NZ197389A - Drawing early or infected milk from cow separately from milk from other cows - Google Patents

Description

Q "7 7on ' ' C 7 10SEP1982, PATENTS FORM NO. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 19 53 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No- 197389 Dated: nth June, 19 81 TITLE: Milking Methods and Apparatus I/&i£ Peter Hendrick Griffioen, a British Subject and New Zealand citizen of Beach Road, R.D.I., Waihi, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which I/MS pray that a patent may be granted to me/x&, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement; 197089 This invention relates to milking methods and apparatus.

When an animal such as a cow has calved it is desirable that the early milk from the cow (colostrum) be separated from normal milk. This milk which is of high protein value may be used for feeding calves or may be discarded. Further, when a cow has an infected teat or teats it is desirable that the infected milk be kept separate from its remaining milk.

All modern milking plants are provided with a vacuum line and a milking line and some plants further include a third line which may be associated with a cleaning system for the apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for milking animals in which early (or infected) milk can be drawn off separately using the aforesaid third line.

This invention provides a milking installation containing at least one milking claw comprising an airline, a milk line, a wash line for carrying a flushing liquid or colostrum to respective collectors, a conduit connecting the airline with the milking claw, a conduit connecting the milk line with the milking claw, means for applying a pulsating vacuum to the airline, means for applying vacuum to the milk line and the wash line during milking, a conduit having one end connected to the wash line and the opposite end adapted to be connected temporarily to the outlet of the milking claw during milking, and a valve in the wash line which is connectable to the colostrum collector, the arrangement being such that an operator is able to divert colostrum from the milking claw to the respective collector via the wash line. 197389 Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a schemmatic drawing of a milking apparatus in accordance with one possible embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2; is a schemmatic drawing of a section of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention including a milking cluster.

With reference to the drawings apparatus for milking an animal in accordance with the present invention can comprise an airline 1 arranged to be subject to pulsating pressure, a milk line 2 arranged to be subject to constant vacuum from a constant vacuum source generally indicated by arrow 3, a third line 4 arranged to be subject to constant vacuum from said constant vacuum source, and at least one milking cluster generally indicated by arrow 5, for attachment to the teats of an animal. The apparatus can further include means 6 for connecting the outlet from a milking claw 7 of the said at least one milking cluster 5 to the third line 4 during milking the arrangement being such that milk from the claw 7 is diverted to said third line 4 whereupon it can be separately collected. 3 > / * 1 197389 In the apparatus illustrated the third line 4 is arranged to carry cleaning solution to the milking plant, said third line including valving means 8 such that early or infected milk can be diverted to a separate receiver 9 therefor.

In the apparatus illustrated the air line 1 subject to pulsating pressure cam mount an on line pulsator 10.

The milk line 2 is subject to constant vacuum from the constant vacuum source 3 which can comprise a vacuum pump 12 connected in series with a vacuum tank 11 and a pipe or tube 13 from the vacuum tank has a branch 14 communicable with a milk receiving can 15 and the container 9 for the diverted early or infected milk.

The milking cluster 5 can comprise a claw 7 having four sets (one for each quarter)of separate connections from a milk line 16 and an air line 17 connected through droppers 18 to the milk and air lines 2 and 1 respectively. Teat cups 19 are connected to an animals teats during milking.

The valving means 8 arranged to divert early ' or infected milk to the container 9 can be a conventional three-way valve the operation of which can isolate the end 4a of the third line 4 downstream from the valving means 8 whilst early or infected imilk is diverted to the container 9. Alternatively, the valving means 8 can be operated to discommunicate the container 9 from the third line 4 whereupon the normal washing cycle for the milking apparatus can be effected. 197389 In the example illustrated the separate container 9 for collecting early or infected milk is subject to the same vacuum source as the milk line 2 however this may be separately vacuumised (not shown).

The container 9 may be commmunicable with a pump 20 to pump early or infected milk to a storage container (not shown).

With reference specifically to Figure 2 of the drawings, early or infected milk can be collected in the container 9 from an animal during milking by disconnecting the milk line 16 from the claw 7 and thereby isolating the connection from the milk vacuum source and connecting the said conduit 6, which can be flexible rubber hose, in place of the milk rubber 16 and so milk from a milking animal is diverted to the third line 4 for separate collection. It will be appreciated that early or infected milk can be diverted using the aforesaid method while normal milking is carried out.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Claims (4)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A milking installation containing at least one milking claw comprising an airline, a milk line, a wash line for carrying a flushing liquid or colostrum to respective collectors, a conduit connecting the airline with the milking claw, a conduit connecting the milk line with the milking claw, means for applying a pulsating vacuum to the airline, means for applying vacuum to the milk line and the wash line during milking, a conduit having one end connected to the wash line and the opposite end adapted to be connected temporarily to the outlet of the milking claw during milking, and a valve in the wash line which is connectable to the colostrum collector, the arrangement being such that an operator is able to divert colostrum from the milking claw to the respective collector via the wash line.

2. A milking installation as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve is capable of isolating the colostrum collector during washing of the installation.

3. A milking installation as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the milk line and the wash line have a common vacuum source.

4. A milking installation substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. PETER HENDRICK GRIFFIOEN by his Attorneys