GB1582454A

GB1582454A - Milking parlours

Info

Publication number: GB1582454A
Application number: GB941177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Clarke A E P
Current assignee: Clarke A E P
Priority date: 1977-03-05
Filing date: 1977-03-05
Publication date: 1981-01-07
Also published as: NZ186590A; IE46763B1; IE780445L; FR2382187A1; FR2382187B3

Description

(54) MILKING PARLOURS (71) We, IAN PAUL RoY WINTER "and ALEXANDER EDWARD PENNANT CLARE, both British citizens and trading as BUARTHAU AND PISTYLL FARMS PARTNERSHIP, of Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Clwyd, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention concerns milking parlours.

The aim of the invention is to provide an arrangement and layout of a milking parlour resulting in improved efficiency in terms of both labour and cost.

According to the present invention a milking parlour comprises a plurality of stalls for cows arranged in a circular or part circular array on a fixed immovable base and bounding a work area for an operator, an entrance leading into the work area, one end of each stall opening into the work area with the opposite end of each stall remote from the work area communicating with an exit passageway, whereby cows pass through the entrance into the work area and enter the stalls form the work area for milking and, after milking, the cows vacate the stalls along the exit passageway.

Conveniently, the stalls are arranged in pairs with the exception of two single stalls disposed one at each side of the entrance into the work area.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which : - Fig. 1 is a schematic plan of a milking parlour; Fig. 2 is a section, not to scale, on the line A-A in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line B-B in Fig. 1, again not to scale.

A milking parlour, as shown in Fig. 1, is arranged in the form of a circle within a building. The parlour comprises a plurality of stalls 20 each to receive a cow for milking. The stalls 20 are arranged side-by-side in pairs with the exception of two single stalls 21 situated one at each side of an entrance 22 into the parlour. All the stalls are arranged about a central work area 23.

The floor of the parlour 'can be concrete laid on hardcore. The stalls can be formed from steelwork which can be positioned and located in anchorage points arranged in the concrete floor. The entrance 22 and the central area 23 are at substantially the same level but the remaining floor area of the parlour is raised to a level which can be about 35 to 40 cms above the level of the central area. Cows entering the parlour through the entrance 22 step up into the individual stalls from the central area 23.

The central area provides a pit for an operator. Conveniently the raised floor of the parlour and the floor of the central area have a slight fall to drain into the entrance 22. This assists when swilling out the parlour.

A hopper 28 for animal feed can be arranged between adjacent pairs of stalls, each hopper supplying feed to a low-level manger 29 at the side of each stall. An operating handle 30 can be provided for directing feed from the hopper to the respective mangers. Milking equipment can conveniently be supported form an overhead gantry and each piece of milking equipment can be connected to a manifold leading to a tank for receiving milk. Each piece of equipment milks a cow in its associated stall and delivers the milk to the receiving tank which can be at a location remote from the parlour. The feed hopper arrangement and the milking equipment can be standard existing equipment as found in milking parlours and as such does ndt require detailed description.

Partition wall 24 between neighbouring stalls is longer than the outer side walls 25 of the stalls and extends inwardly beyond the outer side walls towards the work area 23. Also, a recess or channel 26, the base of which is wider than its open top as seen from Fig. 3 is provided in the floor between adjacent pairs of stalls. A cow can enter its stall at a slight angle or sideways but will try and back out in a straight line. To deter the cows from backing out an abutment 31 can be provided at the entrance to each stall.

This abutment can comprise a short transverse member secured to the end of each partition wall 24 and to the longer wall of each single stall 21 such that a cow in attempting tp back out will strike the member. This can be sufficient to deter the cow.

The shaped recess 26 in the floor enables an operator to get close alongside a cow while still being at a comfortable working height relative to the cow.

The outer end of each stall is provided with a gate 27 and the gates can be moved between open and close positions by actuating means within reach of an operator in the central area 23. Each gate is hinged to open outwardly. Conveniently, the stalls communicate with a passageway 32 formed by a barrier rail 33 extending around the outside of the stalls and leading to an exit 34.

The barrier rail keeps cows away from the walls of the building. Preferably, the width of the passageway is such that each gate when open presents a barrier across the passageway such that a cow on leaving its stall can only move in a direction along the passageway towards the exit. More than one exit can be provided from the passageway and the building. Also, a gate can be provided at the entrance 22.

In use, cows enter the parlour through the entrance and stand in the stalls facing outwards, the gates being closed. After milking the .gates are opened and the cows leave the stalls and along the passageway to the exit or exits from the parlour.

The milking parlour of the present invention offers a number of advantages over conventional milking parlours such as the herringbone and abreast parlours. In the present invention an operator working in the central area is close to each and every stall and all the stalls are within sight of the operator. In an abreast or herringbone ararrangement an operator can be at one end of the parlour when a fault or mishap occurs at the opposite end of the parlour resulting in the operator having to move a considerahle distance to attend to the matter. In the present arrangement, if a mishap occurs at one of the stalls, for example the milking equipment becoming detached from the cow in that stall, the operator can see the fault and is close at hand to attend to it. A further advantage resides in the manner in which the cows pass through the parlour. The cows pass into the parlour through the entrance and enter the stalls for milking. After milking the cows move forward into the passageway to emerge from the parlour at the exit or exits. The cows therefore always move in a forward direction and it is not necessary to back cows out of the stalls at the end of milking.

It will be appreciated that the overall size of the parlour can be a matter of individual choice as can the number and arrangement of stalls. Thus the milking parlour can be designed for erection assembly within an existing building. The drawings show 'a total of fourteen stalls arranged in-six-pairs with two single stalls one at each side of the entrance. Clearly the parlour can comprise a different number and configuration of stalls. Although a circular arrangement is preferred the stalls can be arranged in a semi-circle or an arc of a circle and bounding a work area for an operator.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A milking parlour comprising a plurality of stalls for cows arranged in a circular or part circular array on a fixed immovable base and bounding a work area for an operator, an entrance leading into the work area, one end of each stall opening into the work area with the opposite end of each stall remote from the work area communicating with an exit passageway, whereby cows pass through the entrance into the work area and enter the stalls from the work area for milking and, after milking, the cows vacate the stalls along the exit passageway.

2. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 1 in which the stalls are arranged in pairs with the exception of two single stalls disposed one at each side of the entrance into the work area.

3. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 2 in which a common partition wall for each pair of stalls extends inwardly towards the work area beyond the outer walls of the stalls.

4. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 3 in which an abutment is provided on the inner end of the partition to deter a cow from backing out of its stall.

5. A milking parlour as claimed in any preceding claim in which the end of each stall remote from the work area has a gate movable between open and close positions and controlled by actuating means accessible at the work area.

6. A milking parlour as claimed in any preceding claim in which the floor of the work area is below the level of the stalls.

6 '7. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 6 in which the floor of the work area is contoured to drain into the entrance.- 8. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 2 including a recess between each adjacent

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. adjacent pairs of stalls. A cow can enter its stall at a slight angle or sideways but will try and back out in a straight line. To deter the cows from backing out an abutment 31 can be provided at the entrance to each stall. This abutment can comprise a short transverse member secured to the end of each partition wall 24 and to the longer wall of each single stall 21 such that a cow in attempting tp back out will strike the member. This can be sufficient to deter the cow. The shaped recess 26 in the floor enables an operator to get close alongside a cow while still being at a comfortable working height relative to the cow. The outer end of each stall is provided with a gate 27 and the gates can be moved between open and close positions by actuating means within reach of an operator in the central area 23. Each gate is hinged to open outwardly. Conveniently, the stalls communicate with a passageway 32 formed by a barrier rail 33 extending around the outside of the stalls and leading to an exit 34. The barrier rail keeps cows away from the walls of the building. Preferably, the width of the passageway is such that each gate when open presents a barrier across the passageway such that a cow on leaving its stall can only move in a direction along the passageway towards the exit. More than one exit can be provided from the passageway and the building. Also, a gate can be provided at the entrance 22. In use, cows enter the parlour through the entrance and stand in the stalls facing outwards, the gates being closed. After milking the .gates are opened and the cows leave the stalls and along the passageway to the exit or exits from the parlour. The milking parlour of the present invention offers a number of advantages over conventional milking parlours such as the herringbone and abreast parlours. In the present invention an operator working in the central area is close to each and every stall and all the stalls are within sight of the operator. In an abreast or herringbone ararrangement an operator can be at one end of the parlour when a fault or mishap occurs at the opposite end of the parlour resulting in the operator having to move a considerahle distance to attend to the matter. In the present arrangement, if a mishap occurs at one of the stalls, for example the milking equipment becoming detached from the cow in that stall, the operator can see the fault and is close at hand to attend to it. A further advantage resides in the manner in which the cows pass through the parlour. The cows pass into the parlour through the entrance and enter the stalls for milking. After milking the cows move forward into the passageway to emerge from the parlour at the exit or exits. The cows therefore always move in a forward direction and it is not necessary to back cows out of the stalls at the end of milking. It will be appreciated that the overall size of the parlour can be a matter of individual choice as can the number and arrangement of stalls. Thus the milking parlour can be designed for erection assembly within an existing building. The drawings show 'a total of fourteen stalls arranged in-six-pairs with two single stalls one at each side of the entrance. Clearly the parlour can comprise a different number and configuration of stalls. Although a circular arrangement is preferred the stalls can be arranged in a semi-circle or an arc of a circle and bounding a work area for an operator. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A milking parlour comprising a plurality of stalls for cows arranged in a circular or part circular array on a fixed immovable base and bounding a work area for an operator, an entrance leading into the work area, one end of each stall opening into the work area with the opposite end of each stall remote from the work area communicating with an exit passageway, whereby cows pass through the entrance into the work area and enter the stalls from the work area for milking and, after milking, the cows vacate the stalls along the exit passageway.

6 '

7. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 6 in which the floor of the work area is contoured to drain into the entrance.-

8. A milking parlour as claimed in claim 2 including a recess between each adjacent

pair of stalls to enable an operator to work at a comfortable and practical level.

9. A milking parlour substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.