AU715046B2 - Exit systems - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: PENDULUM DAIRY GATES PTY LTD Actual Inventors: Owen Maxwell LARSEN, Steven Maxwell LARSEN, Christopher John LARSEN, Timothy George LARSEN Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia Invention Title: "EXIT SYSTEMS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best I*ooo• TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT method of Applicant: PENDULUM DAIRY GATES PTY LTDus:- 1 Actual Inventors: Owen Maxwell LARSEN, Steven Maxwell LARSEN, Christopher John LARSEN, Timothy George LARSEN Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia Invention Title: "EXIT SYSTEMS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- 21/5/97VSAP8735.FRT.1 This invention relates to a parlour system for milking sheds and refers particularly, though not exclusively, to exit systems for controlling the exit of cows from the milking shed.

In Australian Patent No. 663881 (22759/92) there is described a very successful mechanism for the control of cows in a milking shed. In this patent the cows exit the milking shed when a divider is raised to allow cows to exit at a single point. Cows are encouraged into their stalls, ie the gap between adjacent dividers, by a pivoting barrier gate on each divider.

The present invention is a modification of the system shown in Australian Patent No. 663881 to allow cows to exit en masse in a forward direction in groups corresponding to the number of cows rather than singly as in the prior patent. Such an operation is not possible with the system shown in the prior oO9 9.

patent as the feed troughs prevent this.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided an exit system for controlling the exit of cows from milking stalls, said system including a brisket rail which extends in front of said cows to limit forward movement of said cows in said stalls, and said brisket rail is adapted to be pivoted from a position adjacent the chests of said cows to a position above said cows to allow forward .llO exit of said cows from said stalls, said exit system further including a locking 9*99 "002G system for holding a pivotable brisket rail of at least one milking stall in its 9..

lowered position, said locking system including a clamping arrangement adapted to engage with said at least one milking stall to prevent movement of said brisket rail, said clamping arrangement having release means whereby said clamping arrangement can be disengaged temporarily from said at least one milking stall for repositioning of said brisket rail and can be disengaged when said brisket rail is pivoted out of the way to allow exit from said at least one milking stall.

Preferably said brisket rail is fixed to a frame which includes a feed trough forward of said brisket rail. In a practical embodiment said frame forms part of a pivotal parallelogram with two arms pivotally mounted above said cows.

19/4/99TD8732.SPE,-2- Preferably one of said arms includes a counterbalance to assist in raising said brisket rail.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only a preferred construction of milking shed incorporating the principal features of the present invention. The description is with reference to the accompanying illustrated drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a parallel parlour system for a milking shed incorporating the exit system of the present invention in the closed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1 in an open position showing the 3 cow exiting the parlour system; 3 is a front view of the exit system shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along and in the direction S. of arrows 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In Figs. I to 3 there is illustrated a parallel parlour system 10 which includes a plurality of parallel dividers 12 which indexes each cow into a separate stall. The dividers 12 comprise a post 14 secured to the floor 16 of the milking shed. A side frame 18 is welded to post 14 to complete divider 12. Side frame 18 can be of any suitable shape and size as long as it provides sufficient length to provide separation of each cow into a respective stall. A barrier gate 20 is pivotally attached to side frame 1 8 Barrier gates 20 can be pivoted through about 90 from a closed position as shown in Fig. 2 to an open position as shown in Fig. 1. Further operational aspects of barrier gate 20 may be found in Australian Patent No. 663881 (22759/92) the contents of which are incorporated herein.

An exit system 22 includes a plurality of uprights 24 secured to the floor of the milking shed. Support brackets 26 are welded to uprights to support a lifting mechanism 28. On each support bracket 26 are pivotally mounted a first arm 30 and second arm 32. Each arm 30,32 is attached to respective 19/4/99TD8732.SPE,-3adjustable slide members 34,36 which allows arms 30,32 to be set at any position along support bracket 26. First arm 30 is longer than second arm and includes a counterbalance 38 to assist in the lifting operation. In this embodiment counterbalance 38 is a rod welded between first arms A brisket rail assembly 40 is pivotally mounted to the free ends 42,44 of first and second arms 30,32. The linkage of first and second arms 30,32 with support bracket 26 and brisket rail assembly 40 forms a pivoting parallelogram.

Brisket rail assembly 40 is a rectangular frame having a brisket rail 46 and parallel longitudinal member 48. Cross members 50 and frame element 52 provide a rigid structure that will withstand the stresses from the cows. A feed trough 54 is secured underneath brisket rail assembly at or adjacent 9 longitudinal member 48. Brisket rail 46 will limit the forward movement of cow 68 within parlour o 9 o Lifting of brisket rail assembly 40 is provided by at least one vacuum ram 56. Although vacuum rams are preferred hydraulic rams or similar devices can also be substituted. Ram 56 has a cup 58 attached to the cylinder 60 and cup 58 is pivotally attached to first arm 30 at pivot 62. Pistons 64 of rams 56 are "*pivotally attached to tabs on a cross bar linking posts 14.

The operation of the exit system 22 will now be described. A cow will enter its stall with barrier gate swinging open to the position shown in Fig. 1.

This aspect is fully described in Australian Patent No. 663881. Cow 68 can obtain feed from feed trough 54 during the milking operation. On completion of milking, vacuum rams 56 are activated and cylinder 60 is pulled along piston 64 towards pivot 66 as shown in Fig. 2. As first arm 30 is pivotally attached to cup 58 on cylinder 60 first arm 30 will be rotated about its pivotal attachment to slide member 34. As first arm 30 forms part of the pivoting parallelogram with second arm 32, brisket rail assembly 40 and support 26 the brisket rail assembly 40 will be raised as shown in Fig. 2. All cows 68 can then exit the parlour system 10. With the feed trough 54 raised it is possible to refill feed trough 54 in that position without disturbing cows 68.

21/5197VSAP8725.AUS,4 The invention with the adjustable slide members 34,36 allows the position of brisket rail 46 to be set closer or further away from cows 68 depending on their size. Exit system 22 also provides cows 68 to be fed whilst being milked.

The prior art systems do not allow feeding of cows. The exit system 22 can be formed as a multiple installation, ie having sets of adjacent brisket rails 46 or have one brisket rail extending the width of the stalls.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a locking system 70 is incorporated into the parlour system 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to avoid duplication of description the same reference numerals have been used where possible to indicate identical integers. In the system 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a stop (not shown) S"may limit movement of brisket rail assembly 40 towards cow 68 when brisket rail assembly 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 1. Such a stop may also be used in the locking system 70 but system 70 will allow flexibility where a

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larger cow enters the stall. In this embodiment each locking system 70 will be used for 5 cows but this number can be varied to suit requirements. Locking system 70 includes two locking mechanisms 72 mounted on opposing sides of brisket rail assembly 40. An adjustable base plate 74 is secured to respective outer cross members 50 by threaded fasteners (not shown) or other similar securement means. Rotatably mounted on each plate 74 is a cam 76 which, when rotated, will clampingly engage rails 78 located between post 14 and .i upright 24. Each cam 76 is eccentrically mounted on pin 80. Cam 76 is S" rotated by a cam lever 82 mounted thereon.

Each cam lever 82 is pivotally attached to linkage members 84,86 at one end and at their other ends to respective ends of a crossover crank 88.

Crossover crank 88 is pivotally attached to longitudinal member 48 at point 92.

A further vacuum ram 94 is secured to cross member 96 and has ram 98 pivotally attached to crossover crank 88 with linkage member 84. Ram 94 is connected in line with vacuum rams 56 and can be coupled to the same control valve (not shown). As further ram 94 requires less vacuum pressure to operate than rams 56, ram 94 will always operate first to release cams 76 and 21/5197VSAP8725.AUS,5 6 allow brisket rail assembly 40 to swing upwardly. In reverse, the weight of the assembly 40 will supply enough vacuum to further ram 94 to hold cams 76 off until the assembly has come to rest in the position shown in Fig. 1. On the vacuum release side of the control valve a restrictor valve may be used to control the downward movement of assembly 40 and to keep a vacuum supply to further ram 94. A spring 100 provides tension along linkage members 84,86 to ensure cams 76 clampingly engage rails 78.

In use, the stop (not shown) can be adjusted to limit forward movement of brisket rail assembly 40 towards cow 68. Such a position will be determined by the average size of the cows. When a larger cow enters a stall the operator can operate the control valve momentarily to supply vacuum to the rams 56,94 to release cams 76. The larger cow will be able to move assembly 40 forward to make a more comfortable position for herself. As the vacuum is only supplied momentarily the assembly will not lift but merely release cams 76. Spring 100 will ensure that cams 76 are again clampingly engaged with rails 78. The invention thus allows outward adjustment of the Sbrisket rail 46 after the cow 68 is in the stall rather than the traditional method of adjusting the brisket rail 46 towards the cows 68 when the cows have been stalled.

It is evident that alternative locking systems may be developed to provide friction engagement with rails 78. We have disclosed one such method but the .i invention is not limited to that embodiment. Slide or gripping members may replace cams 76 and other activation means may replace ram 94.

Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description a preferred construction of an exit system incorporating certain features of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations or modifications and details of design or construction may be made without departing from the essential features of the present invention.

21/5/97VSAP8725.AUS,6

Claims (9)

1. An exit system for controlling the exit of cows from milking stalls, said system including a brisket rail which extends in front of said cows to limit forward movement of said cows in said stalls, and said brisket rail is adapted to be pivoted from a position adjacent the chests of said cows to a position above said cows to allow forward exit of said cows from said stalls, said exit system further including a locking system for holding said brisket rail in its lowered position, said locking system including a clamping arrangement adapted to engage with said milking stall to prevent movement of said brisket rail, said clamping arrangement having release means whereby said clamping arrangement can be disengaged temporarily from said milking stall for repositioning of said brisket rail and can be disengaged when said brisket rail is pivoted out of the S way to allow exit of cows from said milking stalls. S2. The exit system of claim 1, wherein said brisket rail is fixed to a frame which includes a feed trough forward of said brisket rail.

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3. The exit system of claim 1 or 2, wherein said frame forms part of a pivotal parallelogram with two arms pivotally mounted above said cows.

4. The ex it system of claim 3, wherein one of said arms includes a Oil• counterbalance to assist in raising said brisket rail. 7"2

5. The exit system of claim 3 or 4, wherein one of said arms is longer than the other and is coupled to an actuating means to pivot said longer arm to raise said brisket rail.

6. The exit system of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said arms are pivotally attached to a support bracket above said cows and supported by uprights.

7. The exit system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said clamping arrangement includes at least one rotatable cam which is moved into engagement with said at least one milking stall.

8. The exit system of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein a plurality of cams are provided which are linked by a lever system. 19/4/99TD8732.SPE,-7-

9. An exit system for controlling the exit of cows from milking stalls substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 19th day of April, 1999 PENDULUM DAIRY GATES PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE a *f 19/4/99TD8732.SPE,-8-