Air fork for milking cluster
AssigneeTechnologies Holdings Corp.
InventorsGregory S. Bardosy, Anthony P. Spaeth, Steve Pretz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air fork for directing vacuum gas flow in a milking cluster includes two main tubes that each terminate in a respective one of two air divider tubes. The air divider tubes are each configured to connect the vacuum gas flow diagonally across the udder, with a first air divider tube connecting vacuum pulsation of the front right teat and the rear left teat together, and a second air divider tube connecting vacuum pulsation of the front left teat and the rear right teat together. The air divider tubes are configured to restrict air flow to the front teat cups compared to the rear teat cups so that the front teats are milked more slowly than the rear teats.
Claims20
An air fork for a milking cluster for a dairy animal having an udder with four teats including a front right teat, a front left teat, a rear right teat, and a rear left teat, the air fork comprising:
- a first main tube extending along a longitudinal axis between a vacuum connection end configured to connect to a first main pulsation line and a second end that terminates in a first air divider tube;
- wherein the first air divider tube is configured to connect between a front right teat cup on the front right teat and a rear left teat cup on the rear left teat to connect pulsation diagonally across the udder;
- wherein the first air divider tube has a right restricted orifice configured to reduce air flow between the first main tube and the front right teat cup compared to air flow between the first main tube and the rear left teat cup;
- a second main tube extending along the longitudinal axis between a vacuum connection end configured to connect to a second main pulsation line and a second end that terminates in a second air divider tube;
- wherein the second air divider tube is configured to connect between a front left teat cup on the front left teat and a rear right teat cup on rear right teat to connect pulsation diagonally across the udder;
- and
- wherein the second air divider tube has a left restricted orifice configured to reduce air flow between the second main tube and the front left teat cup compared to air flow between the second main tube and the rear right teat cup.
A milking cluster for milking a dairy animal having an udder with at least four teats, the milking cluster comprising:
- a claw having a plurality of inlets and an outlet, said claw being configured to be positioned under the udder and along a central longitudinal axis extending between the dairy animal's legs and generally parallel to a backbone of the dairy animal;
- a four teat cups, each connected to a respective one of the four teats;
- a plurality of milk tubes, each connecting a respective claw inlet to a respective teat cup;
- an air fork configured to guide vacuum pressure generated by a pulsator to the four teat cups;
- four air tubes, each connecting the air fork to a respective one of the four teat cups;
- a first main pulsation line and a second main pulsation line, each connecting the air fork to the pulsator;
- wherein the air fork comprises:
- a first main tube extending along a longitudinal axis between a vacuum connection end configured to connect to the first main pulsation line and a second end that terminates in a first air divider tube;
- wherein the first air divider tube is configured to connect between a front right teat cup on the front right teat and a rear left teat cup on the rear left teat to connect pulsation diagonally across the udder;
- wherein the first air divider tube has a restricted orifice configured to reduce air flow between the first main tube and the front right teat cup compared to air flow between the first main tube and the rear left teat cup;
- a second main tube extending along the longitudinal axis between a vacuum connection end configured to connect to the second main pulsation line and a second end that terminates in a second air divider tube;
- wherein the second air divider tube is configured to connect between a front left teat cup on the front left teat and a rear right teat cup on rear right teat to connect pulsation diagonally across the udder;
- and
- wherein the second air divider tube has a restricted orifice configured to reduce air flow between the second main tube and the front left teat cup compared to air flow between the second main tube and the rear right teat cup.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.