MXPA00000744A - Automatic equipment to wash, disinfect, dry and stimulate the dairy cow-teats - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic equipment (1) to wash, disinfect, dry and stimulate the dairy animals'teats and in particular of dairy cows, comprising a washing part (3) supplied with an opening (5) to introduce the teat to be washed, containing two counterrotating brushes at horizontal axis (7a and 7b) and spray devices (29) for the detergent and sanitizing solution, characterized in that it has a cup-like brush (8), placed below the two counterrotating brushes (7a and 7b), with a rotation axis perfectly coincident with the entry of the teat in the equipment. To allow the two counterrotating brushes (7a and 7b) to adjust to the teat conicity which is more accentuated near the udder, they are supplied as well with automatic devices for lateral movement of the rotation axis.

Description

AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT FOR. WASH, DISINFECT, DRY AND STIMULATE MILK COW TETAS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to equipment that automatically washes, disinfects, dries and stimulates the tits of dairy cows before being milked. In order to ensure a better hygiene and a better quality of milk and allow the subsequent work its conversion into various dairy products, it is necessary to reduce the content of pathogenic elements such as spores, germs, bacteria, etc., present in the udder of dairy cows , which remain in the orifice of the teat and come in contact with the milk when it is released from the udder. This trend is monitored by recent regulations that, on the one hand, take care of the health of the consumer and on the other, offer incentives and economic prices for the milk producers that supply the product with highly bacteriological characteristics. In order to avoid contamination of the milk, it is necessary to make a complete and adequate cleaning of the complete udder of the dairy cow, from the base of the udder to the tip of the teat, including the sphincter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At present, this operation is carried out by means of mechanical equipment as well as manually. One of these apparatuses is described in the French patent No. FR 2 559 351, on a device composed of two parallel brushes of counter rotation with a horizontal axis, placed on a carriage, near an opening where the teat is sucked by the effect of rotation of the aforementioned brushes. This system also includes two hollow pipes placed next to the brushes to allow a solution of water and disinfectant and a handle for manual use to come out. This equipment has a problem, it does not wash enough the teat because the introduction of the base of the teat is limited by the distance between the axes of the brush, besides this, it does not allow the washing of the tip of the teat. The teat itself can be completely washed by moving the system up and down, with the rotation to the right and to the left and this causes a great waste of time and requires the worker to pay close attention to this. A second equipment is described in European patent application No. EP 0 399 132-Al. It refers to an automatic tether for dairy cows, including two counter-rotating brushes similar to those of the French patent, which have a suction action and move the teat against the deflection brush and the third brush with horizontal axis, placed below of two other brushes, this third brush allows a better cleaning of the tip of the teat. This system is completed by a water and spray supply circuit of a disinfectant solution and by a handle for the worker separated from the washing part, inside is a motor and a water flow control device. This team, although it tries to solve the problem of the cleaning of the tip of the teat, does not completely solve the probable fact that the action of the third brush, when having long and soft tits, guide the extreme parts of the teat between the deflection brush and the third brush, in a position similar to the position of the teat between the two brushes, so that the cleaning action of the tip and the sphincter is done by the third brush. This system does not solve the problem of washing the base of the teat and forces the worker to perform up and down movements to clean the entire lateral surface of the teat itself. A third equipment is known from the Italian patent application No. MI 91A001377.

This equipment consists of a housing with an opening for the introduction of the teat inside which two pairs of counter-rotating brushes are placed one on top of the other, wherein the first exerts a suction action and the second a push to wash the tip of the head. the tit. In correspondence with the opening of the housing, is a rotating ring brush, placed on top of these two counter rotating brushes, which is intended to clean the base of the teat. In this ring brush are fixed some bristles that extend radially towards the center of the opening itself, leaving a free passage for the teat. This equipment is able to dry the teat before washing it when the liquid stops and the brush rotation without water is continued. Although this equipment is surely more effective for washing the base of the teat, it presents some unresolved problems. In fact, the washing of the base of the teat is effective only if there is an exact correspondence between the diameter of the rotating brush ring and the base of the teat, therefore it will be important that the worker executes some washing movements upwards and down.

P972 These movements are more necessary during the drying phase, in order to avoid that the brushes, rotating without water and without disinfectant solution and that are always in the same position, can cause abrasions on the soft skin of the teat.

ST MARIQ OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks. In detail, the objective is to produce a device capable of perfectly cleaning both the tip and the lateral surface, exerting on the teat and at its tip a lateral rather than longitudinal mechanical action, as is the case with the systems known up to now. Another object of the present invention is to provide the two counter-rotating brushes on the horizontal axis, present in the system, not only the function of sucking the teat inside the equipment, but also the function of an effective cleaning of the base of the tit, through a system of automatic adjustment of the base of the brush wheel with the dimensions of the part to be cleaned. These objects are achieved with the present invention as characterized by the claims and consists of an automatic equipment for washing, disinfecting, P972 drying and stimulating the tits of dairy animals, in particular the tits of cows; This equipment contains a washing part provided with an opening for the introduction of the teat to be washed, contains a pair of counter-rotating brushes on the horizontal axis and a system for spraying detergent and hygienic solution, characterized by the presence of a brush type cup, placed under two counter rotating brushes with a shaft of rotation perfectly matching the entrance of the teat in the equipment. In order to allow the counter-rotating brushes to adjust with the conical shape of the teat, which is accentuated more in correspondence with the teat, they are provided with automatic systems that move the respective axis of rotation. To allow a perfect wash of the teat inside the two counter-rotating brushes and the cup-type brush, as well as the sphincter, the bristles of the cup-type brush are arranged upwards opposite the entrance of the teat. Some advantages can be obtained with this invention, such as: a perfect cleaning of the entire lateral surface of the tip of the teat, including the exit orifice of the milk, regardless of the length and size of the teat itself and without realizing up and down movements; This equipment can be adjusted to any size of breast and its base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other features and details of this invention will be better described in the following parts with the illustrations showing the best method of execution, as an example and not as a limitation. Figure 1 shows, seen from the top, equipment made in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 represents the same equipment, seen along line II-II of Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 represent the same equipment sectioned transversely along lines III-III and IV-IV of Figure 1; Figures 5 and 6 show a cross section of the system, made through the direction of the introduction of the teat before and during washing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION With reference to the details shown in the figures, the equipment indicated completely by the number 1, essentially contains an external housing (2), in order to provide a part (3) of washing in the front and on the back a handle (4). The washing part (3) is provided with an upper circular opening (5) through which the teat C to be washed can be introduced, as shown in the illustrations 5 and 6 and with a lower opening 6 through it. which can leave the detergent solution after washing. Within the washing part 3, just below the opening 5, two counter rotating brushes 7a and 7b with a horizontal axis are installed. The rotational movement of the brushes 7a and 7b allow the introduction of the teat C into the washing part 3, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Underneath these brushes 7a and 7b there is a cup-like brush 8, which rotates around a vertical axis perfectly coinciding with the entrance direction of the teat, inside the equipment 1 as shown in FIG. shown in Figures 5 and 6. The brushes 7a and 7b are supported in a circular manner, by means of the supports 9a, 9 'a and 9b, 9'b by means of the rods 10a, 10' a, joined to each other by the springs 11 and 12 back. In turn, the rods 10a, 10b and 10 'a and 10' b are coupled in round shape with the shoulder supports 13 and 14 by the bolts 15a, 15b and 15 'a and 15'b, in turn, through the supports 16a, lßb and lß'a, lß'b. The rods 10a, 10b and 10 'a and 10' b are free to rotate about their relative bolts 15a, 15b and 15 'a, 15' b within the guides 30a, 30b, and 30'a, 30'b present in the fixed supports 13 and 14 of the shoulder. The sprockets 17a and 17b are finally forced into these brushes 7a and 7b out of the washing portion 3. The toothed wheels 17a and 17b are engaged by free wheels 18a and 18b, one of them is rotated by another toothed wheel 19 driven by a standard electric motor. The cup-type brush 8 is provided with fixed bristles within its cylindrical structure, the bristles being positioned radially towards the axis of rotation of the brush itself, slightly arranged upwards opposite the entrance of the teat C. The brush 8 is fixed to a support ring 21, connected in round shape to the base structure 22 of the equipment through the supports 23. The ring 21 is provided with a crown wheel 24 which is engaged by a gear wheel 25. conical, installed on the same axis of the wheel 19. gear teeth.

The water supply and the detergent and hygienic liquid circuit contain a sinuosity valve placed on the adduction pipe, which is not shown in the Figures, operated by the worker by the switch 26; a tube 27 inside the handle 4; a valve that does not allow the water to return 28 and the collectors 29 holes for the outlet of the washing liquid. In a variant of the invention, not shown, it is achieved to apply an automatic washing system, the equipment can be without the handle 4 and the motor parts 20 and the elements related to the water circuit will be contained in a group next to the part 3 of washing. In accordance with the combinations described with reference to the present invention, the equipment operates as follows: The switch 26, operated by the worker handling the equipment by means of the handle 4, causes the opening of the sinusoidal valve placed on the supply circuit of the water and the movement of the motor parts 20. In this way, the detergent liquid starts to come out of the hollow manifolds 29 and due to the kinetic connection between the gearwheel of the machine 19 and the gears 18a, 18b, 17a, 17b, 25 and 24, the brushes 7a and 7b of counter rotation and the brush 8 cup type start its movement. When the worker places the opening 5 of the equipment under the teat C to be washed, it is sucked into the washing part 3 thanks to the action of the brushes 7a and 7b. The brushes 7a and 7b begin their longitudinal udder washing and thanks to the lateral movement of both axes of rotation, characterized by the rods 10a, 10b and 10 'a and 10' b joined by the return springs 11 and 12, these brushes are removed allowing total entry of udder C into part 3 of washing and washing the base of the udder. Under the brushes 7a and 7b, the cup-type brush works and allows the complete lateral washing of the udder C and the cleaning of the tip of the udder, including the sphincter, thanks to the upward movement of the arrangement of the bristles opposite to the entrance of the udder. The cleaning action is completed by drying, which begins when the worker leaves the button 26, thanks to the device that closes the sinusoidal valve of the water circuit and to a control for the delay to stop the motor parts 20. The operation of the equipment without water is also useful for the stimulation of the udder before being milked.

P972

Claims (6)

1. CLAIMS. 1. An automatic equipment for washing, disinfecting, drying and stimulating the udders of milking animals, consisting of an external housing, a handle and a washing part provided with an opening for the introduction of the udder to be washed, which contains two counter-rotating brushes on the horizontal axis and spray devices of a water solution with detergent and hygienic liquid, the equipment is characterized by a cup-type brush, placed under the two counter-rotating brushes with a rotation axis perfectly coinciding with the udder entry direction inside the equipment.
2. 2. Automatic equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the counter-rotating brushes are provided with automatic devices that allow lateral movement of the axis of rotation.
3. 3. The automatic equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that the automatic devices consist of two pairs of rods, which can move freely within the guides formed, these rods have first rotating ends joined by fixed supports through bolts and second. limbs attached to the axis of rotation of the brushes of P972 counter-rotation.
4. 4. The automatic equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that each pair of rods is joined by the return elastic elements. The automatic equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the bristles of the cup-type brush, which are radially on the inner surface of the cup-like brush towards the axis of rotation, are arranged slightly upwards, opposite the entrance of the brush. the udder The automatic equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the brush is fixed by means of a support ring of the equipment connected in round shape to the base structure of the equipment by means of the supports, provided with a wheel crown, engaged by a gear wheel installed on the same axis of the gear wheel of the machine. P972