An Improved Vacuum Controlling Apparatus to be used in connection with Milking Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
An Improved Vacuum Controlling Apparatus to be used in
connection with Milking Machines.
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 milking machines, and it has for its object to save
vacuum energy or power, by preventing the vacuum pulsations from being com-
municated to the air tight or other milk pail or receptacle, so that the latter is
kept at a uniform vacuum pressure.
The invention consists in fitting on, to, or in connection with the milk pail or
receptacle, a small hollow vulcanite or metal controlling vessel, baving, preferably,
a tapered or coned bottom. From the apex of the cone, is connected a pipe, which
leads to, or projects into, the interior of the milk receptacle. The pipe connection
may be made one with the vessel.
The controlling vessel is or may be closed by a bung of vulcanized india-rubber,
or cork, or may have a cap or other suitable air-tight closing device. Through
the bung, or the like, two pipes are led, one pipe being connected to the milking
teat cups, and the other being connected to the pulsating machine. Both of these
pipes are, or may be, fitted with suitable stop cocks or valves, for opening and
closing the pipes. The pipe from the teat cups, is, by preference, made to project
further into the vessel than the other pipe. The plug may also be fitted with a
ring or. handle, or other suitable means for pulling it out of place, when desired.
The controlling vessel may be fitted, on its outside, with a ring or washer, of
india-rubber, cork, or the like, to enable it to be fitted to milk cans or pails, air-
tight.
The bottom of the vessel is, preferably, arranged, so as to serve as a seat for a
small ball or cone valve, or its equivalent. I prefer to use a small vulcanized
india-rubber ball valve, having a specific gravity, slightly less than the specific
gravity of the milk, so that it will normally float in the milk. The ball valve is
arranged to automatically close the pipe connection leading to the interior of the
milk pail, at the proper times.
66
When
The working of the apparatus is, as follows:-Supposing that the vacuum
pulsations of the milking machine, which
"Shiels & Elliot" machine,
may be a
vary from 5 to 10 lbs :-Starting with a vacuum of 10 lbs. throughout the system.
When communication is opened with the " pulsator" or vacuum reservoir," a
vacuum is produced in the controlling vessel and milk receptacle of 10 lbs.
the "pulsator" reduces the vacuum to 5 lbs., throughout the system, the same
reduction takes place in the controlling vessel, but not in the milk receptacle, as
the light ball valve is, by the vacuum or sucking action in the receptacle, caused
to fall down on its seat, and so cut off connection with the controlling vessel. Milk
flows into the controlling vessel, but, as it cannot gain access to the receptacle or
pail, it accumulates in, said vessel, until the pulsation again rises to 10 lbs., when
the ball at once leaves its seat and floats in the milk, as there is no longer a
stronger suction in the milk pail, than in the vessel. When the ball valve leaves
its seat, the milk can flow into the pail or receptacle.
As will be seen, by this apparatus, the vacuum in the milk pail or receptacle is
conserved, during times of low pulsation, instead of being reduced or lost, as with
the present systems.
The apparatus may be modified in construction.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Vacuum Controlling Apparatus to be used in
connection with Milking Machines.
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 milking machines, and it has for its object to save
vacuum energy or power, by preventing the vacuum pulsations from being com-
municated to the air-tight or other milk pail or receptacle, so that the latter is kept
uniformally at the maximum vacuum pressure.
The invention consists in fitting on, to, or in connection with, the milk pail or
receptacle, a small hollow vulcanite, glass, or metal controlling vessel, having,
preferably, a tapered or coned bottom. From the inverted apex of the cone,
is connected a pipe or branch which leads to, or projects into, the interior of the
milk receptacle. The pipe connection may be made one with the vessel.
The controlling vessel is or may be closed by a bung of vulcanized india-rubber,
or cork, or may have a cap or other suitable air-tight closing device. Through
the bung, or the like, two pipes are led, one pipe being connected to the milking
teat cups, and the other being connected to the pulsating machine or reservoir of
vacuum. Both of these pipes are, or may be, fitted with suitable stop cocks or
valves, for opening and closing the pipes. The pipe from the teat cups, is, by
preference, made to project further into the vessel than the other pipe. The plug
may also be fitted with a ring or handle, or other suitable means for pulling it out
of place, when desired.
The controlling vessel may be fitted, on its outside, with a ring or washer, of
india-rubber, cork or the like, to enable it to be fitted to milk cans or pails, air-
tight.
The bottom of the vessel is preferably arranged so as to serve as a seat for a
small ball or cone valve, or its equivalent. I prefer to use a small vulcanized
india-rubber ball valve, having a specific gravity slightly less than the specific
gravity of the milk, so that it will normally Hoat in the milk. The ball valve is
arranged to automatically close the pipe connection leading to the interior of the
milk pail at the proper times.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have here-
unto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon:--
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a milk pail and controlling vessel.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the controlling vessel.
Fig. 3 is a part side elevation of the controlling vessel.
Figs. 4 and 5 show modified valve arrangements for the controlling vessel.
Figs. 6 and 7 show an arrangement, wherein the vacuum tube-connection is made
to serve as a valve.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 6.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a controlling vessel, with two milking connections and
one vacuum connection.
Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views.
Fig. 12 shows a controlling vessel, fitted on an ordinary milk pail.
Fig. 13 is a detail view.
Fig. 14 shows a controlling vessel applied to a milk reservoir.
Referring to the drawings, whereon the same reference letters, wherever
repeated, indicate similar or like parts :-
a is the milk pail and the controlling vessel. The vessel b, which is preferably
cylindrical in the body, with a bottom of inverted conic shape, may be made of
vulcanite, metal, glass or any other suitable material. Fitted in the top of the

page_text: controlling vessel, is a, preferably, india-rubber bung c, which is or may be
provided with a ring-handle d, for enabling it to be pulled out, when desired, so as
to give access to the interior of the vessel for cleaning purposes. Passed through
holes in the bung are the bent ends of the pipe e, leading to the pulsating
machine or vacuum reservoir, and the pipe f, leading to the teat cups of the milking
machine. The controlling vessel b is made with a flange round it, and this flange
rests and bears on a, preferably, rubber washer h, inserted in the month of the
milk pail or receptacle a. The lower end of the controlling device, which passes
air-tight through the washer, as shown, has in the interior of the coned-part, a
circular seat j, upon which rests a light, preferably india-rubber, ball valve i kis
the outlet at the bottom of the controlling vessel. 1 is a small plug, fitted in the
milk pail or receptacle a.
In Fig. 4 the valve i is a ground metal valve with the usual triangular guide
piece. The valve is, in this instance, provided with. a tubular float, which, at
its upper end, passes through and is guided by a central hole in the guide bar or
bridge m.
In Fig. 5, the valve is shown as having fitted to it, a ball float i³.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
Supposing that the vacuum pulsations of the milking machine, which may be a
"Shiels & Elliot " machine, vary from 5 to 15 lbs. vacuum pressure, then, starting
with a vacuum pressure of, say, 15 lbs. throughout the system, whenever communi-
cation is opened with the pulsator or vacuum reservoir, by means of the cock e¹ on
the pipe e, a vacuum pressure of 15 lbs. is produced in the controlling vessel and
milk receptacle b, and when, again, by the action of the pulsator, the vacuum
pressure throughout the system is reduced to 5 lbs., the same reduction takes place
in the controlling vessel b, but not in the milk receptacle a, for the reason that
whenever the vacuum pressure in the controlling vessel falls, there is, as a
consequence, a difference of vacuum pressure, equal to the amount of fall between
the pressure in the controlling vessel and that in the receptacle a, and, as the
greater vacuum pressure is in the receptacle, the valve i is retained on its seat,
and so connection with the controlling vessel is cut off and vacuum prevented from
leaking from the receptacle into said vessel. Milk, from the teat cups, flows, by
the pipe f, into the controlling vessel b, but, since the valve i is closed, it cannot
gain access to the receptacle a, it accumulates in said vessel, until the vacuum, due
to pulsation, again rises throughout the system to 15 lbs., when the valve i, owing
to its specific gravity being lighter than that of the milk and to the fact that the
vacuum pressures in the controlling device and milk receptacle, are now balanced,
at once leaves its seat and floats in the milk. When the valve leaves its seat, the
milk flows into the pail or receptacle through the opening k.
As will be seen, then, with this apparatus, the vacuum in the milk pail or
receptacle is conserved during times of low pulsation, that is to say, of reduced
vacuum in the teat cups etc., instead of being reduced or entirely lost at such
times, as in the present systems.
In the arrangement shown at Figs. 6, 7 and 8, instead of having a controlling
valve e¹ on the vacuum pipe e, the pipe itself is made to serve as the valve. To
enable this to be done, a hollow downward extension of india rubber is made on
the bung c.
This extension is made with passage ways s, s¹, at each side of it.
When it is desired to cut off communication between the pulsating apparatus or
vacuum reservoir, and the controlling vessel, the pipe e is pushed down into the
extension r, as shown at Fig. 6, and so that the lower solid part of said extension,
closes the bottom of tube e. To open communication, all that requires to be done
is to pull up the pipe e, in the manner shown at Fig. 7, so that free communication
takes place through the passages, s, in the extension r. To prevent the pipe e
being pulled out of place, a small ring is fitted on the pipe, which, when the
pipe e is pulled up, catches against a fork p, carried on a short pillar o, fitted on
the bolt of the ring d. Whenever it is desired to take the pipe e out of the
bung, the fork p can be taken off by merely unscrewing the thumb screw q.

page_text: Instead of the extension being made with only two passages s, s¹, in it, it may
be made with three or more passages, as shown in cross section at Figs. 10
and 11.
In Fig. 9 two pipes f, f, from two sets of milking teats, are shown as fitted in
the bung c
In Fig. 12, the controlling vessel b is shown as fitted in a metal top a², which, as
shown at Fig. 13, has around its lower edge a rubber ring or washer t. The
controlling vessel and top a' can be fitted on to any ordinary wooden pail, such
as u, Figs. 12 and 13, the rubber washer & making a perfectly air-tight joint.
In Fig. 14, the controlling vessel b and part a' are shown as fitted in a large
milk receptacle v, which is or may be provided with a gauge glass v², and from
which milk can be drawn off at any time, by the cock x. If it is desired to draw
off milk when the apparatus is in operation, then, it is necessary to pull out
the bung 1, and admit air to destroy the vacuum within the receptacle v.
handles for lifting out the part a'. w are legs for supporting the receptacle v.
When it is desired to lift out the controlling vessel from the receptacle a
(Fig. 1), it is necessary to pull out the small bung l, so as to destroy the vacuum
within said receptacle.
y are
The controlling device may, if desired, be made in one with the milk pail or
receptacle.
It is to be understood, that I do not confine myself to the precise form and.
construction of the controlling vessel and its appurtenances, as it can be further
altered without departing from the principle of the invention..
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. In vacuum milking machines, the application and use of a controlling device
for, at certain. times, automatically locking up or conserving the vacuum pressure
within the milk receptacle, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In vacuum milking machines, the combination with the milk pail or
receptacle, of a vacuum controlling vessel, in which is a valve for cutting off; at
certain times, communication between the milk receptacle and the vessel, substan-
tially as and for the advantages hereinbefore set forth.
3. In vacuum milking machines, a controlling device, constructed substantially
as.. herein before described, and as shown, under modifications, on the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 94th day of Januar 1902