APPARATUS IN A PIPELINE MILKING PLANT

Abstract: Apparatus in a pipeline milking plant comprising a pipeline (20) extending round in the shed and entering a receptacle (22) at two different positions, where air is separated from milk collected in the receptacle, the pipeline at different positions being provided with outlets (13a, b, c) for connection of milking units which during the milking operation shall bring milk from the animals to the pipeline, said apparatus further comprising at least another outlet (23a, b, c) for connection of at least one means via which a cleaning medium can be introduced into the pipeline (20) in the vicinity of the receptacle during the cleaning operation. According to the invention a valve (21) connects one mouth of the pipeline (20) with the receptacle (22).

Description: Apparatus in a pipeline milking plant This invention relates to an apparatus in a pipeline milking plant comprising a pipeline extending round in the shed and entering a receptacle at two different positions, where air is separated from milk collected in the receptacle, the pipeline at different positions being provided with outlets for connection of milking units which during the milking operation shall bring milk from the animals to the pipeline, said apparatus further comprising at least another outlet for connection of at least one means via which a cleaning medium can be introduced into the pipeline in the vicinity of the receptacle during the cleaning operation. In known plants there has appeared to arise problems when cleaning the milking system, because there is a valve in the system that haa.to be readjusted during the cleaning operation in order that the whole system shall be carefully cleaned. The person who is working in the shed is often making other works at the same time as the cleaning goes on, whi fck has the consequence that, as a rule, the valve is not read ' gϊϊfjted• This means that a pipe stump R (see Fig. 1) is not cleaned, which can lead to contaminated milk. The purpose of this invention is to solve the mentioned problem and allow cleaning of the whole pipeline at one and the same time. According to the invention this is made possible by the fact that a valve connects one mouth of the pipeline with the receptacle. A preferred embodiment of the invention shall be more closely described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which t Fig. 1 is a schematic sketch of afknown pipeline milking plant, Fig. 2 is a schematic sketch of a modified plant according to the invention, and Fig. 3 is a preferred valve for the modified plant. Preferring to Fig. 1 there is shown there an air separator 10 being a part of the milking system and being connected to the milk line. This one comprises a pipeline 11 going round in the shed. In this connection the pipeline 11 enters the air separator at two different positions. In the system there is a three way valve 12 having one position during milking and another position during cleaning of the system. The crosses 13a, b, c show positions where the milking units are connected via outlets in the pipeline 11 during milking. When cleaning, the milking units are taken away and are connected to the pipeline 11 via a pipe 14 which, as a rule, is positioned in the cleaning room. In Fig. 1 the connection of the milking units has been indicated with the outlets 14a, b, c. The air separator 10 is connected to a vacuum line 15, a milk tank 16 and a cleaning trough 17. Moreover, in the system there is a switchable tube 18, which can be connected with the milk tank 16 or the cleaning trough 17, and a pump 19 driven by a motor M for a cleaning fluid or milk- When cleaning, the milking units are connected to the pipe line 11 at the positions 13a, b, c. Vacuum prevails in the pipeline 11, since the air separator is under vacuum. Due to that fact, the milk coming from the cows is sucked through the pipeline 11 and into the air separator 10, where air mixed into the milk is sucked away through the line 15, while the milk is pumped into the milk tank 16. When cleaning, the valve 12 is readjusted, while the tube 18 is switched over so that the air separator 10 is connected to the cleaing trough 17. Moreover, the milking units are moved from the positions 13a, b, c to the cleaning room and are connected to the OMPΓ system at the positions 14a, b, c The milking units have a connection with the cleaning trough 17 so that the cleaning fluid is sucked through these ones and via the three way valve 12 into the pipeline 11, through the air separator and back to the trough 17 via the pump 19. In order that the pipe stump R shall also be cleaned , the valve 12 has to be readjusted once more so that a direct connection between the pipe 14 and the air separator 10 is created, whereafter the whole cleaning procedure comprising the moments rinsing, cleaning, rinsing and desinfection have to be made again. Since this procedure is so long-winded, the pipe stump R, as a rule, is not cleaned. In Fig. 2 is shown the novel valve arrangement which makes it possible to clean the whole pipeline 20 after that the valve 21 has been readjusted from milking position to cleaning position. According to Fig. 2 a pipeline 20 is provided with two branches 20a, b ending up at each side of a receptacle 22, which functions as a separator for the air in that milk that enters the receptacle 22. In this connection one branch 20a of the pipeline 20 is freely entering the air separator 22, while the end of the other branch 20b of the pipeline 20 is connected with the receptacle 22 by means of a valve 21. This valve 21, which is of a novel type, has been arranged in the wall of the air separator 22. There are arranged outlets 13a, b, c in the pipeline 20 in a con¬ ventional way to which the milking units are connected during the milking operation. Moreover, there are other outlets 23a, b, c for connection of means, which suitably comprises the milking units and which shall introduce a cleaning medium into the pipeline during the cleaning operation. These outlets 23a, b, c are prefer¬ ably arranged in the pipeline 20 in that branch 20b that is con- nected to the valve 21 and in the vicinity of the air separator 22. PA-PI_ WiPO ' N TlO The valve that is shown more closely in Fig. 3 comprises a valve house in the form of a pipe part 30 cooperating with a valve cone 31. The valve cone 31 is operated by a handle 33 via a bar 32 so that the valve cone can take two positions, one open position (indicated by broken lines in Figs. 2, 3, during milking and a closed position during cleaning. The bar 32 is turnably mounted in a superstructure 37 in the pipe part 30. The valve cone 31 is circular to the form and has a conical surface 34 which cooperates with a conical surface 35 in one end of the pipe part 30. The pipe part 30 can be made turnable relative to the wall of the air separator 22 and then tightens against the wall by means of a tightening lip 36 being an integral part of the pipe part 30 and extending round the pipe part 30. Due to that fact, during cleaning, the cleaning fluid through the valve is directed upwards so that also the upper part of the air separator 10 is cleaned. An essential advantage with the design of the valve is that the valve is easy to clean. In Fig. 3 the valve cone 31 is shown locked in closed position by means of the handle 33, being in engagement with the superstructure 37. The valve is in its "closed" position not more closed than that the vacuum in the air separator 22 is propagated via a gap past the valve cone 31 and into the pipe part 30, whereby a part of cleaning fluid entering the pipeline via the outlets at the posi¬ tions 23a, b, c is sucked through the valve and into the air sepa¬ rator. Due to that fact, not only the inner part of the pipe part 30 but also the valve cone 31 are cleaned. Most of the cleaning fluid, however, is sucked from the positions 23a, b, c in the other direction through the pipeline 20, since the strongest va¬ cuum is propagated from the air separator 22 through the open mouth of the branch 20a and further through the pipeline 20 to the outlets 23a, b, c. Due to that fact the whole pipeline 20 is cleaned. OΓΛPI 1 The reason why the valve shall take a closed position during cleaning is thus that the main part of the cleaning medium shall go round in the pipeline and into the air separator via the branch 20a. If the valve during cleaning should take an open position, the cleaning medium should be sucked the nearest way to the air separator, i.e. via the branch 20b, which should lead to that the main part of the pipeline should not be cleaned. According to another embodiment the valve is completely closed in closed position, whereby no cleaning fluid flows through the valve. Even in this case, however, the inner part of the pipe part 30 and the pipe stump between the pipe part 30 and the outlets 23a, b, c will be cleaned, since when introducing a cleaning fluid into the pipeline 20 via the outlets 23a, b, c being in relative vicinity to the receptacle 22, also a part of the cleaning fluid will flow towards the valve 21 and clean the walls of this one and of the pipe stump between the valve 21 and the outlets 23a, b, c. According to a further embodiment there may be at least one little opening in the pipe wall of the valve , through which opening the cleaning medium can flow during closed position of the valve. By this described invention it is possible to clean the whole pipeline entering the air separator in one single cleaning operation. The invention is, of course, not limited to the shown embodiment. Thus, a cleaning fluid can be introduced into the pipeline 20 in other ways than that one disclosed, for instance by arranging a separate pipe in the same way as is shown in Fig. 1, to which the means for introducing the cleaning fluid into the pipeline is connected. This separate pipe is connected to the pipeline 20 in the vicinity of the valve 21 via an open T-connection. This change of the apparatus according to Fig. 2 can be suitable to do from considerations of space or other considerations.

Claims: Claims 1. Apparatus in a pipeline milking plant comprising a pipeline extending round in the shed and entering a receptacle at two different positions, where air is separated from milk collected in the receptacle, the pipeline at different positions being pro¬ vided with outlets for connection of milking units which during the milking operation shall bring milk from the animals to the pipeline, said apparatus further comprising at least another outlet for connection of at least one means via which a cleaning medium can be introduced into the pipeline in the vicinity of the receptacle during the cleaning operation, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that a valve (21) connects one mouth of the pipeline (20) with the receptacle (22). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve (21) is arranged in the wall of the receptacle (22). 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that the valve (21) comprises a valve house in the form of a pipe part (30) cooperating with a valve cone (31). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve cone (31) is operated by a handle (33) via a bar (32) so that the cone (31) can take two positions, one open during milking and one closed during cleaning. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the bar (32) is turnably mounted in a superstructure (37) in the pipe part (30). 6. Apparatus according to anyone of the claims 3-5, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve (21) is completely closed in closed position. 7. Apparatus according to anyone of the claims 3-5, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve cone (31) is circular to the form and has a conical surface (34) cooperating with a conical surface (35) in one end of the pipe part (30) , a narrow gap being formed between the conical surfaces. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve (21) is turnably fastened to the wall of the receptacle (22) and has a tightening lip (36) being an integral part of the pipe part (30) and extending round the pipe part (30). 9. Apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the outlets (23a, b, c) via which the cleaning medium shall be introduced into the pipeline (20) , are made in the same (20) . 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, the pipeline (20) comprising two branches (20a, b) , one branch entering the receptacle (22) on each side of the same, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the outlets (23a, b, c) are made in that branch (20b) that is connected to the valve (21) , and in the vicinity of the same (21).

Inventors: MAEEHANS VAEINO, MAEEHANS, VAEINO
Applicants: ALFA LAVAL AGRI INT, ALFA-LAVAL AGRI INTERNATIONAL AB
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A01J7
IPC codes: A01J5, A01J7, F42B12