# US 2018/0020631 A1 · Double-gripper for the application of teat cups to an animal to be milked, rinse cup for this and milking machine provided therewith, and a method for milking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0020631 A1 - Document ID: US20180020631A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/715,923 - Filed: 2017-09-26 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-02 - Assignees: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Applicants: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Inventors: Hendrik Hofman; Peter van der Sluis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020631A1 ## CPC - A01J 5/0175: {Attaching of clusters} - A01J 7/04: for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning - B25J 11/0045: {Manipulators used in the food industry} - B25J 15/0052: {multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors} - B25J 15/0616: {with vacuum} - F16B 1/00: Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts - F16B 2200/83: Use of a magnetic material - Y10S 901/40: Vacuum or mangetic - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract This invention is related to a double grab, its rinsing cup and milking machine provided therewith, and the method for automatically applying test cups to the teats of an udder of an animal to be milked. The double grab according to the invention includes: —a first housing part provided with a first magnet designed to hold a first teat cup; —a second housing part, installed substantially in a horizontal plane next to the first housing part, provided with a second magnet designed to hold a second teat cup; —whereby each housing part is provided with separate pivoting means that can be activated and is designed to make the related housing part pivot around a pivoting axis which in use, extends substantially in a horizontal direction, substantially in a widthwise direction of the arm. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 A double grabber mounted on an arm of a robotic attacher, the double grabber comprising: a first housing part operable to hold a first teat cup; and a second housing part operable to hold a second teat cup and positioned side-by-side with the first housing part; wherein the first housing part is operable to retract longitudinally in relation to the arm of the robotic attacher in conjunction with the second housing part attaching the second teat cup to a dairy livestock; and wherein the second housing part is operable to retract longitudinally in relation to the arm of the robotic attacher in conjunction with the first housing part attaching the first teat cup to the dairy livestock. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, further comprising a cylinder to pivot the first housing part. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, wherein: the first housing part is operable to pivot downwardly in relation to the second housing part in conjunction with the second housing part attaching the second teat cup to the dairy livestock; and the second housing part is operable to pivot downwardly in relation to the first housing part in conjunction with the first housing part attaching the first teat cup to the dairy livestock; wherein the first housing part is operable to pivot independently of the second housing part. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, wherein: the first housing part is provided with a first magnet designed for holding the first teat cup; and the second housing part is provided with a second magnet designed for holding the second teat cup. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The double grabber of claim 19, wherein the first magnet is installed in a movable fashion in the first housing part. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The double grabber of claim 20, wherein the first magnet is movable substantially in the lengthwise direction of the arm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The double grabber of claim 21, wherein the first magnet is operable to extend to grab the first teat cup and retract to release the first teat cup. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The double grabber of claim 20, wherein the first magnet is a permanent magnet. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, wherein the first housing part is operable to retract in the lengthwise direction of the arm. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, wherein the first housing part is operable to extend in the lengthwise direction of the arm. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, further comprising a contact member installed between the first and second housing parts and designed to make contact with a rinsing cup. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The double grabber of claim 26, whereby the contact member is designed such that the rinsing cup is substantially positioned in the extension of the arm. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, further comprising a cleansing tool. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The double grabber of claim 16, wherein the first housing part further comprises a moon-shaped contact member.