Method of automatically milking animals and an implement for applying same

Abstract

An apparatus and method for rinsing and cleaning lines in which milk has flowed in a system for automatically milking animals. The circuit includes a tank for heating water, receiving hot or cold water or a regulated mixture thereof and receiving selectively acid or alkali cleaning agents. The circuit includes a jet rinser for each teat cup and a line from each teat cup to a common milking jar or claw. Fluid from the jar or claw can be recirculated via a pump to the tank or discharged to a sewer. A first supply line for the circuit provides a pre-rinsing liquid, and a second supply line provides a rinsing liquid which is obtained specifically from the tank. Each rinse jetter has an individual valve controlled by the pulsator which, in concert controlled by a computer, equalize the rinsing and cleaning fluids received by each teat cup. Supply lines to the tank from the acid and alkali sources control the mixture of water and the acid or alkali by means of an adjustable controlled Venturi element. A further Venturi adjustably controllable element controls the concentration of cleansing fluid introduced into a water flow for a cleaning element for cleaning the animal's teats.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.