US498948A - Milking-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. B. ATWATER. MILKING MACHINE Patented June 6, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRYAN ATWATER, OF BERLIN, CONNECTICUT.

MlLKlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,948, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed March 17, 1892. Serial No. 51 (N0 model-3 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRYAN ATWATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berlin, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in milking machines, and the object of my impressure plates and immediately connected parts, the plane of section extending through the longitudinal center of the operating rods. Thisfigure and the following ones are on a larger scale than the preceding figures. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are like views of the same parts, representing as many different successive positions. I

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement on my application, Serial No. 385,237, filed March 16, 1891, which in addition to various mechanisms for moving the milking devices proper into different position for operation has in common with this application a pair of pressure plates one of which is provided with a rocking motion and is pulled to and from the other by means of a side grooved cam, two divided connecting rods and springs, said rods pulling respectively from the upper and lower parts of the rocking pressure plate and therefore the same is not claimed herein.

A designates a standard or upright by which my milking devices and their operating mechanisms may be mounted upon anysuitable support.

B is a longitudinal dovetailed way or guide secured to or formed on the frame 0 by means of which said frame and the parts carried thereby, may be adjusted longitudinally on said standard as in said prior application. In this frame on a suitable shaft 8, I hang the cam D, said shaft being provided with means for rotating it, as for example the crank 9. The side face of this cam D is provided with four cam grooves l0, 11, 12 and 13, each having a concentric portion 28, and within longitudinal holes or passage ways through the frame, there are four divided connecting rods 14, 15, 16 and 17 with their ends, preferably provided with friction rollers, engaging said cam grooves as shown in Fig. 1. Each of these rods is divided into two parts which, when in their normal position have their confronting ends abutting each other as shown at 18 in Fig. 3. The frame 0 is slottedhorizontally for each rod and a pin 19 pro ects laterally through these slots on each part of each rod, as best shown in Fig. 3, and a spring 20 is stretched on said pins to draw the two parts of each rod together when they are free. That part of the divided rod which is farthest from the cam is prevented from being pulled out of the frame by the pins 19 reaching the outer ends of the slots in said frame while at the same time said slots are long enough, seeFlg. 1, to permit the two parts of the rod to separate whenever they are held or pulled out wlth sufficient force to overcome the power of the springs.

At the end of the frame 0 which is opposite the cam, there is a fixed resisting pressure plate E, the several connecting rods running through it. Hinged or pivoted to the outer ends of these rods is a companion pressure plate G composed of four finger plates 21, 22, 23, and 24, the same beingjointedly connected at the upper and lower edges in any suitable manner as for instance by knuckles and pin tles like the joints of a hinge. The end of the upper rod 1 1 is hinged or pivoted directly to the finger plate 21; that of the rod 15 is hlnged thereto through one pivoted link 25; that of the rod 16 through two pivoted links 26, and that of the rod 17 through two links 27 as best shown on Sheet 2 of the drawings Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. When the ends of all the connecting rods are in the concentric portion of the cam grooves, the'plate G will stand substantially parallel to the plate E and at some distance therefrom as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1. When in this position, the machine will be adjusted to the cow so as to bring two teats between the pressure plates. By turning the cam, the rods are drawn in successively, (the concentric part of the cam grooves being successively longer for each rod, y from the top rod d0wn,) carrying the plateG with its upper edge foremost toward the plate E until the teats between the platesare com-f pressed sufficiently to overcome the power of the springs on the divided connecting rods, after which the two parts of the rod separate and the spring yields to permit the cam end of the rod to complete its movement.

For convenience of illustration I will describe the plate G as coming in direct contact with the plate E instead of the intervening teats. The first contact of the platesin coming together is illustrated in Fig. 1, when the upper edge of the upper finger plate2l, strikes as shown, while its lower edge is out of contact, but upon the further movement of the rods it is broughtinto a position parallel with the plate E as shown in Fig. 4, after which the .next lower finger plate 22 is brought into a like position as shown in Fig. 5., then the finger plate23 as shown in Fig. 6, and lastly the lower finger plate 24 as shown in Fig. 7, thereby giving the pressure plates first a cutting ofi action, then gradually changing to a full and square pressure for each successive finger plate from the top down, quite aualogous tothe action of a persons fingers in milking a cow by hand. Upon the further movement of the cam the entire plate G moves bodily into the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. l, and there remains stationary for a moment, as the concentric portions of the ,cam grooves pass the rods, giving time for the milk to flow down and fill the teats again ready for a repetition of the operation.

Iclaim as my inventionl. The combination of a resisting plate and the plate G consisting of a series of finger plates, jointedly connected and operating devices for successively moving said finger plates 1 toward said resisting plate substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a resisting plate, the plate G consisting of a series of finger plates jointedly connected, theconnecting rods having flexible connections'between them and the lower fin'ger'plates, and mechanism for-operating said rods.

3. The grooved cam D havingin each cam groove the concentric portion 28 at the farthest point from the center of the cam, in combination with the connecting rods engaging said cam grooves and the pressure plates, one of which is connected with said rods, substantially as described andfor the purpose specified.

BRYAN ATWATER.

With esses JAMES SHEPARD, B. .S. LEWIS.

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