Abstract: A device for measuring the complex impedance, such as the electrical conductance and/or the capacitance, of milk, for example in connection with mastitis detection, comprises a sample chamber which is provided with sensors and in which a milk sample can be received. The sensors are mounted in the sample chamber at an essentially mutually equal height level. The sensors may also have an elongated shape and be mutually parallel.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a liquid treatment plant comprises a tank and also a pressure line for the supply of the liquid to the tank. The pressure line has a nozzle which can be moved between a position in which it is connected to the filling aperture of the tank and a position not connected to the filling aperture, and also comprises means for periodic cleaning of the pressure line. In order to avoid mistakes in the connection, a return line for returning a cleaning fluid supplied through the pressure line is provided with a connecting piece which can be connected on the one hand to the nozzle of the pressure line removed from the filling aperture, in order to form a flow connection between pressure line and return line, and which can be connected on the other hand to the filling aperture, in order to shut it off.

Abstract: Device for fitting a cluster of teat cups 3 on animals, comprising a corresponding set of bearing arms 1 in which each teat cups 3 is situated at the end of its own bearing arm 1, which bearing arms are each rotatable around a transfer-running rotary shaft 20, and are each suitable for varying the distance between the teat cup 3 in question and the rotary shaft 20, and also driving means for moving each bearing arm in such a way that the corresponding teat cup 3 can be fitted on a teat, wherein each bearing arm is essentially horizontal and can be slit parallel to each rotarty shaft. The rotary shaft 20 of the bearing arms can be suspended from a common telescopic supporting structure 12, 13 for inserting or removing the teat cups at the rear side of the animal to be milked between its hind legs.

Abstract: A milking machine is provided with a teat cup containing a teat catcher for guiding the teat into the teat cup. The teat catcher comprises an annular flexible element with an opening the dimension of which is variable. This opening can be given a large dimension when the teat is being taken in, and a smaller dimension after the teat has been accommodated in said opening. In this way, a smaller central opening is formed directly above the teat cup. The flexible element is also movable axially in the teat cup, in order to move at least partially with the teat towards the teat cup when the teat is drawn into the teat cup under influence of a vacuum.

Abstract: In a machine for milking cattle the teat cups are supported in a structure (2,3) movable horizontally towards and away from the animal to be milked, the teat cups being suspended by pivoting arms (15) so as to be swingable to move between the hind legs of the animal between a milking position and a retracted position. The arms 15 have horizontal pivoting axes at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the animal. This permits the teat cups to move between these two positions at a horizontal angle to this longitudinal direction so that, in the retracted position, there is a space in the milking parlor to the side of the teat cups. This space can be used for other purposes, e.g. for taking up a cleaning device for the udder and teats.

Abstract: Machine for milking animals, comprising a mobile carrier for taking a number of teat cups under an udder, the common carrier being a narrow oblong element carried by a supporting structure supported on the fixed surrounding area, and bearing on both sides one or more carriages which are movable along it independently of each other, each carriage carrying a teat cup and being able to move the teat cup from and to the carrier and up and down. Preferably the common carrier is connected to the supporting structure for a pivoting movement about an approximately horizontal axis at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the carrier, and each teat cup is approximately vertically movable with a holder in its carriage by a driver which exerts an elastic upward force thereon.

Abstract: This invention improves milking units for cattle in order to give better milking results and to facilitate application of the milking unit to the udder of the animal. To this end the teat cups have an upwardly widening upper part, so that the teat cups also engage the lower part of the udder right above and around each teat. Moreover, the teat cups are supported, preferably flexibly, in a common supporting structure so as to by substantially horizontally movable therein, to be easily adjusted to the relative positions of the teats in a particular animal. The teat cups may have operating means to move them to the correct positions under control of means comprising a memory for storing data about such positions for a particular animal and a processor programmed so as to move the cups into the correct positions.