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US 5,272,997 AGranted
Milking apparatus
AssigneeC. van der Lely N.V.
InventorsEdwin van der Lely, Karek van den Berg, Rene Fransen
Life of this patent
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AssigneeC. van der Lely N.V.
InventorsEdwin van der Lely, Karek van den Berg, Rene Fransen
Estimating the term…
A milking plant for cows is provided with a milking machine comprising teat cups, which are connected separately to the teats of an animal. The milk obtained from each udder quarter is conveyed through a separate line to a milk measuring device. The milk measuring device includes four milk meters, one for each teat cup, having separate discharge lines coupled to common discharge lines which connect with a circulation line or loop that includes a bulk milk cooling tank, a two-speed or variable speed pump, and a plurality of heat exchangers for precooling the milk received from the common discharge lines before it is received in the bulk milk cooling tank and to recirculate and cool the milk received in the bulk milk cooling tank. After the milk has been discharged from the bulk milk cooling tank and the system is to be disinfected, washed and rinsed, the heat exchangers being used in a heat pump arrangement, can heat the fluid therein as selected and desired for sanitizing the system.
A milking tank for milking cows comprising a plurality of automatic milkers, a separate a milk discharge line from each of said milkers, a milk conduit line loop into which each of said milk discharge lines is interconnected to deliver milk thereto from the corresponding said automatic milker, a common milk discharge line interconnecting said separate milk discharge lines with said milk conduit line loop, said milk conduit line loop comprising a bulk milk tank and a milk pump whereby milk can be circulated by said pump around said loop, including through said bulk milk tank, a valve in said common milk discharge line which is provided with a first position for passing milk flowing through said common milk discharge line to said milk conduit line loop and a second position for passing washing and rinsing fluids of a wash and rinse system through said common milk discharge line and said milk discharge lines.
A milking plant for milking cows that comprises a plurality of automatic milkers, a bulk milk tank, means for circulating milk into and out of said bulk milk tank, separate discharge lines from said plurality of automatic milkers interconnected into said milk circulation means, a milk circulation loop that includes said milk circulation means, said bulk milk tank being included in said milk circulation loop in an arrangement wherein milk can be continuously circulated around said milk circulation loop including through said bulk milk tank and said milk circulation means, a pump in said milk circulation loop for circulating milk through said milk circulation loop, conduit means for conveying milk received from said automatic milkers to said bulk milk tank, said conduit means comprising said separate discharge lines and said milk circulation loop, a valve in said conduit means, a wash and rinse system operatively connected to said valve, whereby when said valve is in a first position, a fluid passage is provided for milk received by said automatic milkers to flow through said conduit means to be received in said bulk milk tank, and when said valve is in a second position, a passage is provided for washing and rinsing fluids to be received from said wash and rinse system in said conduit means for flushing and cleaning milk and milk produced residues therefrom.
A milking plant for milking cows, comprising teat cups which are connectible to the respective teats of a cow's udder, a bulk milk cooling tank, conduit means for conveying milk received in said teat cups to said bulk milk cooling tank, a common discharge line in said conduit means, a valve in said common discharge line, a wash and rinse system operatively connected to said valve, whereby when said valve is in a first position, a passage is provided for milk received in said teat cups to flow through said conduit means and be received in said bulk milk cooling tank, and when said valve is in a second position, a passage is provided for washing and rinsing fluids to be received from said wash and rinse system in said conduit means for flushing milk and milk residues therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.