IE84216B1 - An end cap for a tubular shell of a milk liner assembly - Google Patents

Description

"An end cap for a tubular shell of a milk liner assembly" The present invention relates to an end cap for an outer tubular shell of a milk liner assembly, and the invention also relates to a milk liner assembly comprising the end cap.

In the machine milking of animals, for example, cows, a milking cluster which comprises four milk liner assemblies is attached to the four teats of the udder of the cow for drawing milk therefrom. Each milk liner assembly comprises an outer tubular shell, typically of stainless steel tubing through which a milk liner of a flexible rubber material extends. The milk liner defines a teat accommodating cavity for receiving one of the teats of the cow’s udder, and the portion of the milk liner forming the teat accommodating cavity is located within the outer shell. The milk liner sealably engages one end of the outer shell, and an end cap of stainless steel is welded to the other end of the outer shell. An opening in the end cap sealably accommodates the milk liner from the outer shell. The end cap forms with the outer shell and the milk liner a sealed annular chamber, which extends around the milk liner. A vacuum port in the end cap accommodates a pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber for pulsating the milk liner, and in turn the anima|’s teat for urging milk therefrom.

The requirement to provide an end cap on the outer shell for sealably engaging the milk liner for forming a sealed annular chamber adds significantly to the complexity of producing such outer shells, and thus, adds significantly to the cost of the production of such outer shells.

There is therefore a need for an end cap for an outer tubular shell of a milk liner assembly which overcomes this problem.

The present invention is directed towards providing such an end cap. The invention is also directed towards providing a milk liner assembly.

According to the invention there is provided an end cap for closing one end of an outer tubular shell of a milk liner assembly, wherein the milk liner assembly is of the type comprising the outer shell, and a milk liner extending through the outer shell for attaching to a teat of an udder of an animal for milking thereof, the end cap comprising a body member having a shell engaging plug extending from the body member for extending into and for sealably engaging the outer shell at one end thereof with a press fit, a main bore extending through the body member and the shell engaging plug for accommodating the milk liner therethrough from the outer shell, a sealing means co-operable with the milk liner for sealing an annular chamber formed within the outer shell between the outer shell and the milk liner, and a secondary bore extending through the body member for communicating with the annular chamber for facilitating the application of a pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber.

In one embodiment of the invention the sealing means comprises an annular flange extending from the body member into the main bore for sealably engaging a milk liner, and preferably, the annular flange is for sealably engaging an annular recess extending around a milk liner.

In another embodiment of the invention the secondary bore extends from the main bore, and preferably, a spigot extends from the body member for engaging a pulsating vacuum tube, and the secondary bore extends through the spigot.

Ideally, the end cap is of plastics material, and preferably, the end cap is of injection moulded plastics material.

Additionally the invention provides a milk liner assembly comprising an outer tubular shell, a milk liner extending through the outer shell and sealably engaging one end of the outer shell, and an end cap according to the invention sealably engaging the other end of the outer shell, the milk liner extending through the main bore of the end cap and being sealably engaged by the end cap, the end cap defining with the outer shell and the milk liner a sealed annular chamber extending around the milk liner, and the secondary bore communicating with the annular chamber for applying a pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber for pulsating the milk liner during milking. in one embodiment of the invention the outer shell is of stainless steel material.

In another embodiment of the invention the milk liner comprises a sealing flange extending circumferentially around the milk liner for sealabiy engaging the outer shell at the one end thereof.

Preferably, the sealing flange engages a circumferentially extending outer surface of the outer shell.

Advantageously, an annular recess extends around the milk liner for engaging the annular flange extending from the body member of the end cap into the main bore.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, which is given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a transverse cross—sectional side elevational view of a milk liner assembly according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of an end cap according to the invention of the milk liner assembly, Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the end cap of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a transverse cross—sectional side elevational view of the end cap of Fig. 2 on the line |V—lV of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a transverse cross—sectiona| side elevational view of a portion of the milk liner assembly of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a milk liner assembly according to the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for use in a milking cluster (not shown) of the type used in the machine milking of cows. The milk liner assembly 1 comprises an outer tubular shell 2 of stainless steel material for accommodating a milk liner 3 therethrough. The milk liner 3 defines a teat accommodating cavity 4 for engaging a teat of the udder of a cow. The milk liner 3 is of a flexible rubber material, and such milk liners will be well known to those skilled in the art. The milk liner 3 sealably engages an end 5 of the outer shell 2 by a sealing flange 6 extending around the milk liner 3. An end cap also according to the invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 8 sealably engages the other end 9 of the outer shell 2.

The end cap 8 is of plastics material and is injection moulded in one piece and comprises a body member 10. A shell engaging portion formed by a plug 11 extends from the body member 10 for sealably engaging the outer shell 2 with a press fit action. A main bore 12 extending through the plug 11 and the body member 10 accommodates the milk liner 3 through the end cap 8. An annular flange 14 extending from the body member 10 into the main bore 12 sealably engages an annular recess 15 extending around the milk liner 3 so that the milk liner 3 is sealably engaged by the end cap 8. The end cap 8 defines with the outer shell 2 and the milk liner 3 a sealed annular chamber 17 extending around the milk liner 3 for accommodating a pulsating vacuum for pulsating the milk liner 3 for in turn urging milk from the teat engaged by the milk liner 3. A spigot 18 for engaging a tube supplying a pulsating vacuum extends from the body member 10, and a secondary bore 19 extending through the body member 10 and the spigot 18 communicates with the main bore 12 for applying the pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber 17 for pulsating the milk liner 3. An end 20 of the milk liner 3 extends from the end cap 8 for connecting the milk liner assembly 1 to a milk line (not shown) of the milking cluster (also not shown).

In use, the milk liner assembly 1 is assembled by engaging the plug 11 of the end cap 8 in the outer shell 2 at the end 9 thereof. The milk liner 3 is then assembled into the outer shell 2 from the end 5, and is sealably engaged in the end 5 by the flange 6, and is sealably engaged at the other end 9 of the outer shell 2 by the flange 14 of the end cap 8. The end 20 of the milk liner 3 extending from the end cap 8 is connected to a milk line of a milking cluster of the milking system. A pulsating vacuum of the milking system is applied to the spigot 18, and the milking cluster with four of the milk liner assemblies 1 is then ready for use.

In general, during normal use it should not be necessary to replace the end cap 8.

However, the milk liner 3 will require periodic replacement, and this can be achieved by removing the milk liner 3 from the outer shell through the end 5. Should the end cap 8 need replacing, the end cap 8 may be disengaged from the outer shell 2 by disengaging the plug 11 from the outer shell 2, and replacing the end cap 8 with a replacement end cap 8.

The advantages of the invention are many. A particularly important advantage of the invention is that it provides a relatively inexpensive and simple milk liner assembly.

The end cap according to the invention can readily easily be assembled and sealably engaged on the outer shell 2 without the need for welding or any other complex manufacturing processes. All that is required is to press the plug of the end cap into engagement with the outer shell 2, which then sealably engages the outer shell 2. The end cap can be manufactured at minimum cost in a relatively straightforward plastics injection moulding process. Furthermore, the provision of the end cap as a separate part to the outer shell permits the outer shell to be provided in stainless steel, which adds weight to the milk liner assembly, which in general, is necessary in order to avoid the milk liner assembly creeping up the teat of the animal during milking.

While the milk liner has been described as being of rubber material, the milk liner may be of any other suitable material, and in certain cases, it is envisaged that the milk liner may be of a synthetic rubber, a plastics material or the like. It will also be appreciated that while the end cap has been described as being of a plastics material, the end cap may be of any other suitable material, and may be manufactured by any other suitable process besides injection moulding. However, it is important that the end cap should sealably engage the outer shell with a press fit type action.

While the outer shell has been described as being of stainless steel material, the outer shell may be of any other suitable material.

While the milk liner assembly has been described for use in milking cows, the milk liner assembly may be used for milking any animals, and would be sized appropriately.

Claims (14)

Claims

1. An end cap for closing one end of an outer tubular shell of a milk liner assembly, wherein the milk liner assembly is of the type comprising the outer shell, and a milk liner extending through the outer shell for attaching to a teat of an udder of an animal for milking thereof, the end cap comprising a body member having a shell engaging plug extending from the body member for extending into and for sealably engaging the outer shell at one end thereof with a press fit, a main bore extending through the body member and the shell engaging plug for accommodating the milk liner therethrough from the outer shell, a sealing means co-operable with the milk liner for sealing an annular chamber formed within the outer shell between the outer shell and the milk liner, and a secondary bore extending through the body member for communicating with the annular chamber for facilitating the application of a pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber.

2. An end cap as claimed in Claim 1 in which the sealing means comprises an annular flange extending from the body member into the main bore for sealably engaging a milk liner.

3. An end cap as claimed in Claim 2 in which the annular flange is for sealably engaging an annular recess extending around a milk liner.

4. An end cap as claimed in any preceding claim in which the secondary bore extends from the main bore. LII

5. An end cap as claimed in any preceding claim in which a spigot extends from the body member for engaging a pulsating vacuum tube, and the secondary bore extends through the spigot.

6. An end cap as claimed in any preceding claim in which the end cap is of plastics material.

7. An end cap as claimed in any preceding claim in which the end cap is of injection moulded plastics material.

8. An end cap for closing one end of an outer tubular shell of a milk liner assembly, the end cap being substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A milk liner assembly comprising an outer tubular shell, a milk liner extending through the outer shell and sealably engaging one end of the outer shell, and an end cap as claimed in any preceding claim sealably engaging the other end of the outer shell, the milk liner extending through the main bore of the end cap and being sealably engaged by the end cap, the end cap defining with the outer shell and the milk liner a sealed annular chamber extending around the milk liner, and the secondary bore communicating with the annular chamber for applying a pulsating vacuum to the annular chamber for pulsing the milk liner during milking.

10. A milk liner assembly as claimed in Claim 9 in which the outer tubular shell is of stainless steel material.

11. A milk liner assembly as claimed in Claim 9 or 10 in which the milk liner comprises a sealing flange extending circumferentially around the milk liner for sealably engaging the outer shell at the one end thereof.

12. A milk liner assembly as claimed in Claim 11 in which the sealing flange engages a circumferentially extending outer surface of the outer shell.

13. A milk liner assembly as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 12 in which an annular recess extends around the milk liner for engaging the annular flange extending from the body member of the end cap into the main bore.

14. A milk liner assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. F.F. GORMAN & CO.