Patent GB-824758-A (GB)
Title: Milk metering device
IPC: G01F3/38
Filed: 1958-03-24
Abstract: 824,758. Milking machines. BUILDER, T. C. March 24, 1958 [March 29, 1957], No. 9310/58. Class 84. [Also in Group XXIX] A milk metering device includes a milk chamber 10 and a measuring chamber 11, a connecting tube 12 between the chambers, means controlled by a float assembly 17, 18 for closing the connection 12 when the chamber 11 is filled to a predetermined extent, restricted air inlet means 23 to the chamber 11 arranged to admit atmospheric air to that chamber when the connection 12 is closed, means 14, 15 for connecting both chambers 10, 11 to the suction of a milking machine and means 13 for connecting the chamber 10 to a set of teat cups. The connecting tube 12 is provided at one side with a hole 16, Fig. 4, through which the milk may pass from the chamber 10. The float 18 is centred in the tube 12 by pins 21 projecting radially from it. The lower float 17 is provided with a rubber gasket ring 22 which seals the outlet from the connecting tube 12 into the measuring chamber 11 when the float assembly 17, 18 rises to its uppermost position. An air valve 23 in the chamber 11 is self closing but in operating connection with the float so as to open when the float rises to its top position. The valve consists of a member 24, Fig. 4, which is freely slidable in a hole 25. When the float 17 rises a projection 26 on the float pushes the head of the valve member 24 off its seating, thus connecting the interior of the measuring chamber 11 to the atmosphere through the hole 27. A counter 31 is automatically operated by the movement of the float 18, by means of two permanent magnets of which one 32 is mounted in the float assembly, while the other is contained within a casing 33, it being oscillatable on a pin and operatively connected by a detent and ratchet wheel with a pointer 30 of a counter 31. During the operation of the apparatus a partial vacuum is established by the milking machine and consequently within the chambers 10, 11. When, due to suction, milk and air enter the chamber 10 from the teat cups through the inlet 13 the milk immediately passes through the connecting tube 12 into the measuring chamber 11 and the air is drawn through the outlet 14. When the chamber 11 is full the buoyancy of the float assembly causes the valve 23 to be opened and the air entering destroys the partial vacuum and forces the milk through the outlet 15 into the milking machine. When the discharge is complete air is drawn from the emptied measuring chamber at a rate much faster than the intake of air through the hole .27 so that the required under pressure is rapidly reestablished in the measuring chamber thus permitting the float assembly to drop and the air valve to close. During each rise of the float assembly 17, 18 the magnet 32 acts on the oscillating magnet to cause the pointer 30 of the counter 31 to progress by a single step. In a modification shown in Fig. 6, two chambers 10a, 11a, are connected by a tube 12a containing a float 18a. The lower end of the tube 12a is closed by a sealing gasket 22a when the milk reaches a predetermined height above the top of the chamber 11a. A transparent measuring tube 34a is connected by its lower end to an outlet in the bottom of the measuring chamber 11a. The upper end of the tube 34a is adapted to be connected to the suction of a milking machine. The tube 34a is calibrated in terms of milk from one to ten pounds and a coloured float 35 is free to move up and down as the milk level changes. At the upper end of the tube 34a is an enlarged portion 34 which allows the milk to flow around the ball 35. In operation the measuring chamber 11a is fitted and discharged as in the first embodiment. It is necessary for the operator to count the number of times it is discharged for each cow.