Patent ID: 9549530
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: A01J,A01K

Claim:
1. Apparatus for presenting a teat cup for attaching to a teat of an animal to be milked, the apparatus comprising: a support means adapted for mounting beneath an upwardly facing major surface of a platform on which an animal stands during milking thereof, a teat cup carrier for holding the teat cup, the teat cup carrier being mounted on the support means and being selectively operable in a first state for holding the teat cup in a protected state, and in a second state for holding the teat cup beneath the animal in a ready state with the teat cup ready to be urged upwardly from the teat cup carrier for attaching to the teat of the animal, and a closure means for closing the open mouth of the teat cup when the teat cup carrier is in the first state and the teat cup is in the protected state, one of the teat cup carrier and the closure means being moveable relative to the other one of the teat cup carrier and the closure means between an engaged position with the closure means engaged in the open mouth of the teat cup, and a disengaged position with the closure means disengaged from the teat cup.