IE45125B1 - Jetter cups for milking apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Tbe invention relates to improvements in jetter cups for milking apparatus.

In milking apparatus of tbe kind which operates under vacuum: a cluster of teat cups is attached to an udder of a cow for milking.

Each teat cup usually comprises a shell usually a steel shell, through which a teat cup, or shell liner, passes. The shell has a pulsation duct and through it a repeated pressure change oan be applied between the internal surface of the shell and the liner. This provides a pulsating action which, acting on the teat, expels mills from the udder for milking the cow. The liners have to be washed periodically and this is usually carried out by disconnecting the cluster from the vacuum system and connecting it ro a water system. Tha water is then used to flush tbe liner and tbe teat cups.

A connection has to toe established between the shell liners and the water system for tbe washing ar flushing, and to this end jetter cups are used, According to on© aspect of tha invention there is provided a jetter cup for milking apparatus, comprising a hollow body having a part with a mouth through which a teat cup and/or shell liner can be passed, wherein there is Means providing an area around the mouth, which is relatively stiff in comparison to the rest of the body, so that it can withstand flexing without substantially weakening.

.-.- According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a jetter cup comprising a hollow body which is resilient and has means providing a relatively stiff area around the mouth so that it can withstand flexing without substantially weakening and an internal peripheral flange, the arrangement of the flange in the body being such that different sizes of known shell liner or teat cup can be accommodated in the body. -2The means for providing a relatively stiff area may he an increased thickness of the wall of the body.

The body may be moulded in one piece from synthetic material, for example a synthetic rubber.

A jetter cup embodying the invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which :Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a jetter· cup; Figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of jetter cup; and Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a third embodiment of jetter cup.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a jetter cup 1 having a water inlet 2 and a mouth 3 through which a teat cup in a shell can pass into the hollow interior 4 of the body. The wall of the body is uniform in thickness throughout saving that the area 5 enclosing the mouth 3 is thickened in the longitudinal axial direction of the jetter cup 1 to provide a relatively stiffer area which will provide a seat for the teat cup and which will not weaken under repeated flexing when teat cups are inserted into and removed from the jetter cup before and after washing operations during milking.

It will be understood that the mouth 3 flexes resiliently to allow entry and exit of the teat cup and/or shell liner, which takes up a position shown in dotted lines internally of the body. Water passes through the cup in the direction of the arrow 6, during washing.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings a jetter cup shown therein is moulded in one piece from synthetic rubber and has a body 100, a water inlet 2G0 which can be 4 long and a mouth 3θ0 through which a top of a teat cup mounted in its shell (both of which are not -3· shown) can pass into the hollow interior of the body 100 of tbe jetter cup. An area forming a boundary wall 400 of the mouth is thickened in the longitudinal axial direction of the jetter cup to provide a relatively stiff area.

Internally of the hollow body 100 there is a peripheral flange 500 which splits tbe interior volume into two compartments 600 and 700.

The flange 50Q may have the symmetrical shape shown to the left of the drawing. Alternatively it say have a wedge-like shape 800 on the side remote from the mouth, to provide easier withdrawal of a teat cup from the jetter cup compartment 700, as shown to the right in the drawing.

Further, a neck or shoulder 900 of the body 100 of the jetter cup may have the configuration shown to the left (and in full lines to the right) of the drawing. . Or the neck 900 may he thickened (as shown in dashed lines to the right of the drawing) to provide a stiffer part which is able to withstand repeated flexing.

In use a liner of a teat cup can he forced passed the mouth 300 into the first compartment 600, if it has a large diameter. If on the other hand the teat cup has a small diameter, it can pass through tha orifice defined hy the flange 500 into the second compartment 700. The flange 500 is pushed inwardly (away from the mouth) when this occurs, and lies bard against the teat cup shell to provide a seal.

In either case, the teat cup and liner can then be washed. -4Z 81 ·> .χ *· Λ, Ο The teat eup is withdrawn after the washing operation, the flange 500 flexing downwardly (as viewed in the drawing) to allow this withdrawal.

The configuration 800 shown to the right in Figure 2 5 facilitates the withdrawal.

Referring now to Figure 3, the jetter cup shown there is again made in one piece by moulding from a synthetic rubber.

It has a body 110 with a water inlet 210 and a mouth 310 through which a teat cup can be inserted into the hollow interior of the body 110 of the jetter cup. An area forming a boundary wall 410 of the mouth 310 is thickened in the longitudinal axial direction of the jetter cup to pi’ovide a relatively stiff area which as shown is in the form of a peripheral lip 4l1 which extends circumferentially around the interior of the mouth. The depth of the lips 4l1 is 0.320 from the inner surface of a wall 311 of the body 110 measured to the free end or tip 412 of the lip. -5A 'Ο The lip has a rounded tip and a generally triangular cross-section so that it provides an inwardly tapering surface 413 and an outwardly tapering surface 414.

Internally of the hollow body 110 of the jetter cup there is a peripheral flange 51θ which splits the intei-ior volume into two compartments 610 and 710.

The flange 510 has a rounded tip 511 and a gently tapering curved upper (as viewed) surface 512 of i radius (though other radii could he envisaged providing the gentle tapering surface is obtained). . The under (as viewed) surface 513 of the flange 510 is flat and extends at 90° to the surface 311 before merging into that surface at a curved part 514.

There is a ring 211 integrally moulded with the inlet 210. The ring 211 enables ths jetter cup to be held by a metal plate (not shown). This plate is flat and has four holes through it.

The inlet 210 is of smaller diameter than a hole, but the ring 211, is of larger diameter. The plate enables a cluster of four jetter cups to be held by the plate by pushing their inlets through a hole so that the ring 211 gives resiliently so that the under surface comes to rest on the plate. The ring thus acts as a detent preventing the jetter cups from falling down unless they are removed by pulling them so that the ring again gives to allow the inlet to pass through the hole in the plate.

The'use of the jetter- cup of Figure 3 is similar to that of the embodiment of Figure 2, A teat cup can be forced -648135 into the hollow Interior of the body passed the lip 411, the inwardly conical tapering surface 413 assisting this entry. If the teat cup and its shell are of larger diameter, it rests in the first compartment 610, It can seat hard against the flat undersurface 513 of the flange 510 to provide a good seal. If on the other hand the teat cup has a relatively small diameter, it can he forced passed the flange 510, which is deeper than the lip 411 and which can flex resiliently, and through the orifice that flange defines, into the second compartment 710. The flange 510 is pushed inwardly (away from the mouth) when this occurs, and lies hard against the teat eup shell to provide a seal. ι In either· ease, the teat cup and liner can then he ' I washed hy passing water through the inlet 210 in the ] direction of the arrow X.

The teat eup is withdrawn after the washing operation, the flange 510 (?1 the teat cup was in the compartment 710) and the lip 411 flexing downwardly (as viewed) to assist withdrawal. The curved surface 512 of the flange 510 and the outwardly tapering surface 414 of the lip 411 facilitate withdrawal.

In a typical jetter cup, dimensions are as follows·Inlet 210 ; 0. Diameter : Bore : Length 4 Ring 211 : 0. Diameter ; Depth I» -7Compartments 610,710 : Interior Diameter 2.220 Entry Mouth 5 Diameter 1.900 Orifice between Compartments : Diameter 1.666n Lip Zili ·· : Depth in 4 Flange 510 : Depth X« β Compartment 610 Depth 0.775 Compartment 710 Depth 0.803 Flat upper surface to wall 311 * Radius JLit 4 · It Will be understood that in every embodiment the relatively 10 increased stiffness of the niGUth strengthens it so that it will not fail in use after repeated insertion and withdrawal of a teat cup in its shell or alone.

The jetter cups shown in ahd described with reference to the drawings are of circular cross-section and can accommodate any size of teat cup shell within reason and the inner flange can grip a relatively small-headed liner.

Claims (13)

1. A jetter cup for milking apparatus, comprising a hollow bodyhaving a part with a mouth through which a teat cup and/or shell liner can he passed, wherein there is means providing an area around the mouth which is relatively stiff in comparison to the rest of the body, so that it can withstand flexing without substantially weakening.

2. A jetter cup, comprising a hollow body which is resilient and has a mouth, there being means providing a relatively stiff area around the mouth so that it can withstand flexing without substantially weakening, and an internal peripheral flange, the arrangement of the flange in the body being such that different sizes of teat cup and/or shell liner can he accommodated in the body.

3. · A jetter cup according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the means providing a relatively stiff area is an increased thickness, at the mouth, of the wall of the body.

4. A jetter cup according to Claim 3, in which the means is an inwardly directed lip which defines the mouth.

5. · A jetter cup according to Claim 4, in which the lip has a rounded tip.

6. A jetter cup accox’ding to Claim 4 or Claim 5, in which the lip has an outwardly directed inclined surface for assisting passage of a teat cup from the hollow interior of the body.

7. A jetter cup according to Claim 6, in which the jetter cup has an inwardly directed inclined surface for assisting passage of a teat cup into the hollow interior of the body.

8. A jetter cup according to any one of Claims 2 to 7, in which the internal peripheral flange has an outwardly directed curved or inclined surface forming part of a boundary wall of the inner compartment. -99. A jetter cup according to Claim 8, in which the internal peripheral flange has a planar outer surface forming a boundary wall of the outer compartment.

9. 10. A jetter cup according to any one of the preceding Claims, 5 including an inlet tube.

10. 11. A jetter cup according to Claim 10, in which the tube includes detent means.

11.

12. A jetter cup according to Claim 11, in which the detent means is a ring formed integrally on the tube. 10

13. A jetter cup substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1, Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.