Improvements in Apparatus for Milking Cows.
Year: 1889

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 27th day of April 1894,
allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of
this Specification.
Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1890-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Milking Cows.
I, WILLIAM MURCHLAND, of 13 Bank Street, Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the constructing and combining of apparatus
for milking cows in an improved manner and so as whilst operating more naturally
and less roughly, to be more economical than the ordinary milking process.
In carrying out my Invention according to one modification which is suitable for a
byre I arrange two tanks connected by a pipe with one at the distance above the other
of about twelve feet or at a height which is that of a column of water corresponding
to the degree of vacuum or sucking action which it is considered desirable to apply to
the cows' teats. The upper tank is connected by a pipe to a pump, and its upper part
communicates with a main suction pipe to which branch suction pipes are connected,
the tank being otherwise closed. When the pump, is worked it draws air from the
upper tank and from the main suction pipe and branches but the degree of vacuum
cannot exceed what corresponds to the column of water in the pipe connecting the
upper and lower tanks. Or the pump may be arranged to pump water from the lower
tank up into the upper tank, from which latter the water may be allowed to run back
into the lower tank when the milking process is in operation.
Mouthpieces which may be of, or lined with brass or any other suitable metal or
rigid material are provided for application to the cows' teats. These mouthpieces are
made internally smooth for a short distance inwards from their outer edges or lips.
but at their inner parts they are corrugated or grooved so as not to bear closely
all round on the ends and parts near the ends of the teats. Each mouthpiece is
provided with a stopcock and is connected by a flexible tube to a collector or junction
piece from which a single delivering pipe proceeds. When the mouthpieces have
been applied to a cow's teats and their stopcocks are open the sucking action causes
the milk to flow from the teats into the collector and to be thence delivered into the
receptacle provided for it, and which is in communication with a branch suction pipe.
The receptacles may be suitable glass vessels from which the milk can be afterwards
transferred to ordinary milk vessels; or ordinary barrels, tubs, or other vessels of a
closed kind may be used as the receptacles. But when a receptacle is used which is
not of glass, a glass connecting piece is provided having a rubber washer or other
suitable device to allow of its being quickly applied to the receptacle in a sufficiently
airtight manner. The glass connecting piece, which may be in the form of a cover
adapted to close the inlet aperture of the receptacle or in any other convenient form,
s fitted with two pipes one connected to one of the branch suction pipes and the other
to the collector_Dine.. Or the branch suction pipe may be connected to the collector

page_text: or junction piece but so as not to interfere with the flow of the milk. to the receptacle.
It is a special feature of my improved apparatus that it is arranged so that the milk is
not drawn through a pump. The glass receptacle or glass connecting piece will enable
the attendants to see when any receptacle is full, and when any cow's milk has ceased
to flow.
Where the situation of a byre or milking station is convenient for it, and a fall of
about twelve feet below the milking floor is obtainable, the mouthpieces and collecting
apparatus may be connected to the upper end of a pipe having its lower end arranged
to deliver into any suitable receptacle or receptacles. A check valve preventing access of
air up into the pipe or a stopcock is fitted at the lower end, and the action of the apparatus
is started hy exhausting some air from the pipe by means of a pump or other suitable
apparatus. As soon as the pipe becomes filled with milk the bottom stopcock is opened
or the valve opens and the weight of the milk in the pipe causes the sucking or milking
action to continue without further exhaustion being required. Apparatus like a gas
holder may be conveniently applied for exhausting the interior of the bell being con-
nected to the milking pipe whilst a weight attached to a rope passing over a pulley to
the bell draws up the bell and produces the desired vacuum and will maintain it in
the event of air leaking into the pipes.
Where there is a sufficient supply of water by gravitation pumping will be
unnecessary; and where desired a farm pump or other ordinary lift pump may be
used; but in cases where water is filled into an upper tank by pumping or otherwise
it will generally be desirable to provide two upper tanks so that one can be filled
whilst the other is in action.
In all the modifications provision may be made to vary the degree of sucking action
so that, for example stiff or dour cows may be made to yield their milk freely."
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of September 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Apparatus for Milking Cows.
I, WILLIAM MURCHLAND, of 13 Bank Street, Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement ;-that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the constructing and combining of apparatus
for milking cows in an improved manner, and so as whilst operating more naturally
and less roughly to be more economical than the ordinary milking process.
In carrying out my Invention suction is applied to the cows' teats, but a-special
feature of my arrangements is that the milk is not drawn through a pump
According to-another according to an important feature of my Invention the degree of
suction or vacuum which is used is regulated by a column of liquid which liquid mar
in some cases be the cows-milk-itself; and although pumping or equivalent means
is employed to produce the suction, being in some cases-required-only when starting
the milking operation; any increase in the pumping action beyond what is necessary
and corresponds to the column of liquid, merely draws air up through the column
without materially affecting the degree of vacuum acting inside the apparatus. 1
believe that a column of liquid of a vertical length of about twelve feet is in most
cases sufficient, but the length may be varied if found desirable in any case, and
with stiff or dour cows a greater suction may be applied to make them yield their
milk freely.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets one sheet of explanatory

page_text: drawings to be hereinafter referred to in describing my various apparatus and
arrangements.
Figures, 1, and 2, on-sheet, 1; of the drawings are sectional elevations as 'at right
angles to each other showing a modification applicable to existing byres of a common
kind. Figures, 3, and 4, are an elevation and a plan of one modification of teat cup ;
and figures, 5, and 6, are a sectional elevation and plan of a receptacle or milk
vessel to be used with the arrangements shown in figures, 1, and 2. Figure, 7, on
sheet 2 is a vertical section showing a modification which may be advantageously
used in cases in which provision can be conveniently-made-for-receiving the milk at a
level sufficiently below the floor of the byre. Figure, S, is-a-vertical-section of a
modified form of the teat-cup. In these drawings the same reference numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
:
In the modification shown in figures, 1, and 2, I arrange two tanks, 11, 12, con-
nected by a pipe, 13, with one, 11, at the distance above the other of about twelve
feet or at such a height as to allow of their being a column of water in the pipe and
tanks corresponding to the degree of vacuum or sucking action which it is considered
desirable to apply to the cows teats. The upper tank, 11, which is otherwise closed,
has connected to its top a pipe, 14, a branch pipe, 15, from which is connected to a
pump, 16; and the pipe, 14, also communicates with main pipes, 17, extending along
over the stalls of the byre, and having stopcocks, 18, to which branch flexible pipes, 19,
can be attached. When the pump, 16, is worked it draws air from the upper tank, 11,
and from the pipes, 14, 17, and also from any flexible branch pipe, 19, when its stop-
cock, 18, is open; but the degree of vacuum cannot exceed what corresponds to the
column of water in the pipe, 13, connecting the upper and lower tanks, 11, 12.
Mouthpieces or cups, 20, are provided for application to the cows' teats, and each is
fitted with a stopcock, 21, on the nozzle of which a short length of flexible tubing, 22,
can be secured. The other ends of the tubes, 22, from the four teat cups for a cow
are secured on nozzles, 23, fitted to a milk receptacle or collector, 24, their inner ends
entering just below a circular aperture, 25, formed in the top of the receptacle. The
aperture, 25, is closed by a glass disk, 26, which rests on a rubber ring or washer
held in the neck of the receptacle, and which when wetted is held close by
atmospheric pressure on suction being applied to the receptacle. The receptacle, 24,
is fitted with a-fifth nozzle, 27, on which a branch flexible pipe, 19, is secured
when a cow is to be milked. All necessity for attending to possible movements
of a cow whilst being milked is avoided by suspending the receptacle, 24, by
means of a strap, 28, passing over the cow's back, this strap being provided with
eyes at its ends to engage on hooks, 29, fixed on the receptacle, 24, for the
purpose; so that if the cow moves she will carry the receptacle with her and it
will always be in the proper position. The attendant can at any time see through
the glass cover or disk, 26, whether milk is passing into the receptacle, 24, and
can ascertain when a milking is completed.
The mouthpieces or teat cups, 20, may be made of brass or other suitable metal
or rigid material, and of a simple form and with a plain smooth interior as shown
in figures, 3, and 4. Or the tent exps may be made as shown-in-figure, &, that
is-to-say, with an outer metal shell, 30, in the open end of which there is
inserted a short-slightly coned tube, 31, of rubber-or--other suitable elastie-or
compressible material. To the inner end of the rubber tube, 31, there is attached,
by having the rubber a little-stretched over its-end, a tube, 32, of thin-copper or
other suitable metal which is perforated with a number of holes to-di..inish the
extent of metallic surface in contact with the teat and to allow of the tent being
kept in a moist-state. Also for the purpose last mentioned the tap, 21, is placed
neur-the open end of the eup-so-that-the-milk-passes-to-it-round the outside-of
the inner perforated tube, 32.
Where-the situation of a byre or milking station is convenient for it, and-a-fall
of about twelve-feet below the milking door-is-obtainable, an arrangement-similar
to that shown in figure, 7, may be adopted. The mouthpieces or teat-cups muy

page_text: 一
be connected to the upper end of a pipe, 33, having its lower end arranged to
deliver into any suitable-receptaele, 31. A check valve, 35, preventing necess of
air up into the pipe. 33. or a stopcock is fitted at the lower end, and the nation
of the apparatus is started by exhausting some air from the pipe. 33, by means
of a pump, 16, or other suitable apparatus. As soon as the pipe, 33, becomes
filled with milk-the-bottom-stopeeck is opened or the check valve, 35, opens und
the weight of the milk in the pipe, 33, causes the sucking or milking nction to
continue without further-exhaustion-being-required. The check valve, 35, is shown
as provided with a flout-lever, 30, which keeps-the-valve open-when-there is
sufficient milk in the receptuele, 31, to cover the bottom of the pipe, 33. The
pipe, 33, has connected to its upper end horizontal-pipes, 37, made-in-separate
lengths coupled together, and fitted with stopcocks, o$, upon the nozzles of which
may be secured the flexible-pipes connected to the various sets of tent-enps. The
pipe lengths, 37, can-be-detached for being cleaned, and more-or-lewer of them
ean-be-coupled-up-as-may-be required on each occasion, an open-end-or branch
being closed by a plug when a pipe length-is-not-connected to it. A glass
vessel, 30,-with-a-pipe, 40, leading from-the-top of it to the pump,-10, has its
bottom-and-connected to the pipe, 33, and the attendant-working-the-pump-con
see when enough air has been exhausted by the entering of milk up into the
glass-vessel.
The sucking action or exhaustion may be produced in any suitable known way,
provided that the degree of vacuum is regulated by means of a column of liquid
of suitable length, whereby the vacuum is prevented from becoming excessive.
For example, the upper tank, 11, figures, 1, and 2, may be nearly filled with
water by pumping, or by gravitation where a supply by gravitation is available
the column pipe, 13, being closed whilst filling the tank, 11, and provision being
made for the escape of air. Then when the apparatus is to operate, any openings
by which air might reenter being closed, the stopcock on the pipe, 13, is opened,
and the water flowing down that pipe produces the required sucking action.
many cases it will be convenient to provide two upper tanks (11) with connecting
pipes and stopcocks arranged so that one may be filled whilst the other is in
action and being emptied.
In
Apparatus like a gas holder may be conveniently applied for exhausting, the
interior of the bell being connected to the milking pipes, whilst a weight attached
to a rope passing over a pulley draws up the bell and produces the required
vacuum, and will maintain it in the event of air leaking into the pipes. This
arrangement may be used in combination with the regulating liquid column; or
if the weight used to draw up the bell is carefully adjusted so as not to produce
a degree of vacuum exceeding what is considered sufficient and best-the liquid
column may be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1-The combination of parts constituting the modification of my improved
milking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures I,
and 2, of the accompanying drawings.
2 The combination of parts constituting the modification of my improved
milking apparatus substantially-as-hereinbefore described with reference-to-figure, 7,
of the accompanying drawings.
32-In milking apparatus, the connecting of a pipe from air-exhausting apparatus
to a milk receptacle or collector which is separately connected to the teat cups,
combined with the application of a liquid column to regulate the degree of
exhaustion, substantially as herein before described.
43-Combining with the other parts of the milking apparatus, the employment
of apparatus like a gas holder the bell of which is drawn up by a suitable weight,
for exhausting the air, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 5 The construction of milk receptuele-or-collector-substantially-as hereinbefore.
described-with reference to figures, 5, and 6, of the accompanying drawings.
6 The improved construction of tent cup or mouth-piece substantially na
hereinbefore described with reference-to-figure, S.-of-the-necompanying-drawings:
Dated this Twenty-third day of June 1890
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agont.