat received therein while the flexible teat receiving liner is periodically opened and collapsed by application of a pulsating massage vacuum between the flexible teat receiving liner and the teat cup shell. According to the invention a pressure sensor measures repeatedly a vacuum level in an upper part of the interior of the flexible teat receiving line, and means is provided for, depending on the repeatedly measured vacuum level, interrupting the periodic opening and collapsing of the flexible teat receiving liner by keeping the flexible teat receiving liner collapsed for a specific period of time.
Abstract:
A device (1), for example a teat liner, for reception of a teat comprising an element (2), which presents a thin, flexible wall surrounding a channel for reception for said teat, wherein said wall in a direction towards the channel has an inner side and in direction from the channel an outer side. The outer side of the wall is provided with a large number of surface enlargements (3), which have such a form, size and distribution that they form obstructions to propagation of cracks on the outer side of the wall. The invention also relates to a method for the manufacture of the device.
Abstract:
A method for controlling the milking by a milking machine includes, during an initial phase of the milking, increasing a milking vacuum and/or a maximum pulsation vacuum for the milking gradually from a first selected vacuum level (1L) towards a second selected vacuum level (2L) to thereby improve teat stimulation and decreasing the risk of a second milk letdown. When a second milk letdown (2ML) is detected, the maximum pulsation vacuum is preferably immediately lowered to a third selected vacuum level (3L), and is kept at that third selected vacuum level until a certain milk flow has been established, whereupon the pulsation vacuum level is then again increased gradually until the second selected vacuum level is reached.
Abstract:
A method for controlling the milking by a milking machine includes, during an initial phase of the milking, increasing a milking vacuum and/or a maximum pulsation vacuum for the milking gradually from a first selected vacuum level (1L) towards a second selected vacuum level (2L) to thereby improve teat stimulation and decreasing the risk of a second milk letdown. When a second milk letdown (2ML) is detected, the maximum pulsation vacuum is preferably immediately lowered to a third selected vacuum level (3L), and is kept at that third selected vacuum level until a certain milk flow has been established, whereupon the pulsation vacuum level is then again increased gradually until the second selected vacuum level is reached.
Abstract:
The present invention refers to a milking arrangement for milking an animal during a milking operation. The arrangement includes a stationary structure and a milking member (5) including at least one teatcup to be attached to a teat of the animal to be milked. A long milk conduit (10) extends from the milking member and is adapted to be connected to a milking machine. A support device includes a stationary rail element (18), which is mounted to the stationary structure, and a support arm (17a, 17b), which extends in parallel to an arm axis (x) and to which the milking member is attached. The support arm is connected to the rail element in such a way that the support arm during the milking operation is freely movable on the rail element along the rail axis.