GB2119217A - Vacuum operated milking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum operated milking apparatus having a plurality of teat- cup clusters 13 connected by conduits 14, 16 to a common tubular conduit 17 which is closed at each end, the conduit 17 having an outlet connected by a conduit 20 to a pump 25 for pumping milk from the conduit 17 to a bulk storage container and said conduit 17 having a vertical chamber 26 connected by a conduit 28 to a vacuum pump 29 for creating a vacuum in the conduit 17 for operating the teat-cup clusters 13, the chamber 26 being provided with a float valve 32 which automatically rises to close off the inlet to the chamber 26 and thus cut-off the vacuum if the level of milk in the conduit 17 rises due to failure of the milk pump 21. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vacuum operated milking apparatus This invention relates to a vacuum operated milking apparatus for use in milking parlours.

In a known vacuum operated milking apparatus a plurality of teat-cup clusters are connected by conduits to a collection vessel from which the milk is pumped to a bulk storage container. The collection vessel is connected by a conduit to a second vessel in which a vacuum is created by a vacuum pump and the inlet to the second vessel is provided with a shut-off valve which is automatically operated if the milk pump fails which results in the collection vessel filling with milk which overflows into the second vessel via the interconnecting conduit and the rising level of milk in the second vessel operates the valve to cutoff the vacuum and thus stop the milking apparatus.

A disadvantage of the known milking apparatus is that two vessels have to be provided and installed which add to the cost of the milking apparatus and the cleaning of two vessels and the interconnecting conduit is a time consuming operation.

According to the present invention there is provided a vacuum operated milking apparatus comprising a plurality of teat-cup clusters connected by conduits to a common tubular conduit closed at each end, said common conduit being provided with an outlet, a conduit connecting the outlet to a pump for pumping milk from the common conduit to a bulk storage container, said common conduit being provided with an inlet conduit, said inlet conduit being connected to a vacuum source for creating a vacuum in said common conduit, said inlet conduit being provided with a valve for automatically closing the inlet conduit if the level of milk in the common conduit rises above a predetermined level due to failure of the pump.

Preferably the inlet conduit comprises a vertically disposed chamber connected at its lower end to the common conduit and having its upper end connected by a conduit to said vacuum source, said vertically disposed chamber having a valve seat and housing a float which contacts the valve seat when the float rises due to a rise of the level of milk in the common conduit.

Preferabiy the conduit connecting the outlet of the common tubular conduit to the pump for pumping milk is provided with a branch conduit connected to a source of water under pressure or to a pump for producing water under pressure, said branch conduit being provided with a closure valve.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a herringbone type milking parlour provided with a milking apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an end view taken in the direction of arrow 2 indicated on Fig. 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 indicated on Fig. 1.

The herringbone type milking parlour has a central passageway 10 and extending along each side of the passageway 10 are a plurality of stalls 1 2 which are disposed at an angle to the passageway 1 0.

The milking apparatus comprises a plurality of teat-cup clusters 13, there being one teatcup cluster 1 3 per stall 12, which are connected by flexible conduits 14 and a metering device 1 5 to feed pipes 1 6 which are connected to a common tubular conduit 1 7 which extends along the passageway 1 0. The common tubular conduit 1 7 is preferably formed of steel and preferably has an outside diameter of 6 inches.The common tubular conduit 1 7 is closed at each end by end covers 1 8 which are preferably transparent enabling an operator to view the interior of the common tubular conduit 1 7. The end covers 1 8 may be formed of material such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark "perspex".

One end of the common tubular conduit 1 7 is provided with an outlet 1 9 connected by a conduit 20 to a pump 21 for pumping milk from the common tubular conduit 1 7 to a bulk storage container (not shown). The conduit 20 is provided with a branch conduit 22 which is provided with a manually operated valve 23 and is connected to a pump 24 for pumping cleaning water through the milking apparatus as will be described later. Alternatively the branch conduit 22 can be connected to a mains water supply instead of to a pump 24. The milk pump 21 is provided with a non-return valve 25.

The downstream end of the common tubular conduit 1 7 is provided with a vertically disposed chamber 26 having at its upper end an inlet 27 connected by a conduit 28 to a vacuum pump 29. The conduit 28 is provided with a manually operable shut-off valve 30.

The inlet 27 is formed with a valve seat 31 and provided within the chamber 26 is a float in the form of a ball 32 formed of rubber. In its lowermost position the ball 32 is supported by a pin 33 which extends across the chamber 26.

In use of the milking apparatus a vacuum is created in the common tubular conduit 1 7 by the vacuum pump 29 and the teat-cup clusters 1 3 are vacuum operated and the milk from each animal being milked flows through the respective metering device 15, flexible conduit 1 4 and feed pipe 1 6 into the common tubular conduit 1 7. The milk is withdrawn from the common tubular conduit 1 7 and passes through the outlet 1 9 and conduit 20 to the pump 21 which pumps it to the bulk storage container. The valve 23 will be in a closed position and the valve 30 will be open. The vacuum created by the vacuum pump 29 will not be sufficient to raise the ball 32 off the pin 33.

If the pump 21 fails then milk will not be withdrawn from the common tubular conduit 1 7 and this will gradually fill with milk. Milk will enter the chamber 26 and as the level rises the ball 32 will rise off the pin 33 until it contacts the valve seat 31 and close-off the inlet 27. Thus the vacuum is cut-off from the common tubular conduit 1 7 and no vacuum will be supplied to the teat-up clusters 1 3 which will then become inoperative.

When the milk pump 21 is again made operative the milk will be pumped out of the common tubular conduit 17, the milk level will fall and the ball 32 will move off the seat 31 thus re-establishing the vacuum in the common tubular conduit 1 7 and enabling the teat-cup clusters 1 3 to become operative.

At the end of a milking operation the milking apparatus has to be cleaned and flushed out with clean water. In order to carry out this operation the valve 30 is closed and the valve 23 is opened. Water then flows from the water pump 24 through the conduit 22 and through the conduit 20 into the common tubular conduit 1 7 and will pass through the pipes 16, conduits 14, devices 1 5 and teatcup clusters 1 3 from where it will flow to a drainage system. The water can not flow through the pump 21 due to the non-return valve 25 and is thus prevented from flowing to the bulk storage container.

Claims (9)

1. A vacuum operated milking apparatus comprising a plurality of teat-cup clusters connected by conduits to a common tubular conduit closed at each end, said common conduit being provided with an outlet, a conduit connecting the outlet to a pump for pumping milk from the common conduit to a bulk storage container, said common conduit being provided with an inlet conduit, said inlet conduit being connected to a vacuum source for creating a vacuum in said common conduit, said inlet conduit being provided with a valve for automatically closing the inlet conduit if the level of milk in the common conduit rises above a predetermined level due to failure of the pump.

2. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said inlet conduit comprises a vertically disposed chamber connected at its lower end to the common conduit and having its upper end connected by a conduit to said vacuum source, said vertically disposed chamber having a valve seat and housing a float which contacts the valve seat when the float rises due to a rise of the level of milk in the common conduit.

3. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the float is in the form of a ball.

4. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the conduit connecting the chamber to the vacuum source includes a manually operable shut-off valve.

5. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the vacuum source comprises a vacuum pump.

6. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the conduit connecting the outlet of the common tubular conduit to the pump for pumping milk is provided with a branch conduit connected to a source of water under pressure or to a pump for producing water under pressure, said branch conduit being provided with a closure valve.

7. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the pump for pumping milk is provided with a non-return valve so that when water is passed through the apparatus for cleaning purposes it does not pass through the milk pump to the bulk storage container.

8. A vacuum operated milking apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the ends of the common tubular conduit are closed by transparent end covers.

9. A vacuum operated milking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.