Patent Description:
In dairy harvesting facilities, dairy animals are milked while standing in stalls. Attached to the dairy animals is a milker unit, which typically includes a teat cup assembly, with each teat cup assembly having a short milk tube joined to a milk collecting bowl. Milk collected by the milker unit is delivered to central dairy milk collection lines by a hose. The milker units are operated using pulsator and vacuum hoses, and teat dip and backflushing tubes and hoses can also be included.

When not milking, the milker unit is generally stored to the side of the stall in a parked position to enable the dairy animal to enter and leave the stall without interference from the milker unit and its various supports and hoses. Once the animal is in the stall, an operator moves the milker unit from the parked position to a milking position under the animal, and attaches it for milking. After milking, the milker unit, tubes, and hoses are withdrawn from the milking position toward the parked position using a detacher mechanism while they are supported by a retractable support arm that is mounted in a cabinet or other structure adjacent to the stall. Support arms typically pivot out of the way to the parked position while animals are entering and leaving the milking stalls to avoid interfering or being damaged by the animals.

When the milker unit is attached to an animal being milked, the supporting end of the support arm is spaced apart from the animal, so the milker unit is supported to the animal solely by the vacuum being applied inside each of the teat cups. The force applied by the vacuum is sufficient to support the milker unit, and even the hoses, to some extent. Nonetheless, a hose support can be used to provide further support for the various milker unit hoses during milking and the retraction process. Without a hose support, the hoses may hang down and drag on the stall floor where they can be stepped on by an animal and stop the flow of milk. The hoses should also provide a generally downward flow path without any sections where milk can collect, so that milk can flow freely to the central dairy line. Unsupported hoses can add unnecessary additional weight to the milker unit that must be carried by the vacuum acting on the animal's teats. Finally, allowing hoses to drag on the floor exposes them to damage, dirt, manure, and sanitizers used to clean dairy floors.

Various types of hose supports have been developed to maintain the hoses in a position safe from being stepped on by animals. Typically, the hose supports are ropes, cords, or other flexible members that are joined at one end to the stall structure or detacher cabinet, and the other end to a convenient hose location to support the hoses above the floor. A single or fixed cord length can support the hoses above the floor in most cases, but due to different animal udder and teat heights, a single length for a hose support may work for udders of an average height, but will result in the hoses dragging on the floor when the udders hang lower, or provide insufficient hose support when the udders are higher. Document <CIT> describes to use a pneumatic lifting system for a hose support rope to prevent the hoses dragging on the floor.

Document <CIT> describes a hose support that comprises a rigid support arm that is pivotably joined to a frame for movement between a milking position and a parked position. The support arm can thus be easily moved out of the way when not used. However, its length is also fixed.

Further, hose supports are themselves capable of entangling an animal entering or leaving a stall. Operators must also work around all hoses and hose supports as they are attaching milker units to animals. Adding a cord as a hose support can simply add to the difficulty of the operator working in tight spaces, as well as avoiding interference with the support arm and milker unit hoses during retraction.

Thus, there is a need for a milker unit hose support mechanism and support arm that are convenient to use, adjustable to accommodate different animal anatomies, and does not interfere with the support arm during movement between the parked position and the milking position.

A hose support for hoses joined to a milker unit in accordance with the present invention can include: a frame; a support arm pivotably joined to the frame for movement between a milking position and a parked position; a stationary jaw fixed to the frame and defining a hose support; an adjustable hose support member having a plurality of positions releasably engageable with the hose support when the support arm is in the milking position and disengaged from the hose support when the support arm is in the parked position.

The support arm can be moved from the parked position to the milking position by force of gravity. The milker unit detacher can also include a pivot, and can also be joined to the frame and the support arm, and define an axis of rotation that is offset from vertical. The axis angle can be between about <NUM>° and about <NUM>°, and more particularly, between about <NUM>° and about <NUM>°.

The milker unit hose support can further include a moving jaw fixed to the support arm for movement therewith, and disposed to at least partially entrap the adjustable hose support at a first position when the support arm is in the milking position, and to be substantially spaced apart from the stationary jaw when the support arm is in the parked position. The moving jaw can be fixed to the support arm for movement therewith, and be disposed to at least partially close the hose support and entrap the adjustable hose support member at a second position when the support arm is in the milking position, and to move the moving jaw away from the stationary jaw when the support arm is in the parked position to allow the hose support member to disengage from the hose support. The moving jaw can disengage the flexible hose support member from the hose support as the support arm moves toward the parked position and the support arm can cause the flexible hose support member to drop from the hose support.

In the following detailed description of the drawings, the same reference numeral will be used to identify the same element in each of the figures.

Illustrated generally in <FIG> is a dairy milking parlor <NUM>, which in this example is a rotary milking parlor divided into a number of milking stalls <NUM>, each having a floor <NUM> and side walls (not illustrated). At the exterior end the milking stall <NUM> is a cabinet <NUM> for housing a milker unit detacher mechanism within the cabinet and accessible by cabinet door <NUM>.

Mounted on the cabinet <NUM>, is a support arm <NUM> that supports a milker unit <NUM> when in a parked position, which is illustrated in <FIG>, for example, as being adjacent to a front side of the cabinet <NUM>. Also illustrated are a number of hoses <NUM> that can include milk hoses, vacuum hoses, teat dip tubes, and backflushing hoses.

<FIG> illustrate a cow standing in a milking stall <NUM> with the support arm <NUM>, the milker unit <NUM> with teat cups <NUM> and short milk tubes <NUM>, and the hoses <NUM> in the milking position. Between the milker unit <NUM> and the stall floor <NUM> there is a distance "D" between the hoses <NUM> that are sagging down from the milker unit <NUM> at least a portion of the distance D and the floor <NUM>. The hoses <NUM> should not hang low enough for an animal to step on or create a segment where milk collects. Further, the hoses <NUM> should not contact the stall floor <NUM> or dragged on the stall floor <NUM> through any animal waste or dirt that may be there.

To suspend the hoses <NUM> above the stall floor <NUM>, a hose support member <NUM> is provided. One end of the hose support member <NUM> is attached to the cabinet <NUM> and the other end to the hoses <NUM> at a suitable central location for suspending the hoses <NUM>.

If all the dairy animals were the same height and had udders of the same dimension, the hose support member <NUM> could be a fixed length and never require adjustment. Of course, dairy animals vary in size and udder height, so the distance between the udders and the stall floor <NUM> may be more or less than dimension D in <FIG> and <FIG>. If the hose-to-floor dimension is less than D (the udder is closer to the stall floor <NUM>), then the hoses <NUM> could drag on the stall floor <NUM>, especially as they move between the parked position and the milking position. The present invention provides an adjustable hose support member <NUM> to accommodate such varying conditions.

Other cabinet <NUM> and milker unit <NUM> arrangements are possible for the parked position, including having the support arm <NUM> and the milker unit <NUM> disposed on the side of a cabinet <NUM>, adjacent to or under a portion of the side wall <NUM>, or partially or wholly inside the cabinet <NUM>, as examples, and still be within the scope of the present invention. Indeed, a cabinet <NUM> is not entirely necessary because the detacher mechanism <NUM>, support arm <NUM>, and milker unit <NUM> can all be left exposed while being supported by another part of the dairy structure, including one of the dairy milking stall <NUM> side walls <NUM>, for example. Nonetheless, the cabinet <NUM> provides structural support and protection for the mechanical elements described herein, and is a preferred support structure.

Mounted on the cabinet in any suitable manner (including bolting and welding) is a support arm frame <NUM> (isolated in <FIG>), and in the illustrated embodiment, the support arm frame includes a base plate <NUM>, an inner support plate <NUM>, and an outer support plate <NUM> spaced apart from the inner support plate <NUM>. The inner support plate <NUM> and the outer support plate <NUM> both extend downwardly from the base plate <NUM>, and are joined to the base plate <NUM> in any suitable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner support plate <NUM> is simply a portion of the base plate <NUM> bent downwardly and the other base plate <NUM> is welded to the base plate <NUM>. Any other form of connection can be used, so long as it can endure the harsh dairy environment and withstand the cyclical loads applied by the mechanism described below. Other support arm frame <NUM> structures can be used as well. Further, the inner support plate <NUM> and the outer base plate <NUM> include holes, grooves, or other openings to accommodate and support the features described below.

At the end of milking, the milker unit detacher <NUM> is activated to withdraw the milker unit <NUM> and support arm <NUM> from a milking position to the parked position of <FIG>. Preferably, the milker unit detacher <NUM> is activated automatically in response to any desired end-of-milking parameter including time, milk quantity, milk quality, or any other suitable parameter.

In one embodiment, the milker unit detacher mechanism <NUM> includes a pneumatic piston that retracts a flexible retraction member <NUM>, such as a cord having one end joined to the cylinder and the other end joined to the milker unit <NUM>. The flexible retraction member <NUM> is referred to below as a "cord," which can include any flexible member that can apply tension to the milker unit <NUM> for movement toward the parked position. Preferably the flexible retraction cord <NUM> extends through or around an extension point <NUM> joined to, machined in, or otherwise a part of, the support arm frame <NUM> to gain a mechanical advantage because the flexible retraction cord <NUM> extends straight from the piston and then laterally along the support arm <NUM> to the milker unit <NUM> when in the milking position. The extension point <NUM> provides a turning point for the flexible retraction cord <NUM> to turn laterally, and is preferably positioned to draw the flexible retraction cord <NUM> and the milker unit <NUM> toward the parked position with a reduced chance of binding, tangling, and wear.

The extension point <NUM> is illustrated as a hole in the support arm frame <NUM> (particularly in the outer support plate <NUM>), but it could be a hook, an end of a plate, a notch, a tube, or any other feature that serves the purposes described above. In the embodiment depicted herein, the extension point <NUM> hole is preferably lined with a friction reducing member <NUM> of machined stained stainless steel tube having a tapered exterior portion and a retaining portion inside the outer support plate <NUM> to receive any suitable fastener, such as the C-shaped spring retainer. The tapered exterior portion is machined relatively smoothly to minimize friction and wear on the flexible retraction cord <NUM>.

The extension point <NUM> is aligned with a mating hole <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) in the inner support plate <NUM>. Preferably, the flexible retraction cord <NUM> does not contact the edges of the mating hole <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) to reduce friction and wear, but there could be contact, if it were desired to guide the flexible retraction cord <NUM> in a different direction by offsetting the extension point <NUM> and the mating hole <NUM>, for example.

As depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>, a second hole <NUM> in the outer support plate <NUM> is provided as an optional way to adjust the effective length of the flexible retraction member <NUM> to accommodate stretching, variable distances to the adjacent milking stall <NUM>, animals of various sizes, and so on. To adjust the effective length of the flexible retraction member <NUM>, in this case a cord, the operator wraps the cord <NUM> around a wedge <NUM> and joins the wedge <NUM> and the cord <NUM> into the second hole <NUM> thereby shortening the effective length of the retraction cord <NUM> to suit the needs at hand. Preferably, the second hole <NUM> is lined with a grommet <NUM> that provides a resilient friction fit with the wedge <NUM> for secure engagement. A second mating hole <NUM> can be provided in the inner support plate <NUM> to lead the retraction cord <NUM> from the cylinder of the milker unit detacher <NUM> out to the wedge <NUM> and back again to exit through the first mating hole <NUM> and the extension point <NUM>.

As seen, for example, in <FIG>, and <FIG>, after extending through the extension point <NUM>, the retraction cord <NUM> extends parallel to and above the support arm <NUM>, and through a support arm guide <NUM> that is joined to the end, or near the end, of the support arm <NUM>. The support arm guide <NUM>, best illustrated in <FIG>, includes a plate <NUM> and a low-friction guide ring <NUM>.

The plate <NUM> is preferably welded to the support arm <NUM>, but it could be formed in the support arm <NUM> or joined to the support arm <NUM> in any suitable manner. The shape, size, and orientation of the plate <NUM> are selected to provide optimum mechanical advantage when cooperating with the extension point <NUM> to retract the retraction cord <NUM> and the milker unit <NUM> with a smooth movement.

The guide ring <NUM> is similar to the guide ring <NUM> described above by having a tapered exterior <NUM>, a retaining portion <NUM>, and a fastener <NUM> such as the c-shaped clip illustrated in <FIG>. Other guide ring <NUM> shapes and constructions are possible, including hooks, grooves, slots, and so on.

The distal end of the retraction cord <NUM> is connected to the milker unit <NUM> either directly or using a suitable milker unit connector, such as the spring-loaded clip <NUM>, illustrated in <FIG>, for example. The retraction cord <NUM> can be joined to the milker unit <NUM> in any other suitable manner. It is preferred to have the quick-release connector <NUM> such as the illustrated clip, but other quick-release connectors <NUM> enable quick and easy maintenance when necessary.

The support arm <NUM> can be any desired shape and length to match the particular dairy in which it is installed. The support arm <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG> as being straight, or it can be curved, as illustrated in <FIG>. Other curves, bends, shapes, and structures can be used for the support arm <NUM>.

The support arm <NUM> is joined to the support arm frame <NUM> using a pivot <NUM> to enable the support arm <NUM> to move between the milking position (<FIG>, and <FIG>) and the parked position (<FIG>). The pivot <NUM> is joined to the support arm frame <NUM> in any suitable manner, but the preferred embodiment of being welded to extensions <NUM> of the inner support plate <NUM> and the outer support plate <NUM> provides a robust support that minimizes wear and vibration. The pivot <NUM> preferably includes seals <NUM> to prevent or at least reduce seepage of fluids into the pivot <NUM>. The support arm <NUM> can be oriented to swing left-to-right or right-to-left or in both directions, if desired, to reach whichever side of the cabinet <NUM> that the stall <NUM> is on.

Also, in accordance with the present invention, the pivot <NUM> is mounted at an angle to pivot along an axis <NUM> relative to a vertical axis <NUM>, so that the support arm <NUM> can move from the parked position to the milking position more readily than if the pivot <NUM> were mounted to pivot about the vertical axis <NUM>. Indeed, it is preferred that the angled pivot axis <NUM> be angled enough to allow the pivot arm <NUM> to move from the parked position to the milking position solely from the force of gravity acting on the support arm <NUM> and any other equipment hanging on the support arm <NUM>. The angle of pivot angle axis <NUM> to accomplish this natural movement to the milking position will vary depending upon the length, shape, and weight of the support arm <NUM>, as well as the weight of the equipment hanging on the support arm <NUM> and where that equipment is positioned. In the illustrated embodiment, the angled pivot axis <NUM> is approximately <NUM>°, but other angles from <NUM>° to <NUM>°, and particularly <NUM>° to <NUM>°, will work as well.

The use of the angled pivot axis <NUM> also obviates the need for a spring or other mechanism that would force or bias the support arm <NUM> toward the milking position although such a device could also be used. Further, to return the support arm <NUM> toward the parked position, the milker unit detacher <NUM> or an operator merely needs to apply enough force to overcome gravity and not the force of an additional biasing device such as a spring. Omitting another mechanism also reduces cost, maintenance, and replacement parts if an animal damages the support arm <NUM>. Should it become necessary to lock the support arm <NUM> in the parked position, a pin or other simple device can be used to hold the support arm <NUM> in place, as explained in more detail below.

An adjustable hose support apparatus <NUM> in accordance with the present invention can be incorporated into the pivoting support arm <NUM> and the support arm frame <NUM> by including a stationary jaw <NUM> fixed the stationary support arm frame <NUM> and a moving jaw <NUM> fixed to the pivoting support arm <NUM>. In <FIG> and <FIG>, the moving jaw <NUM> is spaced apart from the stationary jaw <NUM> in the parked position, but in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> the moving jaw <NUM> is moved toward the stationary jaw <NUM> in the milking position. The stationary jaw <NUM> is the primary hose support element with the moving jaw <NUM> being useful, but possibly unnecessary if another type of hose support is provided to releasably engage the hose support member <NUM>.

The hose support member <NUM> can be inserted between the stationary jaw <NUM> and the moving jaw <NUM> as the support arm <NUM> is pivoted toward the milking position. The hose support member <NUM> is positioned between the stationary jaw <NUM> and the moving jaw <NUM> at any desired position along the length of the hose support member <NUM> to adjust the effective length of the hose support member <NUM>. In practice, an operator holds the hose support member <NUM> in between the stationary jaw <NUM> and the moving jaw <NUM> as the operator is pivoting the support arm <NUM> toward the milking position to provide a slot <NUM> in which the hose support member <NUM> is disposed. The slot <NUM> can be any suitable size and it is preferred to be slightly wider than the hose support member <NUM>, so that the hose support member <NUM> can be inserted into the slot <NUM> from the side even in the milking position. The slot <NUM> can also be dimensioned to clamp down on the hose support member <NUM>, if desired. The hose support member <NUM> can include markings or other indicators to aid the operator in selecting a moving location that correspond to cows of various udder sizes, for example. Further, it is preferred that the hose support member <NUM> be flexible to enable ease of movement, and convenient adjustments and use.

In a preferred embodiment, the hose support member <NUM> is a ball chain having narrow portions <NUM> and ball portions <NUM> (<FIG>, for example) that resist being pulled through the slot <NUM> between the stationary jaw <NUM> and the moving jaw <NUM> when the jaws <NUM> and <NUM> are in the closed or milking position. When such a ball chain is used, it is preferred that the moving jaw <NUM> not close down entirely on the stationary jaw <NUM>, and instead form the slot <NUM> that is slightly larger than the diameter of the narrow portions <NUM> of the ball chain. With such an arrangement, the ball portion <NUM> immediately above the jaws <NUM>, <NUM> prevents the hose support member <NUM> from pulling downward through the slot <NUM>, while still permitting the hose support member <NUM> to be inserted from the side. The stationary jaw <NUM> and the moving jaw <NUM> are preferably fixed to their respective mounting locations with a weld, but other connections or extensions of the plates forming the support arm frame <NUM> can be used. Indeed, it is possible to form the jaws <NUM> and <NUM> in other elements of the support frame <NUM> and the support arm <NUM>, respectively.

According to the invention, the hose support member <NUM> is made of a flexible material and preferably of a resilient material such as rubber, silicone, plastic, rope, cord or other material (<FIG>). Other hose support elements other than a stationary jaw <NUM> for releasably engaging the hose support member <NUM> are possible, including using hooks, plate slots, cradles, and other elements that support the hose support member <NUM> in the milking position.

The hose support member <NUM> is connected to the hoses <NUM> using any suitable hose connector <NUM>. A spring-loaded clamp, as illustrated in <FIG>, is preferred.

When milking is completed and the milker unit detacher <NUM> activates to retract the milker unit <NUM> from the milking position under an animal toward a parked position toward the support arm frame <NUM>, the retraction cord <NUM> draws the milker unit <NUM> toward the support arm guide <NUM>. At this point, the milker unit <NUM> engages the support arm guide <NUM> and the force exerted by the retraction cord <NUM> causes the support arm <NUM> to pivot about the pivot axis <NUM>. In so doing, the moving jaw <NUM> moves away from the stationary jaw <NUM> thereby creating an opening that allows the hose support member <NUM> to drop out by force of gravity (passively), so it does not interfere with the detaching process and is available to be readjusted in the next milking operation.

Should only an adjustable hose support mechanism <NUM> having a single stationary jaw <NUM> (or other single-sided element) or should the hose support member <NUM> otherwise hang up on the stationary jaw <NUM> and remain in position, movement of the support arm <NUM> toward the parked position will actively engage the hose support member <NUM> and dislodge it from the stationary jaw <NUM>, so it will not interfere with the detaching operation and be available for adjustment in the next milking operation.

In some circumstances, particularly those where a dairy herd has relatively consistently sized udders, it may be desirable to forego the adjustment of the hose support member <NUM> and simply join it to the support arm frame <NUM>. <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate a keyhole-shaped hole <NUM> in the outer support plate <NUM>, and through which the hose support ball chain can be inserted at a desired length and left alone. In this position, the hose support member <NUM> is not going to interfere with movement of the other components. Once the milker unit <NUM> is fully in the parked position, the milker unit detacher <NUM> holds the retraction cord <NUM> taught so that the support arm <NUM> cannot move toward the milking position until an operator releases the milker unit detacher <NUM>, typically by activating a release button (not illustrated) on the front of the cabinet <NUM>.

As described above, it may be desirable during maintenance for example, to hold the support arm <NUM> in a parked position and not let gravity move it toward the milking position when the milker unit detacher <NUM> is released. In a such case, a fixed pin hole in the stationary jaw <NUM> aligns with a mating hole <NUM> in the moving jaw <NUM> when they are in the parked position so that a pin or other device can be inserted through both holes <NUM> and <NUM> to retain the support arm <NUM> in place. (See <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, for example.

The present invention can be made of any suitable materials able to withstand a harsh dairy environment. For example, the metal portions are preferably made of stainless steel.

Claim 1:
An adjustable hose support for milker unit hoses (<NUM>), the adjustable hose support comprising:
a frame (<NUM>);
a support arm (<NUM>) pivotably joined to the frame (<NUM>) for movement between a milking position and a parked position;
a stationary jaw (<NUM>) joined to the frame (<NUM>); and
a hose support member (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the hose support member (<NUM>) is flexible and has a plurality of releasably engageable positions engaged with the stationary jaw (<NUM>) when the support arm (<NUM>) is in the milking position and disengaged from the stationary jaw (<NUM>) when the support arm (<NUM>) is in the parked position.