GB1214047A - Sanitizing apparatus for milking machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,214,047. Milking machines. RESEARCH CORP. 17 Oct., 1968, No. 49199/68. Heading A1M. [Also in Divisions B8 and F2] A pneumatic milking machine comprises valve means 16, 34 for alternately connecting inflation assemblies 22 to a milk line 10 or to a sanitizing line 28. The valve means 16, 34 comprise three spigot valves interconnected to be rotated simultaneously by a handle 62 to connect the milk line 10, or the sanitizing line 28 via a connecting tube 57, to the inflations 22. A fluid measuring device 32 includes a flexible diaphragm 82 provided with a metering orifice 88. On opening the spigot valve 54 sanitizing fluid from a lower chamber 92 is discharged; the diaphragm 82 is depressed by fluid from a pressurized container 26 entering an inlet 30 until the orifice 88 is engaged by a needle valve member 100 raised by a cam track 76, Fig. 5 (not shown), on a plug member 58 of the spigot valve 54; the orifice 88 is too small to allow significant flow into the chamber 92 during discharge. On turning the handle 62 to the milking position, the member 100 retracts, liquid from an upper chamber 90 being gradually transferred to the lower chamber 92 as a spring 94 raises the diaphragm. To avoid mixing of milk and sanitizing fluid each nipple 20 of a claw e.g. 12a is sealed by the interior wall of a milk tube 24 which hangs down during sanitizing, Fig. 3 (not shown), a sanitizing fluid conduit (42) being similarly sealed off when the milk tube 24 is upwardly disposed during milking, Fig. 2 (not shown).