IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR MILKING Cows
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Basil Crees, of Ilminster, in the County of
Somerset, Bank Manager, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MODE OF AND
APPARATUS FOR MILKING Cows."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Basil Crees at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd September 1881.
ALBERT BASIL CREES, of Ilminster, in the County of Somerset, Bank Manager.
"IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR MILKING Cows."
Heretofore various attempts have been made to milk cows by machinery without
applying direct manual pressure to the teats; these attempts have principally gone
in the direction of abstracting the milk by suction. Now according to my
Invention, I imitate the action of the hand in the usual hand milking by the
application of an even or practically even pressure along or down the teat by the
use of rolling travelling appliances. The apparatus for carrying out this mode
may be constructed as follows:-I mount in suitable light and noncorrosive
framing two pairs of upper and two pairs of lower rollers, and connect each upper
and corresponding lower roller by means of bands, say, of leather, such bands
having longitudinal rollers mounted thereon, and by preference in elastic bearings
or fittings so as to roll freely round their axes, and so as to yield to a certain
extent. The pairs of rollers are by means of a handle, and by wheel or other
gearing made to revolve so that the aforesaid bands with their rollers have a
descending motion on the inner sides. The teats are two and two acted upon by
the said rollers, and an even descending rolling pressure is thus constantly applied
to them. Between the upper and the corresponding lower roller I may place a
bar, having a friction roller on each side for the band to take its bearing against.
The apparatus may conveniently be made mainly of tin. It may rest in the
pail on three legs which may be made adjustable as to height.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Basil Crees in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd March 1882.
ALBERT BASIL CREES, of Ilminster, in the County of Somerset, Bank Manager.
"IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR MILKING Cows."
Heretofore various attempts have been made to milk cows by machinery without
applying direct manual pressure to the teats; these attempts have principally gone
in the direction of abstracting the milk by suction. Now according to my
Invention, I imitate the action of the hand in the usual hand milking by the
applications of an even or practically even pressure along or down the teat by the
use of rolling travelling appliances.
And in order that this my Invention may be more fully understood, I will now
describe one mode of carrying it into effect.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation; Figure 2, an end
elevation Figure 3, a plan; and Figure 4, a vertical longitudinal section of a
milking machine attached to a pail; Figure 5 is a detail view; and Figure 6
shows another mode of fixing or supporting the machine.
The framing of the machine consists mainly of the two side parts A, A, and
the two cross stretchers B, B, which have screwed ends with nuts B¹; the sides
A, A, are also united by the hollow stretcher C which serves as a bearing for the
driving spindle D with handle E. On each end of the driving spindle D is fixed
a tooth wheel F, which by the pinions G1, G2, G³, on each side of the frame
transmits motion at an increased speed to the short, spindles g₁, g², g³, which run
in bosses or bearings in the side frames A; on the spindles g³, g³, are also fixed
similar pinions G*, which by gearing into pinions G4 transmit revolving motion to
the short spindles g*.
Directly above the short spindles g', g², g³, g, there are other short spindles
1, 2, 3, 4, by means of endless chains H; inside the frames A motion is trans-
mitted from the lower spindles g¹, g³, g³, gª, to the upper spindles h', h³, h³, h*;
these chains work on enlarged parts or bosses on the inner ends of the spindles,
and these bosses should have small sprockets or lugs (or flats) corresponding to the
pitch or length of links of the chains to prevent slipping. I, I, are 'springs for
keeping the chains taut.
It will be observed that the machine is narrower at one end, to the left, that is,
towards the tail of the cow than at the other end, which is towards the head of the
cow; the hind teats are closer together than the front teats, and the space between
the hind thighs of the cow is so, limited that the machine has to be contracted
at this place. For these reasons also the pinions G* are put as close against the
frames of the machine as possible.
The chains H are crossways of the machine, connected two and 'two by two
light spindles 1, 2, 3, k, by preference hollow, for stiffness sake, as shewn; on
these spindles are fixed india rubber rollers K1, K2, K³, K*, respectively.
Figure 5 is a detail view which illustrates the mode in which these spindles are
supported at their ends. Their bearings L are blocks or "brasses" placed in sockets M
that are fixed to the chains H. The helical springs m tend to force the brasses L
outward in their sockets, M, and thus afford the required elasticity so that the
rollers will adapt themselves to the varying sizes of teats. The frames A have
inner flanges at top for the purpose of keeping dirt and wet from the chains, and
to prevent the cow's teats from contact therewith.
I would here remark that Figures 3 and 4 show the rollers K', K³, in a different
position to that of the rollers K³ and K', in order to illustrate the action, but in
practice they are intended to be in corresponding positions; these rollers may be
made of solid rubber.

page_text: The machine is here shown fitted with four legs N which are dropped into
corresponding tubes or sockets n fixed to the pail O, which is of a partly oval
section, but somewhat flattened, behind where there is but little room because of
the cow's hind legs. The legs N rest on helical springs in the tubes n, as shewn
at Figure 4, and these springs facilitate the adjusting of the machine in the proper
height above the pail according to the height of the cow; the legs have holes
through at certain distances apart for the insertion of a peg p for fixing the legs in
position; or this may be done by thumb screws pressing on the legs.
The pail has a handle P, which when held between the legs of the milker serves
to hold the pail and machine sufficiently steady while milking, and also to follow
the movements of the cow as is often required. The pail may be made of any
other suitable form and construction, and the machine need not be connected to
the pail in the manner just described, but, for instance, in the manner shewn at
Figure 6, where the machine frames A are continued out to one side or end and
hinged to one side of a pail O at A³, and at the other end by a rod R with right
and left hand running socket or nut R¹ are connected to the other side of the
pail; the nut R' affords a ready means for raising and lowering the machine, as
required. S is a spout for conveying the milk into the pail, or the machine need
not be connected to the pail at all.: The machine may thus, for instance, be connected
to a stool by a leg or bracket which can be fixed in the required height in a socket
on the stool by means of a thumb screw, or be connected to the stool by hinges.
The pail may then be placed on one side of the cow, and the milk be conveyed to
it by a spout on the machine.
All the parts of the machine should be of non corrosive material, for instance,
tinned, or nickelled, or galvanized metal; the rollers K', K², K³, K4, which come in
direct contact with the teats should be of pure rubber.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The machine is placed under the cow
so that the two hind teats come between the rollers K and K³ and the two front
teats between the rollers K² and K', the height of the machine above the ground
being adjusted so that the teats pass well down between the said rollers; the milker
then, as regards the machine, Figures 1 to 4, grasps the pail handle P between his
knees in a sitting position.
By turning the handle E with his right hand the endless chains H are carried
round in the direction of the arrows and the rollers K¹, K2, K³, K', therewith; as
the rollers descend, as shewn in regard to the rollers K1, K2, Figure 4, the teats are
squeezed between them, the roller spindles revolving freely in their bearings L.
The teats are thus exposed to a squeezing rolling action.
And having thus deseribed and ascertained the nature of this Invention and
how the same is or may be carried into effect, I declare that I claim,―
First. In milking machines the application of rolling travelling appliances for
squeezing the teats, substantially as described.
Second. In milking machines the application of rollers connected to endless
chains or bands for squeezing the teats, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination of parts forming the improved travelling roller milking
machine, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Basil Crees, hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.