Year: 1897

page_text: $
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190, Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to vacuum milking machines and it has for its object
to improve and simplify their construction.
At present with pulsating vacuum milking machines the milk, during the
milking operation, is caused to surge backwards and forwards in, the pipe leading
from the teat cups to the milk pail. My invention is mainly designed to over-
come this drawback by providing improved pulsating mechanism and accessories.
This invention is a development of the inventions described in the Specifica-
tions of my prior Patents No. 10259", 832592, 146384, 6997 and 927396.
The pulsating apparatus (which is in some respects similar to that described in
the Specification of my prior Patent 832592) consists of a cylinder or casing
which is fitted on a base plate and is open at its lower end. In this cylinder
is a plunger which has a reduced part or passage way at or near its centre. The
plunger is reciprocated within the cylinder so as to cause the pulsations by means
of a vacuum motor of the same character as that described in the Specification
of my prior Patent No. 9273% or of any other suitable and well known type;
or the plunger may be reciprocated by clockwork mechanism. The base plate,
which is preferably arranged to carry the vacuum motor or clockwork mechanism
as well as the pulsator cylinder, is adapted to be fitted on the milk pail in such
a manner that the vacuum in the pail can act on and drive the motor and also
act on the lower end of the plunger aforesaid.
66
The cylinder of the pulsator has two lateral branches, or equivalent; one a
vacuum and milk branch near its lower end and one an air admission branch.
The lower branch (and also, if necessary, the upper branch) may be inclined
upwards at an angle and its end cut away at a slant. Fitted in connection with
the lower branch is a flexible or other pipe leading to the milk chamber of the
claw or four branched base piece of the teat cups whilst fitted in connection
with the upper branch is a second pipe leading also to the said milk chamber.
The cylinder is also provided with a lateral branch having an automatically
controlled air admission or vacuum destroying valve. This valve is arranged
to admit, at the proper times, air to the annular space around the reduced part
of the plunger and to the aforesaid upper branch of the cylinder in order to
reduce the vacuum at the teat cups to the desired pulsation minimum.
Communication is or may be provided between the annular space of the
plunger and the interior of the milk pail by means of a small passage way or
groove in the plunger or the cylinder.

page_text: The lower or vacuum branch is, where it communicates with the interior of
the cylinder, made with a slightly elongated and somewhat oval or pear shaped
opening for the purpose of allowing a gradual increase of vacuum at the leat
cups at each pulsation.
if desired the plunger can be made in two separate parts suitably jointed
together.
When a number of cows are being milked simultaneously, in order to prevent
the destruction or reduction of the vacuum in each milk pail by the admission
of air to the byre pipes through the teat cups of one cow falling off or from
other cause the byre cocks to which the pipes leading to the milk pails are
connected are provided with or fitted in conjunction with a cut off device con-
sisting of a chamber having a light ball or other valve therein which immediately
on the destruction of the vacuum in the main byre pipe closes down on its seat
and thereby cuts off communication with the local milk pail.
In order to prevent oil from the motor gaining access to the milk an oil trap
or cup is provided.
The pulsating mechanism is enclosed within a suitable cover or casing which
can, when desired, be readily removed.
By having the two pipe connections one for the passage of air to destroy the
vacuum at the teat cups to the minimum at each pulsation and the other for the
passage of the milk and for the vacuum, the detrimental churning of the milk
in the ripes is obviated.
By making the lower or vacuum branch of the cylinder inclined and with
the end cut at a slant not only is the free flow of the milk permitted but should
the teat cups fall off the flexible pipe connection will bend down over the mouth
of the branch and prevent ingress of air to the milk pail and so prevent unneces-
sary loss of vacuum.
Dated this 6th day of Nogombo 180*
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
'
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190, Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., 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:-
:-
This invention relates to vacuum milking machines and it has for its object
to improve and simplify their construction.
At present with pulsating vacuum milking machines the milk, during the
milking operation, is caused to surge backwards and forwards in the pipe leading
from the teat cups to the milk pail. My invention is mainly designed to over-
come this drawback by providing improved pulsating mechanism and accessories.
The invention is a development of the inventions described in the Specifica-
tions of my prior Patents No. 10259º¹, 8325%, 14638%, 699795 and 9273
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,

page_text: Fig. 1 is a front view,. (partly sectioned) of the apparatus shown sitting upon
a milk pail which latter is broken away.
.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus the casing being removed.
Fig. 3 is a view of the apparatus showing the pipe connections and milk pail.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of the pulsator mechanism. The
section at Fig. 5 is taken at right angles to that at Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 is a detail view.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference numerals wherever
repeated indicate the same parts.
The vacuum pulsating apparatus (which, is in some respects similar to that
described in the Specification of my prior Patent No. 8325 of 1892) consists of
a cylinder 1 which is fitted on the base plate 2 and is open at its lower end, 3,
so as to communicate with the interior of the milk pail 4., which latter may be
of the construction generally used with vacuum milking machines. In the
cylinder is a plunger 5 which has a reduced part 5" forming, as shown in Fig. 4,
with the wall of the cylinder, an annular passage or port 6. The plunger is
reciprocated within the cylinder 1, so as to cause the vacuum to pulsate, by means
of a vacuum motor preferably of the same character as that described in the
Specification of my prior Patent No. 9273 of 1896 although any other suitable
and well known type of vacuum or other motor may be used. The motor shown
upon the drawings consists, generally, of the trunk cylinders 7 and 7 with their
pistons or plungers 8, 8, the automatic valve 9 for controlling the action of
the motor, and the spindle screw valve 10 for regulating the vacuum supply to
the motor, 11 is the rock shaft operated by the pistons 8, 8%, and this rock
shaft, by means of the arm 13 and link 14, reciprocates the plunger or piston 5.
The base plate 2, which is provided with a downward and tapered extension 2ª
which fits, plug like, into the mouth 4 of the milk pail, carries the vacuum
motor as well as the pulsating mechanism as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.
The vacuum in the pail exerts a sucking action upon the lower end of the
plunger 5. A small hole 12 (see dotted lines Figs. 1 and 2) leads from the
valve 9 to and through the underside of the base plate 2 so that the vacuum in
the pail can drive the motor. The orifice of the vacuum passage.12 can be
regulated, so as to admit more vacuum from the pail or lessen the admission,
by means of the screw-spindle valve 10. By this arrangement the speed of the
vacuum motor can be easily controlled.
15 is a rubber, packing ring.
The cylinder 1 of the pulsator has two lateral branches, one 16, a vacuum and
milk branch, near its lower end, and one 17 an air admission branch. The
lower branch 16 (and also, if necessary, the upper branch 17) is inclined up-
wards at an angle, as shown at Fig. 5, and has its end 16 cut away at a slant.
Fitted in connection with this lower branch 16 is a flexible pipe 18 leading to
the milk chamber of the "claw" or four branched base piece 19 of the leat
cups whilst, fitted in connection with the upper branch 17, there is a
second pipe 20 leading also to the said milk chamber. The cylinder 1 is also
provided with a lateral branch 21 having upon it an automatically controlled
air admission or vacuum destroying valve 22. The valve 22 is arranged with its
rubber face bearing against the seat 23 round the opening in the partition 24
and it is normally held in this position by the spring 25, which bears against
the plate 25" (or a three armed guide) which latter is connected, by means of
the screw 26, to the valve 22. As will be seen the valve is enclosed in a casing 27,
fitted on the branch 21, and provided with a perforated cover 28.
Air holes or
passages are made in the plate 25 which latter, when necessary, can be screwed
upon the screw 26 so as to regulate the tension of the spring 25.
Communication is provided between the annular space 6 of the plunger 5 and
the interior of the milk pail by means of a small passage way or groove, 30,
in the plunger or the cylinder. The tension of the spring 25 is so adjusted
that, when the plunger 5 is in the position shown at Fig. 4, i.e. with the

page_text: passage 6 in communication with the pipes 17 and 21 the full suction in the
milk pail, acting upon the valve 22 (owing to the groove 30) will overcome
the spring 25 and open the valve thereby allowing air to gain admission to the
pipes 17, 18, and teat cups and destroy the vacuum in the cups down to a point
(the minimum) when the power of the spring 25 will be sufficient to overcome
the reduced suction and again close the valve. When the plunger is in the
position, Fig. 5, communication between the branch 21 and pipe 17 is cut off,
whilst, when the plunger is in the position Fig. 4, communication between the
pail and the pipe 16 is cut off.
The lower or vacuum branch 16 is, where it communicates with the interior
of the cylinder 1, made with a slightly elongated and somewhat oval or pear
shaped opening 16b (see also Fig. 5).
If desired, the plunger can be made in two separate parts suitably jointed
together.
When a number of cows are being milked simultaneously, in order to prevent
the destruction or reduction of the vacuum in each milk pail, by the admission
of air to the byre pipes through the teat cups of one cow falling off or from
other cause, the byre cocks, to which the pipes leading to the milk pails are
connected, are provided with, or fitted in conjunction with, a cut off device con-
sisting of a hollow chamber 31 having a downward extension into which one
branch of the byre cock is screwed and also a light ball valve 32 in it, which
valve, immediately on the destruction of the vacuum in the main byre pipe 33,
closes down on its seat, formed by or on the end of the branch of the byre cock
or round. the orifice of the extension of the chamber, and thereby cuts off com-
munication between the byre pipe and the local milk pail. In Fig. 3, 34 is
the byre cock and 35 the vacuum pipe connection leading to the pail 4.
In order to prevent oil from the motor gaining access to the milk an oil trap
or cup is preferably provided below the orifice 12 in the plate 2.
The pulsating mechanism and motor are enclosed within a suitable cover or
casing 36 which can, when desired, be readily removed. This casing may have
a handle 37 and be clamped in place by screws 38.
By having the two pipe connections one for the passage of air to destroy the
vacuum at the teat cups to the minimum at each pulsation and the other for
the passage of the milk and for the vacuum, the detrimental churning of the
milk in the milk pipe is obviated.
By making the lower or vacuum branch of the cylinder inclined and with
the end cut at a slant not only is the free flow of the milk permitted, but,
should the teat cups fall off, the flexible pipe connection 18 will bend down over
the mouth of the branch and prevent ingress of air to the milk pail and so pre-
vent unnecessary loss of vacuum.
The movements of the plunger 5 produce the pulsations and as the opening 16
is, as shown at Fig. 5, of a pear shape the vacuum acting upon the teat cups
is at first gradually increased, from the minimum and then more quickly in-
creased until the maximum is reached (in accordance with the uncovering of the
passage 16 at the upstroke of the plunger 5). On the down stroke of the
plunger the vacuum action is reversed as it is at first quickly and then more
slowly reduced from the maximum to the minimum.
The groove 30 ensures that a minimum vacuum shall always act upon the
teat cups.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. In milking machines, vacuum pulsating mechanism constructed and
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings
annexed..

page_text: 2. In milking machines, the combination with the pulsating mechanism, cf
means, substantially as set forth, for preventing churning of the milk in the
milk pipe.
Dated this 6th day of September 1898.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.