Milking Apparatus

Apparatus for delivering milking teat-cups to an animal to be milked, comprising:

• a housing;
• an extender arm;
• a holster;
• a set of teat-cups removably engaged with the holster;
• milk tubes;
• and
• tube turn guides;
• arranged such that:
• the extender arm is adapted to carry the holster and teat-cups between a retracted stowed position and an extended operative position where the holster and teat-cups are presented for use outside the housing;
• each milk tube is connected to a respective one of the teat-cups and is engaged or adapted to engage with and proceed around a respective one of the tube turn guides to double back on itself when in a stowed disposition within the housing;
• and
• each tube turn guide is adapted to move at least linearly in sympathy with the extender arm so that when the extender arm moves outwards the associated milk tube plays out and, when the extender arm retracts, the milk tube returns to its stowed disposition.

Apparatus for delivering milking teat cups to an animal to be milked, comprising:

• a housing;
• an extender arm;
• a holster;
• a set of teat-cups removably engaged with the holster;
• a teat-cup sensor;
• and
• a vacuum switch;
• arranged such that:
• the extender arm is adapted to carry the holster and teat-cups between a retracted stowed position and an extended operative position where the holster and teat-cups are presented for use outside the housing;
• the sensor is adapted to detect when the teat-cups are engaged with the cradle;
• and
• the switch is adapted to turn on vacuum pressure to the teat-cups when the sensor detects the teat-cups are disengaged with the cradle and to turn off such pressure when the sensor detects that they are engaged with the cradle.

Apparatus for delivering milking teat cups to an animal to be milked, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a lid;
• and
• a cartridge having:
• an extender arm adapted to move between retracted stowed and extended operative positions;
• and
• a holster adapted to move with the extender arm;
• arranged such that:
• the lid is adapted to be releasably engaged with the chassis to substantially cover the cartridge;
• the cartridge is adapted to be moved on cartridge rollers to a docked position inside the chassis;
• and
• the cartridge is also adapted to be subsequently reversibly moved by way of the cartridge rollers to locate it clear of the chassis.

Apparatus for delivering milking teat-cups to an animal to be milked, comprising:

• a housing;
• an extender arm;
• a holster;
• a set of teat-cups removably engaged with the holster;
• teat-cup washer covers;
• and
• a cleaning fluid applicator;
• arranged such that:
• the extender arm is adapted to carry the holster and teat-cups between a retracted stowed position and an extended operative position where the holster and teat-cups are presented for use outside the housing;
• the teat-cup washer covers are adapted to move to each engage and close a respective one of the teat-cups;
• the cleaning fluid applicator is adapted to emit cleaning fluid into the teat cups to disinfect them;
• and
• the teat cup washer covers are adapted to move clear of the teat-cups when they have been disinfected by the cleaning fluid.