Patent ID: 8677937

Claim:
A milking liner for an automated milking machine having a shell; the milking machine periodically subjecting the liner to a vacuum milking condition; the milking liner comprising: a barrel having a sidewall with an upper end and a lower end; the barrel sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface; the barrel having uncollapsed and collapsed conditions; the barrel having a longitudinal axis; a short milk tube connected to the lower end of the barrel; the short milk tube defining a milk passageway; a short milk tube sleeve having an inner surface that defines a through-channel; the entire short milk tube sleeve disposed inside the short milk tube to reinforce the short milk tube; the inner surface of the short milk tube sleeve defining a portion of the milk passageway of the short milk tube; the short milk tube having a length; the short milk tube sleeve disposed along only a portion of the length of the short milk tube; the short milk tube sleeve having a first end and a second end; the first end of the short milk tube sleeve disposed between the second end of the short milk tube sleeve and the barrel; and the short milk tube defining an inwardly-projecting shoulder; the first end of the short milk tube sleeve abutting the inwardly-projecting shoulder of the short milk tube.