Safety valve for an automated milker unit backflushing and teat dip applicator system
AssigneeGEA Farm Technologies GmbH
InventorsKevin L. Torgerson, Nathan V. Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
Claims20
A safety valve for selectively conducting at least a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:
- a first port;
- a second port;
- a third port;
- and
- a piston,
- the piston having a first position in which the first fluid is enabled to pass between the first port and the second port, and a second position in which the second fluid is enabled to pass between the third port and the first port.
A milking system, comprising:
- a milker unit;
- a milk collecting tank;
- a backflush supply;
- and
- a safety valve for selectively conducting at least a first fluid and a second fluid, the safety valve including
- a first port,
- a second port,
- a third port, and
- a piston,
- the piston having a first position in which the first fluid is enabled to pass between the first port and the second port, and a second position in which the second fluid is enabled to pass between the third port and the first port,
- wherein the first port is connected to the milker unit, the second port is connected to the milk collecting tank, and the third port is connected to the backflush supply.
A method for selectively conducting at least a first fluid and a second fluid using a safety valve having at least a first port, a second port, and a third port, the method comprising:
- with a piston in a first position, conducting the first fluid between the first port and the second port;
- and
- with the piston in a second position, conducting the second fluid between the third port and the first port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.