Patent ID: 8146532

Claim:
An automatic milking apparatus for laboratory animals in which an end of a milk tube having another end connected to a teat cup for laboratory animals to be fitted onto a udder of a laboratory animal is connected to a negative-pressure generating source via a milk collecting container to collect milk from the laboratory animal into the milk collecting container through suction pulsation provided by the negative-pressure generating source, characterized in that the end of the milk tube connected to the teat cup for laboratory animals is supported by a free end of a flexible arm having a rectangular shape in cross section, with one end fixed to a base, the flexible arm including a laminated body that includes a long member having a rectangular shape in cross section, formed of a material that is flexible and after being flexed, can maintain the shape and a steel plate member having a rectangular shape in cross section, arranged along the long member, the laminated body being coated by a coating member, the members being in contact with each other in such a manner that they slip relative to each other upon being flexed in their entirety, the flexible arm including a secured part formed at the one end, the secured part preventing relative movement of the respective members.