Patent ID: 8291859

Claim:
An arrangement for positioning at least two milking animals ( 1 ) in at least two milking stalls, the arrangement comprising: a front barrier ( 5 ) arranged in a vertical plane ( 6 ) and defining a front portion of the milking stalls, the front barrier comprising an upper frame element ( 18 a ) and a lower frame element ( 18 b ); positioning means adapted to position the animals ( 1 ) in a milking position in the milking stalls such that a longitudinal axis ( 7 ) of the animals form an angle of 10°-80° to said vertical plane ( 6 ) of the front barrier ( 5 ), said positioning means comprising i) an individually movable front first positioning element ( 10 ) in each milking stall, the first positioning element ( 10 ) adapted to define the position of a front part of the animal ( 1 ) in the milking stall by resilient contact with the animal, and ii) a second positioning element ( 9 ) adapted to define the position of a rear portion of the milking stalls, the first position element contacting the animal only on a single first longitudinal side of the animal; a power member ( 22 ); and a motion transmission mechanism adapted to transfer an activating motion from the power member ( 22 ) to the individual front positioning elements ( 10 ) such that the individual front positioning element ( 10 ) in each milking stall comes in contact with the front portion of the animal ( 1 ) and acts with a resilient force on the animal ( 1 ) in a manner such that the animal steps backwards to a desired milking position in which the rear part of the animal ( 1 ) is in contact with the second positioning element ( 9 ), the motion transmission mechanism comprising i) a spring member ( 24 ) associated with each individual first positioning element ( 10 ), each spring member transmitting the force from the power member to the resilient force by which the individual first positioning element ( 10 ) acts on the corresponding animal, ii) a displaceable rod element ( 21 ) connected to the power member ( 22 ) and located between the upper frame element ( 18 a ) and the lower frame element ( 18 b ), the rod element operatively connected to each said spring member ( 24 ); plural foldable link mechanism ( 12 - 17 ), the individual first positioning elements ( 10 ) connected to a different one of the foldable link mechanisms ( 12 - 17 ), each foldable link mechanism comprising i) a first link element ( 12 ), connected to the individual first positioning element ( 10 ) by a pivotable connection ( 13 ), and ii) a second link element ( 14 ), connected to the individual first positioning element ( 10 ) by a pivotable connection ( 15 ), the first link element ( 12 ) connected between the upper frame element ( 18 a ) and the lower frame element ( 18 b ) via a first turnable shaft ( 16 ) and the second link element ( 14 ) connected between the upper frame element ( 18 a ) and the lower frame element ( 18 b )via a second turnable shaft ( 17 ), the second shaft ( 17 ) operatively connected to the displaceable rod element ( 21 ).