US 4,378,757 A · Milking method and machine

Abstract

A milking method and machine are disclosed which serve to prevent back-spray of milk particles onto the teat tips of the animal's udder. The individual milk streams issuing from the milk orifices of the teats during intermittent application of suction to the teats are directed into a path leading to a milk collector. In this path, the streams flow in milk tubes which open into an elongated hollow connector that, in turn, communicates with a conduit. The discharge ends of the milk tubes are positioned in the connector at two or more locations which are spaced from one another, as considered in the direction of milk flow through the connector. An air stream is admitted into the connector to flow in a direction toward the conduit so as to accelerate the milk and prevent droplets of milk from being sucked back into the milk tubes during intermittent application of suction to the teats.

Claims52

Dependent claims

A method of milking a milk producing animal, such as a cow, comprising the steps of alternately appying and interrupting the application of suction to the teats of the animal's udder so that successive individual streams of milk issue from milk orifices at the tips of the respective teats;

establishing a path for the flow of said streams to a collector station;
admitting at at least one of said individual milk streams into said path at a first location and admitting at least one other individual stream into said path at at least one second location downstream of said first location for combined flow with said first stream;
and introducing into said path a concurrent stream of air in the region of at least one of said locations so as to accelerate the flowing milk in a direction toward the collector station and thereby prevent droplets of milk from being aspirated back into contact with the teat tips during subsequent applications of suction to the teats.

In a machine for milking a milk-producing animal, such as a cow, of the type having teat cups which are connectable to the teats of the animal's udder and which intermittently apply suction to the teats so that individual streams of milk issue from milk orifices at the tips of the teats, a combination comprising a plurality of milk tubes each having an upstream end communicating with one of the teat cups and a free downstream end;

a milk collector;
conduit means communicating with said collector;
an elongated hollow connector having an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion communicating with said conduit means, said downstream ends of said milk tubes extending through said upstream end portion into said connector and terminating at at least two locations one of which is downstream of the other;
and means for admitting a concurrent air stream into said connector to accelerate the milk therein toward said conduit means and to thereby prevent droplets of milk from being aspirated back into contact with the teat tips during subsequent applications of suction to the teats.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Milking method and machine

Life of this patent

Milking method and machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims52