Automatic milking

Apparatus for applying milking apparatus to an animal, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of teat cups;
• a milking apparatus store to store said plurality of teat cups;
• an elongated member having a first end and a second end;
• a milking apparatus handling device at said second end of said elongated member, said milking apparatus including a teat cup carrier rotatable on a single axis with respect to said animal, said single axis rotation placing said teat cup carrier in a first orientation with respect to said teat in a first rotated position, and placing said teat cup carrier in a second orientation inverted approximately 180.degree. from said first orientation in a second rotated position, a first distance between said first end of said elongated member and said teat cup carrier placed in said first rotated position being significantly not equal to a second distance between said first end of said elongated member and said teat cup carrier placed in said second rotated position;
• a teat sensor on said milking apparatus handling device to sense a position of a teat of said animal with respect to said milking apparatus handling device;
• at least one animal position sensor;
• and
• a control unit responsive to a position of said animal sensed by said at least one animal position sensor and responsive to said position of said teat sensed by said teat sensor, said control unit operating said milking apparatus handling device between a first teat cup position with said teat cup on said teat and said teat cup carrier in said first rotated position, and a second teat cup position with said teat cup on said milking apparatus store and said teat cup carrier in said second rotated position.

Apparatus for handling a teat cup, said apparatus comprising:

• an elongated member having a first end and having a second end whereat said elongated member is pivoted;
• a teat cup carrier connected to said first end of said elongated member, said teat cup carrier having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being rotatable by approximately 180.degree. with respect to said second portion between a first rotated position and a second rotated position, said first portion of said teat cup carrier including:
• a gripper, and
• a teat sensor for sensing a position of a teat of said animal with respect to said teat cup carrier;
• and
• a drive mechanism in said teat cup carrier for rotating said first portion of said teat cup carrier with respect to said second portion of said teat cup carrier;
• said first rotated position of said teat cup carrier placing said gripper a first linear distance from said second end of said elongated member, and said second rotated position of said teat cup carrier placing said gripper a second linear distance from said second end of said elongated member, said second linear distance being larger than said first linear distance.