Wash system, apparatus and method for a rotary milking apparatus

In combination a washing system and a rotary milking apparatus, said apparatus comprising a rotating support structure having a plurality of milking stations and a plurality of milking units located at respective milking stations, each milking unit having a milk transfer outlet to deliver milk to a collecting location, said washing system comprising:

• a. a washing apparatus comprising a plurality of wash sections provided for its related milking units and mounted to the rotating support structure in a circumferentially spaced pattern around the milking apparatus, each wash section comprising:
• i. a wash inlet connecting device mounted to the milking apparatus to travel in a circumferential path of travel which passes through a washing location;
• ii. a wash control valve which is operatively connected to an outlet of its related milking unit and to its related wash inlet connecting device, each wash control valve having a first valve position to direct milk from its milking unit toward the collecting location and a second valve position to connect its related milking unit to its related wash inlet connecting device;
• iii. a valve control device movable between first and second control positions to position its related wash control valve in said first and unit valve positions;
• b. a wash liquid supply section which is positioned at said washing location and has a liquid dispensing and valve actuating portion which is movable along a liquid supply path of travel from a first engaging location through an intermediate dispensing path, and to a release location;
• c. said wash liquid supply section being positioned relative to the rotary milking apparatus, so that said liquid supply path of travel of the liquid dispensing and valve actuating portion of the wash liquid supply section extends from the engaging location into or adjacent to the circumferential path of travel of the wash inlet connecting devices, then through the intermediate dispensing path, and then away from the circumferential path of travel at the disconnecting location;
• d. said liquid dispensing and valve actuating end portion being arranged to come into operating engagement with each of said wash inlet connecting devices and said valve control devices as the wash inlet connecting device arrives at the engaging location, so as to make a liquid dispensing connection with the wash inlet connecting device and to effect an operative connection with the valve control device to move the valve control device to said second control position so as to move the wash control valve to its second valve position to enable flow of wash liquid from the wash liquid supply section through the wash inlet connecting device and through the control valve to the milking unit, and as the liquid dispensing and valve actuating portion reaches the release location, the liquid dispensing and valve actuating portion comes out of operating engagement to disconnect with the wash inlet connecting device and to cause the control valve to return to its first valve position;
• e. said supply section further comprising wash liquid supply source to deliver wash liquid to the wash inlet connecting device during the time period when the liquid dispensing and valve actuating end portion is traveling along the intermediate dispensing path.

In combination a washing system and a rotary milking apparatus, said apparatus comprising a rotating support structure having a plurality of milking stations and a plurality of milking units located at respective milking stations, each milking unit having a milk transfer outlet to deliver milk to a collecting location, said washing system comprising:

• a. a washing apparatus comprising a plurality of wash sections provided for its related milking units and mounted to the rotating support structure in a circumferentially spaced pattern around the milking apparatus, each wash section comprising:
• i. a wash inlet connecting device mounted to the milking apparatus to travel in a circumferential path of travel which passes through a washing location;
• ii. a wash control valve which is operatively connected to an outlet of its related milking unit and to its related wash inlet connecting device, each wash control valve having a first valve position to direct milk from its milking unit toward the collecting location and a second valve position to connect its related milking unit to its related wash inlet connecting device;
• b. a wash liquid supply section which is positioned at said washing location and has a nozzle section with a dispensing nozzle mounted for back and forth motion along a generally curving path which has a first end portion and a second end portion and which overlaps the circumferential path of the wash inlet connecting devices at an overlapping region of the washing location, said dispensing nozzle having an engaging location which is adjacent the first end portion of the curving path and a release location at the send end portion of the curving path, said curving path having an intermediate path portion at the overlapping region, said nozzle section being arranged to travel from the engaging location to the release location for a wash cycle and from the release location back to the engaging location on a return path of travel;
• c. each of said wash sections having a wash section engaging portion which travels with said rotating support structure on a generally circumferential path, and said nozzle section of the wash liquid supply section has a nozzle section engaging portion having an engaging location at or adjacent to the circumferential path of the wash section engaging portions, the wash section engaging portions and the nozzle section engaging portions being arranged to come into engagement as the wash inlet connecting device of each wash section is arriving at the engaging location to cause the nozzle section to move in timed relationship with the wash inlet connecting device to cause the nozzle section to move along said generally curving path into engagement with the wash inlet connecting device, with the nozzle and the wash inlet connecting device remaining in engagement while traveling along the intermediate path portion;
• d. said wash supply section having liquid supply source to direct liquid through the nozzle and the wash inlet connecting device to the control valve during the washing cycle, said washing system having valve control mechanism to position said wash control valve in its second position during the wash cycle and return the wash control valve to its first position at the end of the washing cycle.

In combination a washing system and a rotary milking apparatus, said apparatus comprising a rotating support structure having a plurality of milking stations and a plurality of milking units located at respective milking stations, each milking unit having a milk transfer outlet to deliver milk to a collecting location, said washing unit comprising:

• a. a washing inlet comprising a plurality of wash units mounted to said rotating support structure in a circumferentially spaced pattern, each wash section comprising:
• i. a wash connecting device positioned to travel in a circumferential path of travel which passes through a washing location;
• ii. a wash control valve which is operatively connected to the outlet of its related milking unit and to its related wash inlet connecting device, said wash control valve having a first position to direct milk from its milking unit toward the collecting location and a second position to connect its related milking unit to its related wash inlet connecting device;
• b. a wash liquid supply section which is positioned at said washing location and which has a nozzle section comprising a support member and a liquid supply nozzle mounted thereto, said nozzle being arranged to come into operating engagement with each of said wash inlet connecting devices to deliver wash liquid into each of said wash inlet connecting devices, said nozzle section being mounted for back and forth travel to carry said liquid supply nozzle along a liquid supply travel path from a first engaging location, through an intermediate dispensing path portion of said liquid supply travel path, to a release location along said liquid supply travel path, with the intermediate dispensing path portion being proximate to said circumferential path of travel of said wash inlet connecting devices;
• c. said wash liquid supply section having a positioning abutment portion mounted to the nozzle section and located to come into contact with abutment surface portions which are provided for related wash units to travel with the rotating support structure and to come into engagement with the positioning abutment portion of the nozzle section as the wash inlet connecting device is arriving at the engaging location to move the nozzle section along the liquid supply travel path in timed relationship with each related wash inlet connecting device moving along the circumferential path of travel to cause the liquid supply nozzle to come into operating with the wash inlet connecting device, the wash inlet connecting device remaining in operating engagement with the nozzle while traveling through the intermediate dispensing path portion, and coming out of operating engagement when the liquid supply nozzle reaches the release location;
• d. valve actuator to cause each of said control valves to move from its first position to its second position for travel of the wash unit through the intermediate dispensing path portion, and then back to its first position.