Patent ID: 8151730

Claim:
A washing apparatus for cleaning milking related equipment of an automatic milking station, the automatic milking station including i) a washing fluid inlet for receiving washing fluid to circulate through and clean the milking related equipment, and ii) a washing fluid outlet for discharging circulated washing fluid having circulated through the milking related equipment, said washing apparatus comprising: a circulation tank ( 6 ) having i) a discharge for discharging washing fluid, via an interconnecting pipeline, to the washing fluid inlet of the automatic milking station, and ii) an inlet for receiving circulated washing fluid, via another interconnecting pipeline, from the washing fluid outlet of the automatic milking station, wherein, in use during both of a first washing step and a second washing step, i) the circulation tank discharge is connected to the washing fluid inlet of the automatic milking station, and ii) the circulation tank inlet is connected to the washing fluid outlet of the automatic milking station, said circulation tank ( 6 ) discharging the washing fluid into the milking related equipment and then receiving the circulated washing fluid for repeated circulation of the washing fluid through the milking related equipment and through said circulation tank; and a pre-filling tank ( 7 ) having a discharge connected, via a further interconnecting pipeline, to an inlet side of said circulation tank ( 6 ), said pre-filling tank being external to and separated from said circulation tank, said pre-filling tank having a washing fluid capacity sufficient to hold, in advance, a volume of washing fluid necessary for the circulation tank performing either of the first and second washing steps, said pre-filling tank arranged to i) hold the washing fluid for the first washing step during the milking station milking an animal, and ii) discharge the washing fluid for the first washing step into the circulation tank for filling the circulation tank with the washing fluid prior to the first washing step, said pre-filling tank arranged to i) hold the washing fluid for the second washing step while the circulation tank circulates the washing fluid during the first washing step, and ii) discharge the washing fluid for the second washing step into the circulation tank for filling the circulation tank with the washing fluid prior to the second washing step, said circulation tank being fluid-disconnected from the milking station during the milking of the animal and transport of the milk from the animal.