An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Vacuum Pressure in Milking and like Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Vacuum
Pressure in Milking and like Machines.
1, 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 an apparatus for automatically regulating vacuum
pressure. It is mainly designed for use with milking machines.
In carrying out my invention, in connection with a milking machine, I fit, in
communication with the storage or vacuum tank, a valve box in which works a
balanced valve, preferably, of the "double beat." type. The pipe or branch
communicating with the vacuum tank is, preferably, made to serve as the seat for
the valve. The valve is, preferably, so made as to lic, normally, open. The valve
box is in communication with the milking machine itself or its system of tubes.
Fitted to the lower end of the spindle of the balanced valve is a piston, float, or
plunger which is capable of working in a glass or other tube, trough, or cylinder.
In this tube, trough, or cylinder mercury or other suitable fluid is placed. The
fluid is subject to atmospheric pressure.
With this apparatus:-When the engines are started the valve is open and the
air in the valve box is gradually exhausted, as the exhaustion takes place the
mercury or other fluid, under atmospheric pressure, rises, and, at length, when
the desired normal working vacuum is reached, presses up the piston and closes the
valve so as to prevent further air exhaustion from the valve box and milkers.
The engines may still run on and create a vacuum much above the normal in the
vacuum tank without in the least affecting the milkers. Should the vacuum in the
milkers and valve box be reduced the valve will, at once, open and a further
exhaustion will again take place to the vacuum tank.
When the vacuum again
reaches the normal the valve will close.
The piston, float, or plunger may be made capable of adjustment on the valve
spindle so that the time of closing the valve can be nicely regulated.
The cylinder, tube or trough containing the mercury or other fluid may be of
glass and be graduated.
Under a modification the atmosphere may be allowed to act directly on the
piston, or plunger. In this case the piston or plunger is or may be held in position
by a spring or weight.
The invention is applicable to other machines which require the vacuum
regulated.
Dated this 30th day of November 1891.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Vacuum
Pressure in Milking and like 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 an apparatus for automatically regulating vacuum
pressure. It is mainly designed for use with milking machines.

page_text: In carrying out my invention, in connection with a milking machine, I fit in
communication with the storage or vacuum tank, a valve box in which works a
balanced valve, preferably, of the "double beat" type. The pipe or branch
communicating with the vacuum tank is, preferably, made to serve as a seat for the
valve. The valve is, preferably, so made as to lie normally open. The valve box
is in communication with the milking machine itself, or its system of tubes.
Fitted to the lower end of the spindle of the balanced valve, is a piston, float,
or plunger, which is, or may be, capable of working in a glass or other tube,
trough or cylinder. In this tube, trough, or cylinder, inercury or other suitable
fluid is placed. The fluid is subject to atmospheric pressure.
The piston, float or plunger, may be made capable of adjustment on the valve
spindle, so that the time of closing the valve can be nicely regulated.
The cylinder, tube or trough, containing the mercury or other fluid, may be of
glass and he graduated.
Under a modification, the atmosphere may be allowed to act directly on the
piston or plunger. In this case the piston or plunger is or may be held in position
by a spring or weight.
The invention is applicable to other machines in which the regulation of the
vacuum is required.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon:-
Fig. 1 is a part side elevation of one form of the regulating apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a modified form of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a part side elevation of another form of the apparatus.
Referring to the drawings
a is the storage or vacuum tank shown broken away. b is the valve box. c is
the branch connecting the valve box with the storage or vacuum tank. d is the
branch connecting the valve box with the teat cups or milkers, of the milking
machine, if the valve is used for regulating the vacuum in such machines. ef, are
two "double-beat" disc valves, fitted on a spindle g. h is a piston, fitted on the
lower end of the spindle g. (Fig. 1) is a U-shaped tube containing mercury, and
which is jointed to the branch by the nut k. is a screw plug, which has a small
vertical hole m (see Fig. 2) bored in it for the purpose of allowing play and acting
as a guide to the upper end of the spindle y. n (Fig. 2) is a weight, which is
secured to the lower end of the spindle y. (Fig. 3) is a spring, which is fitted
inside the branch j, and bears against the upper side of the piston h. The valve
box has two webs b', 62, in it, which are in line with the branche and are made
with two raised parts or edges p, q, which serve as seats for the valves e, f. The
branch is preferably screwed into the lower end of the valve box, as shown at
Fig. 2.
Ο
The internal construction of the valve box b (Figs. 1 and 3) and the arrange-
ment of the valves, precisely the same as that at Fig. 2.
The end of the U-tube i is open, so that the atmosphere presses on the mercury s.
The piston in Figs. 2 and 3, are also open to atmospheric pressure on their
under sides.
The valves e, f, lie normally open.
With this apparatus, when the engines for creating a vacuum are started, the
valves e, f, are open, and the air, in the valve box, is gradually exhausted. As the
process of exhaustion proceeds, the mercury or other fluid s, under atmospheric
pressure, is forced up the short leg of the tube i, and into the branch j. The
mercury, at the same time, gradually forces up the piston and the valves e, f,
until, when the desired normal working vacuum is reached, the valves are closed
against their seats p, q, and further air exhaustion, from the valve box b, branch
pipe d and the teat cups or milkers connected to the branch,
prevented. The
valves remain closed as long as the vacuum pressure in the branch d, remains at
the normal, but, should the vacuum be reduced or destroyed from any cause, the
valves e, f, will at once fall by their own weight, and, as a consequence, open

page_text: communication between the vacuum tank and the branch d, so that a further
exhaustion will at once take place to the vacuum tank. When the vacuum again
reaches the normal, the valves will close, as before, by atmospheric pressure.
When the valves e, f, are closed, the pumping engines do not require to be stopped,
but may run on and create a vacuum, much above the normal, in the vacuum or
storage tank a, without, in the least, affecting the milkers.
In Fig. 1 the valves are weighted, so as to open readily when the vacuum in the
valve box and branch d is reduced or destroyed. In Fig. 2 the weight n is attached
to the piston for the same purpose, and, also, in Fig. 3, the spring o is used to
force open the valves.
In Figs. 2 and 3, the atmosphere acts directly on the piston h, and forces up and
closes the valves, against the action of the weight n or spring o, whenever the
desired normal working vacuum is reached.
The normal working vacuum can be regulated by the tension of the spring o, the
weight of the valves, or the size of the weight », for the valves will not be closed.
until the vacuum in the upper part of the valve box and branch d is such that the
pressure of the atmosphere will be sufficient to force up the piston h, against the
action of the spring or the weight.
The load on the piston must not, of course, exceed 14 lbs.
By the use of the regulating apparatus, the pumping engines can be worked
continuously, and any surplus energy be stored in the tank a, (instead of, as at
present, being lost), during the milking operations, and without affecting the
vacuum at the milkers.
By the use of the automatic regulator, the vacuum pressure at the milkers or
teat cups, is, during the milking operations, kept practically constant.
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 claim is :-
1. In milking machines, the combination with the storage or vacuum tank, or
its equivalent, of an apparatus, which automatically regulates the vacuum pressure,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The vacuum regulating apparatus, substantially as herein before described
and shown under modified constructions at Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 95th day of August 1002
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.