An implement for milking animals

Abstract: An implement for milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking parlour and a milking machine including teat cups (1) for automatically milking animals, and cleaning means for cleaning at least the teat cups (1) and the milk lines (2) connected thereto, characterized in that in at least one milk line (2), between a teat cup (1) and a computer-controlled valve (12) included in the relevant milk line (2), there is included a rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) for discharging the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning means.

Description: The present invention relates to an implement for milking animals, such as cows, according to the preamble of claim 1, and already disclosed by US-A- 52 75 124. When milking animals in a suchlike implement, it is important that the cleaning takes place easily and quickly. For that reason, in accordance with the invention, the implement is characterized in that in at least one milk line, between a teat cup and a computer-controlled valve included in the relevant milk line, there is included a rinsing fluid discharge element for discharging the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning means. In this manner a very quick rinsing fluid discharge is possible, so that the teat cups can be cleaned easily and quickly after each milking run of an animal. In a particular embodiment the rinsing fluid discharge element comprises a closing element, which closes off the outlet opening of the rinsing fluid discharge element because of the vacuum present in the milk line. This closing element releases the outlet opening of the auxiliary reservoir when the teat cup is included in a rinsing line system only intended for cleaning the teat cup, or when the teat cup is included in a rinsing line system and rinsing of the teat cup and the milk line connected thereto is ended. In other words, when the milk line system has to be cleaned and a rinsing fluid is brought into the teat cup and the milk line connected thereto in a customary manner by means of rinsing members connected to a teat cup, because of the fact that the auxiliary reservoir is then, of course, filled with rinsing fluid, said rinsing fluid will have to be discharged as soon as the teat cup is disconnected from the rinsing member. In order to avoid that the rinsing fluid flowing out of the auxiliary reservoir each time gets onto the floor and flows away, the auxiliary reservoir has an outlet opening debouching into a collecting element. In other words, the rinsing fluid is collected in the auxiliary reservoir, in particular when said rinsing fluid does not contain chemical components that are harmful for the animals, but substantially consists of water containing milk residues if any. For that purpose, in accordance with the invention, the rinsing fluid discharged via the auxiliary reservoir is supplied to an implement for supplying feed and/or beverage to an animal. In this manner, insofar as water is used as a rinsing fluid, the water containing milk residues if any, flowing out of the auxiliary reservoir, needs not to be wasted. For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically the milk line system between a teat cup and the milk container means; Figure 2 is a plan view of the connecting element, and Figure 3 shows schematically an embodiment of a milk line system including a short rinsing fluid discharge line. Figure 1 shows only one of the teat cups to be connected automatically to the teats of an animal to be milked by means of a (non-shown) milking robot. Like the other teat cups, this teat cup 1 is connected to milk container means 3 via a milk line 2. As shown in this figure, the milk container means are constituted by a milk glass. The four milk lines 2 of the teat cups debouch into said milk glass 3, while the milk glass is furthermore connected via a valve 4 to the vacuum system of the milking implement. From the milk glass 3 the milk is discharged to a (non-shown) milk tank via a valve 5 by means of a pump 6. In each of the milk lines 2 there is included an auxiliary reservoir 7. In Figure 1 this provision is only represented for one milk line. The content of the auxiliary reservoir is larger than the to be expected quantity of foremilk that is obtained at the start of the milking via the relevant teat cup 1. The content of the auxiliary reservoir is preferably approximately two to three times as large as the to be expected quantity of foremilk. Via a connecting element 8 the auxiliary reservoir 7 is in open connection with the relevant milk line 2. The connecting element 8 is constituted by a space to which the interrupted ends of a milk line 2 are connected. In the bottom of this space there is made an opening which is in direct connection with the auxiliary reservoir 7. As represented in Figure 2, both ends of the milk line 2 are connected to the connecting element 8, in a substantially horizontal plane, so as to face each other in a staggering position. A valve 12 is thereby disposed between the connecting element 8 and the milk glass 3. The auxiliary reservoir 7 is provided with an outlet valve 9 which closes off the auxiliary reservoir 7 because of the vacuum present in a milk line 2. When the valve 12 is closed and the vacuum in the milk line 2 is removed, the auxiliary reservoir 7 is no longer closed off by the outlet valve 9. Due to the pressure of the (fore)milk present in the auxiliary reservoir 7 the outlet valve 9 will easily deviate and the (fore)milk will flow into a collecting element 10. The (fore)milk collected in the collecting element 10 can be discharged via the valve 11 and a (non-shown) pump, in particular to an implement for supplying feed and/or beverage to an animal. The milk yielded by means of the teat cups will not directly flow through to the milk container means 3 due to the presence of the connecting element 8 in the milk line 2 and the opening made in the lower side of said connecting element which is in connection with the auxiliary reservoir 7, due to the fact that the connecting element constitutes a resistance for the milk stream. Said resistance is realized by the staggering interruption, in a substantially horizontal plane, in the milk line 2. Therefore the milk obtained first will fill first the auxiliary reservoir 7 via the opening at the lower side of the connecting element, while the subsequent milk stream will flow through the connecting element 8 to the milk glass 3. In practice it has appeared that the milk flowing from the teat cup 2 to the milk glass 3 does practically not mix with the foremilk present in the lower part of the auxiliary reservoir. When only the teat cups have to be cleaned, the teat cups are connected in a customary manner to rinsing members by means of which a rinsing fluid is guided in the teat cups and possibly also over the edge thereof. By closing the valve 12 provided behind the connecting element 8, the rinsing fluid can be discharged directly via the auxiliary reservoir 7; thereby the valve 11 will in principle be opened. In this manner a very quick rinsing fluid discharge is possible, so that the teat cups can be cleaned easily and quickly after each milking run of an animal. In a similar manner drying air can be pressed through the teat cups and escape via the auxiliary reservoir 7. When the teat cups and the milk line system have to be cleaned, the teat cups are connected in a customary manner to rinsing members and now also included in a rinsing line system. Like the (fore)milk, the rinsing fluid will first fill the auxiliary reservoir 7 and then be guided further to the milk glass 3 and be discharged via the valve 5 and the pump 6. In this manner the teat cups and the lines connected thereto including the milk glass 3 will be rinsed. When cleaning of the teat cups and the milk line system has ended, rinsing fluid will remain in the auxiliary reservoir 7. When the rinsing members are disconnected from the teat cups and consequently the teat cups are again in open connection with the open air, so that the vacuum is removed from the milk line 2, the rinsing fluid will get into the collecting element 10 via the outlet valve 9, in the same manner as described above for the (fore)milk present in the auxiliary reservoir, and will be discharged via the valve 11. Thereby the valve 12 is in its closed position. When it is ensured that the rinsing fluid does not contain chemical components that are harmful for the animals and only consists of water including milk residues if any, the rinsing fluid collected in the collecting element 10 can also be supplied as drinking-water to the implement for supplying feed and/or beverage to the animals. In order to make it possible to clean the teat cups 1 and the milk lines 2 after each milking run by means of a cleaning fluid, a holder 13 for cleaning means can be connected to the teat cups 1. The holder 13 for cleaning means comprises spraying members 14, by means of which the inside of the teat cups 1, the milk lines 2, as well as the upper edge 15 of the teat cups 1 can be cleaned. The cleaning fluid is supplied to the spraying members 14 via a line 16, connected to the holder 13 for cleaning means. A computer-controlled three-way valve 17 is included in the line 16. To the computer-controlled three-way valve 17 there is further connected a line 18 through which drying air can be pressed to the spraying members 14. In each of the milk lines 2 there is further included a computer-controlled valve 12, by means of which a short rinsing fluid discharge line can be obtained by closing off the valve 12. The milk lines 2 between the teat cups 1 and the computer-controlled valves 12 have a length lying between 100 cm and 200 cm and preferably being 150 cm. To each of the milk lines 2, between the teat cup 1 and the computer-controlled valve 12, there is further connected a rinsing fluid discharge element 19. Said rinsing fluid discharge element 19 comprises a line 20, extending with a first portion 21 from a milk line 2 in upward direction. The first portion 21 merges into a second bent portion 22, whose end extends horizontally. The end of the second bent portion 22 is provided with an outlet valve 9 which is freely pivotable about a horizontal pivot shaft 23. During milking, the outlet valve 9 closes off the line 20 of the rinsing fluid discharge element 19 because of the vacuum present in the milk line 2. Due to the fact that the line 20 is disposed in upward direction relative to the milk line 2, there is not collected milk and/or foremilk in the line 20, like in the previous construction. The rinsing fluid discharge element 19 exclusively serves for discharging the rinsing fluid. The function of the rinsing fluid discharge element 19 will be explained in what follows: After each milking run the teat cups 1 as well as the first part of the milk lines 2 are cleaned by means of the holder 13 for cleaning means. To that end cleaning fluid is sprayed over the edges 15 of the teat cups 1 by means of the spraying members 14 for cleaning the outside of the teat cups 1, while by means of the spraying members 14 there is also sprayed a cleaning fluid, such as a water-caustic solution, into the teat cups 1 and the milk lines 2. After a fixed period of time the computer-controlled valves 12 are automatically closed so that the teat cups 1 and the portions of the milk lines 2 located between the teat cups and the computer-controlled valve 12 will completely be filled with cleaning fluid. Then the computer-controlled three-way valve 16 is operated so that the line 18 is connected with the holder 13 for cleaning means. In this manner, via the spraying members 14, there is brought drying air into the teat cups 1 and the milk line 2. By means of the drying air the rinsing fluid is pressed out of the teat cups 1 and the milk lines 2, such that by opening the outlet valves 9 the rinsing fluid is allowed to leave the milk lines 2. Due to the cleaning of the teat cups 1 and the milk lines 2 by blowing drying air, rinsing fluid residues are prevented from remaining in the teat cups and the milk lines 2, and from mixing with the milk, as a result thereof, during a next working run. After the teat cups 1 and the milk lines 2 have been cleaned, the holder 13 for cleaning means is removed, the computer-controlled valves 12 are opened and the teat cups 1 can again be connected to the teats of an animal to be milked, after which the valves 9 close automatically because of the vacuum in the milk lines 2.

Claims: An implement for milking animals, such as cows, comprising a milking parlour and a milking machine including teat cups (1) for automatically milking animals, and cleaning means for cleaning at least the teat cups (1) and the milk lines (2) connected thereto, characterized in that in at least one milk line (2), between a teat cup (1) and a computer-controlled valve (12) included in the relevant milk line (2), there is included a rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) for discharging the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning means. An implement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) comprises a closing element (9), which closes off the outlet opening of the rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) because of the vacuum present in the milk line (2). An implement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the closing element (9) releases the outlet opening of the rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) when after milking a teat cup (1) and the short milk line (2) connected thereto are rinsed. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19) comprises a line (20) connected with one end to the milk line (2) and whose other end is provided with the closing element (9). An implement as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the line (20) extends with a first portion (21) from the milk line (2) in upward direction, which first portion (21) merges into a second bent portion (22). An implement as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the closing element (9), near the end of the second bent portion (22), is constituted by a freely pivotable outlet valve (9). An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning means comprise a holder (13) for cleaning means including spraying members (14) capable of being connected to the teat cups (1). An implement as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that to the holder (13) for cleaning means there is connected a drying air line (18), by means of which, after cleaning, the rinsing fluid can be pressed out of the teat cups (1) and the short milk lines (2) to the rinsing fluid discharge element (7, 19). An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the implement comprises a milking robot for automatically connecting the teat cups (1) to the teats of an animal to be milked, respectively disconnecting same therefrom.

Inventors: VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL
Applicants: MAASLAND NV, MAASLAND N.V.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A01J5
IPC codes: A01J5