Patent ID: 8240272
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: A01J

Abstract:
1. A milking unit for connecting teats of an animal to be milked to a milk collection vessel, comprising: a milking cluster comprising a plurality of teat cups and a clawpiece; a flexible long milk tube; post milking flushing means adapted to apply treatment fluid to said teats as said teat cups are withdrawn from said teats upon termination of milking and to direct treatment fluid into barrels of said flexible liners when the teat cups are allowed to fall into inverted position, with the head portions of the teat cups directed downwardly, after withdrawal of the teat cups from the teats, said post milking flushing means comprising nozzles arranged to discharge said treatment fluid into said head portions of said flexible liners of said teat cups, in a direction away from said mouths of said flexible liners; a distributor mounted on said clawpiece for distributing treatment fluid to said nozzles and comprising a distributor inlet for treatment fluid and distributor outlets; a plurality of delivery tubes connecting said distributor outlets to said nozzles; first and second delivery lines for treatment fluid connected to said distributor inlet; a first valve mounted on said clawpiece and located in or in close proximity to said distributor, said first valve connecting said first delivery line to said distributor inlet, said first valve operating to maintain said first delivery line primed with treatment fluid up to said first valve; said second delivery line being connected to said distributor inlet downstream of said first valve; and valve control means operable to supply treatment fluid to said first delivery line for causing said first valve to open and feed treatment fluid from the primed first delivery line to said distributor inlet as said teat cups are withdrawn; said valve control means being operable to supply treatment fluid to said second delivery line when the teat cups fall into said inverted position with said head portions thereof directed downwardly after withdrawal of said teat cups from the teats.