Abstract: A check valve for a fluid line which can be easily disassembled and assembled for cleaning, inspection, or repair. The valve finds particular utility in cleaning-in-place equipment such as dairy pipe lines and in which the valves and other components must be quickly, easily, and completely disassembled for thorough cleaning at frequent invervals. The valve includes identical end sections which are formed of resilient material such as plastic or the like and which can be snapped on a central valve element guide and also easily disassembled therefrom. A shiftable valve element is located on the central valve guide and can also be easily disassembled therefrom for frequent and thorough cleaning. The width of the central guide is such that the valve element which is also of resilient material, is properly tensioned to insure its accurate location.

Abstract: A bellows type expansible chamber pump having an exterior spring encircling it for biasing the pump in a suction direction, the pump being completely and quickly disassembled for cleaning purposes. The pump is mounted within an enclosure or box and is driven through an adjustable eccentric by an electric motor. A pump end section sets freely in the bottom of the box and can be manually shifted to prime the pump.

Abstract: Dairy cow milking apparatus comprises a vacuum system including a main vacuum line installed along a plurality of milking stalls and a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum ports along the main vacuum line. Manually operable shut-off valves are provided for selectively and independently opening and closing each vacuum port. The apparatus also comprises a mobile milking unit selectively movable from one position to another along said main vacuum line and said milking stalls. The unit comprises vacuum operated components including a plurality of teat claw assemblies for milking a plurality of cows simultaneously. A pair of flexible auxiliary vacuum lines are provided on the milking unit and each auxiliary vacuum line has one end connected to operate all the vacuum operated components. Each auxiliary vacuum line has its other end adapted for connection to a vacuum port in the main vacuum line.

Abstract: A mobile, complete milking unit for milking cows and transferring the milk to a storage tank, the unit having all the milk handling components mounted thereon as an integral, portable unit. The unit can be moved about in the milking area whether it is in the barn, in the barn yard, or in the field.