GB2236665A

GB2236665A - Apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2236665A
Application number: GB9020635A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Klaus Jebens
Original assignee: Westfalia Separator GmbH
Current assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
Priority date: 1989-09-22
Filing date: 1990-09-21
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Also published as: DE3931601A1; DD297545A5; IT9012511A1; NL9001879A; IT1241894B; GB9020635D0; RU1831273C; IT9012511A0

Abstract

Apparatus for cleaning the outer contours of teat cups 8 of vacuum-operated milking equipment comprises a housing 1 to receive the teat cups 8 and which can be flooded which cleaning fluid, the housing 1 having a cover 2 with apertures therein through which the teat cups 8 can be inserted. Brushes 6 driven by drive members 5 mounted on shafts 4 can be driven by a pneumatic cylinder 13 through a transmission 10, 11 with an oscillatory motion so as externally to clean the teat cups 8. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TEAT CUPS OF MILKING EQUIPMENT The invention

relates to apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment.

In milking equipment, considerations of hygiene make it vitally necessary to maintain purity in the milk to be recovered and the cleanliness of the teat or milking cups is of particular importance.

It has been previously proposed for the interior of teat cups to be intensively cleaned by a flushing system after each milking operation, a cleaning fluid being supplied via the milk line.

However, where the cleaning of the outer contours of the teat cups is concerned, such cleaning cannot be applied and manual activity has been required. If there is only a relatively small number of milk cows involved, this can be acceptable but in the case of an undertaking which maintains a large number of milk cows the manual labour cost involved cannot be justified.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment comprising a housing provided with cleaning fluid feed means and cleaning fluid discharge means and having a cover through which teat cups to be cleaned can be inserted to be acted upon by mechanically driven cleaning brushes while being washed by the cleaning fluid.

It will be readily appreciated that with such a device, teat cups which may have been contaminated with excrement from milk cows can be cleaned not only rapidly but also thoroughly. It is possible if desired to admix a germicidal substance with the cleaning fluid.

The preferably cylindrically constructed housing has a bottom wall and, substantially in its lower third, may have a separating wall which subdivides the housing into a cleaning chamber and a transmission space disposed therebeneath. The mechanism for driving the cleaning brushes will not therefrom constitute a contamination source.

2 The separating wall is preferably so constructed that it supports, sealed in respect of the transmission space, drive shafts on which cruciform drive members carrying the cleaning brushes are engaged to be reciprocatingly rotatingly driven.

Since milking equipment is normally driven by vacuum means, it is advantageous for such a medium also to be used to drive the cleaning apparatus.

Preferably the cruciform drive members and the cleaning brushes which are driven thereby can be driven in a rotating and oscillatory manner by a reciprocable pneumatic cylinder controlled by a control valve.

A thorough cleaning effect which is sought after can be achieved particularly if, according to a suitable arrangement, the cleaning brushes are driven intermittently and in such a way that for example each brush rotates alternately three times in a clockwise direction and three times in an anticlockwise direction.

If this is carried out several times, then the teat cups become absolutely clean externally as has been demonstrated by tests.

If desired, instead of a vacuum drive, an electric, hydraulic or compressed air drive could be used.

Advantageously the pneumatic cylinder comprises a piston rod coupled to a transmission means connected to the cruciform drive members.

Preferably the transmission means comprises two racks and four gear wheels. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the desired intermittent movement of the piston rod and thus of the racks be subject to the influence of a linear guide. Reversal of the direction of movement can be achieved by controlling the length of travel of the piston rod and the racks by adjustable limit switches.

The water level in the cleaning chamber can be maintained constant by an overflow which cooperates with a water supply means and a water drain.

To retain the teat cups in place during the cleaning operation, it is envisaged that the cover of the housing should, in 3 the region of apertures therein through which the teat cups can be inserted, be provided with flanged rims comprising groove-like recesses which, when the teat cups are inserted, accommodate vacuum pipes which support the teat cups.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side view of apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment; and Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with a cover removed.

Referring to the drawings a housing 1 which is preferably cylindrical is provided with a cover 2, a horizontal separating wall 3 and a bottom wall 21. The separating wall 3 which subdivides the housing 1 into an upper cleaning chamber R and a lower transmission space G bounded by the bottom wall 21, serves to support mutually oppositely disposed drive shafts 4 each of which is operatively connected to a respective cruciform drive member 5 is the chamber R and to a respective gear wheel 11 in the transmission space G while being mounted in sealingtight manner in the separating wall 3.

The cruciform drive members 5 each carry a respective vertically mounted cleaning brush 6 which in stellate fashion enclose the outer contours of teat cups 8 which are inserted through apertures in the cover 2. In order to prevent rotation of the teat cups 8 during the cleaning operation, as yet to be described, the cover 2 is, in the region of its apertures for insertion of the teat cups 8 into the cleaning chamber R, provided with a respective flanged rim 7 which is flared to accommodate a vacuum pipe 9 which terminates at the teat cup 8.

A set of four teat cups 8 are connected to a manifold, not shown, from which mild drawn off passes in per se known manner through a milk line into a cooled milk collecting tank.

A drive mechanism which effects cleaning of the outer contours of the teat cups 8 and which is provided in the transmission space G comprises a pneumatic cylinder 13 to which vacuum is applied via 4 a control valve 15. A piston rod 14 of a piston (not shown,) is disposed within the pneumatic cylinder 13 and is connected via a linear guide 12 to two racks 10 each of which meshes with two of the gear wheels 11 which are a push fit on the drive shafts 4 of the cruciform drive members 5.

Reciprocating movement of the racks 10 in the directions indicated by the double headed arrow in Figure 2, caused by the cylinder 13 under the control of a control valve 15 and adjustable limit switches 16, produces a rotary movement of the cleaning brushes 6 which can clean the outer contours of the teat cups 8.

The cleaning operation takes place in conjunction with a cleaning fluid, such as water, which flows through a water supply means 17 into the cleaning chamber R of the housing 1. Dirtied cleansing fluid flows out through a drain 19 and a pipe disposed at the upper part of the housing 1 serves as an overflow 18 and ensures that the water level in the cleaning chamber R remains sufficiently high and constant. Legs 20 allow the apparatus to stand firm during the cleaning process, even during the rugged handling which is often unavoidable.

The mechanically driven apparatus disclosed can ensure absolute cleanliness of the outer contours of each teat cup and can permit a considerable time saving especially when the apparatus is used on a farm with a large number of milk cows -which, as is well known, need to be milked twice a day in normal circumstances.

1

Claims

1 Apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment comprising a housing provided with cleaning fluid feed means and cleaning fluid discharge means and having a cover through which teat cups to be cleaned can be inserted to be acted upon by mechanically driven cleaning brushes while being washed by the cleaning fluid.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the housing has a bottom wall and a horizontal separating wall which subdivides the housing into a cleaning chamber and a transmission space disposed therebeneath.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the separating wall supports, sealed in respect of the transmission space, drive shafts on which cruciform drive members are engaged to be reciprocatingly rotatingly driven.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the cruciform drive members and the cleaning brushes which are driven thereby can be driven in a rotating and oscillatory manner by a reciprocable pneumatic cylinder controlled by a control valve.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, in which the pneumatic cylinder comprises a piston rod coupled to transmission means connected to the cruciform drive members.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which the transmission means comprises two racks and four gear wheels.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the oscillating movement of the piston rod and thus of the racks is subject to the influence of a linear guide.

6

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which the length of travel of the piston rod and thus of the racks is controllable by adjustable limit switches.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the water level in the cleaning chamber is maintained constant by an overflow which cooperates with a water supply means and a water drain.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the cover of the housing is, in the region of apertures therein through which the teat cup can be inserted, provided with flanged rims which accommodate vacuum pipes which support the teat cups when these are inserted.

11. Apparatus for cleaning teat cups of milking equipment substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Published 1991 at The PatentOffice. State House. 66171 High Holborn. London WC1R4TP. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwrnfelinrach. Cross Keys. Newrport. NPI 7HZ. Printed.by Multiplex techniques lid. St Mary Cray. Kent.