Abstract: A teatcup liner adapted to be mounted in a shell to form a teatcup to be applied to a teat of an animal, and a method of mounting a teatcup liner. The liner defines an inner space for receiving the teat and a longitudinal centre axis. The liner has a head portion, a tubular barrel portion and, a tubular lower portion defining a milk channel having a cross-section area perpendicular to the centre axis. The tubular lower portion has a primary engagement member to be engaged by a secondary engagement member of the shell. The liner includes a grip member extending from the tubular lower portion to be gripped by an operator when the liner is to be mounted. The grip member defines a force application zone on which a pulling force is to be applied and which seen along the centre axis is located within the cross-section area.

Abstract: This invention refers to a teatcup liner and a teatcup. The liner (1) is mounted in a shell (2) of the teatcup and defines an inner space (3) for receiving a teat. The liner includes a primary component (12) forming a barrel. The primary component includes a peripheral portion (15), a primary connecting ring (16) and a lip (17) defining an opening (4). The secondary component includes a secondary peripheral portion (18) and a secondary connecting ring (20). The primary component is connectable to the secondary component for releasing the liner by a mutual engagement of the connecting rings. At least one of the connecting rings abuts the peripheral portion of the other component to form a sealing abutment between the two components.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided in a milking system for simultaneous milking of animals comprising milking positions (P1-P24), each of which being provided with teat cups, which are attached to the teats of an animal and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk the animal. The arrangement comprises a processing device (10) for gathering and processing information of the milking of the animals, and terminal units (13) arranged at the milking positions and connected to the processing device (10). The processing device is provided for (i) receiving a user identity; (ii) retrieving a user specific setting based on the received user identity, said user specific setting defining user specific information of the milking of the animals; and (iii) transmitting information of the milking of the animals to the terminal units defined by the retrieved user specific setting. The terminal units output automatically the information received from the processing device.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided in a milking system for simultaneous milking of a plurality of milking animals, wherein the milking system comprises a plurality of milking positions (P1-P24) and an arrangement for establishing identities of and expected milking times for the milking animals. Each of the milking positions is provided with teat cups, which are attached to the teats of a milking animal and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk the milking animal. The inventive arrangement comprises means (10) for determining a milking position, at which the milking animal having the longest expected milking time is present, based on the established identities and expected milking times; and a device (11, 13, 17; 20) for performing an action with respect to the milking system in response to the determination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tubular element (6). The tubular element includes a body (17) having an outer periphery surface (20) with a shape in a cross section view such that adjacent parts of the periphery outer surface (20) along a circumference of the tubular element (6) forms an outer angle of at least 180° in relation to each other and a first channel (7, 9a, b) located in said body (19) adapted to transport a first fluid medium. The tubular element includes an inner space (18) located entirely inside of the outer periphery surface (20) of the body (19), wherein the inner space (18) is adapted to receive at least one conduit element (17).

Abstract: The present invention refers to a milking arrangement for milking an animal during a milking operation. The arrangement includes a stationary structure and a milking member (5) including at least one teatcup to be attached to a teat of the animal to be milked. A long milk conduit (10) extends from the milking member and is adapted to be connected to a milking machine. A support device includes a stationary rail element (18), which is mounted to the stationary structure, and a support arm (17a, 17b), which extends in parallel to an arm axis (x) and to which the milking member is attached. The support arm is connected to the rail element in such a way that the support arm during the milking operation is freely movable on the rail element along the rail axis.

Abstract: A method and arrangement are provided for controlling the milking by a milking machine, which comprises at least one teat cup having a flexible teat receiving liner arranged inside a teat cup shell, wherein, during milking, a vacuum is applied to a lower part of the interior of the flexible teat receiving liner to draw milk from a teat received therein while the flexible teat receiving liner is periodically opened and collapsed by application of a pulsating massage vacuum between the flexible teat receiving liner and the teat cup shell. According to the invention a pressure sensor measures repeatedly a vacuum level in an upper part of the interior of the flexible teat receiving line, and means is provided for, depending on the repeatedly measured vacuum level, interrupting the periodic opening and collapsing of the flexible teat receiving liner by keeping the flexible teat receiving liner collapsed for a specific period of time.

Abstract: The invention refers to a milking device for milking an animal during a milking operation. A milking member (5) includes at least one teatcup (6) to be attached to a teat of the animal. A long milk conduit (10) extends from the milking member for being connected to a milking machine. A support device (15) comprises a mounting device (16) mounted to a stationary structure (2), and a support arm (17a) in parallel to an arm axis and connected to the mounting device. The milking member is freely movable along the support arm. The milking member is attached to the support arm and displaceable on the support arm. The support arm includes a primary arm element (17a?) connected to the mounting device and a secondary arm element (17a?) holding the milking member. The primary arm element is telescopically introduceable into the secondary arm element, which is displaceable on the primary arm element.

Abstract: The invention refers to a milking arrangement including a milking box (2) adapted to received an animal to be milked and a milking device having a milk conduit and a set of teacups (7) to be applied manually by an operator to the teats of an animal. Each teatcup has an upper opening for introducing the respective teat. The milking device draws milk from the animal via the teatcups and the milk conduit by means of a low pressure. A support device (20) carries the teatcups in at least an idle position, in which the teacups are located not to interfere with the animal and the operator, and an intermediate position, in which the teatcups are located more closely to the teats. Control equipment controls the support from the idle position to the intermediate position.

Abstract: A milking arrangement (1) and a method for milking are described comprising at least two milking positions (2), wherein each milking position (2) comprises teat cups (4) for milking an animal (3). The milking arrangement (1) is arranged to remove the teat cups (4) from animals when milking is finished and to remove the teat cups (4) from all animals (3) that are still being milked when all conditions in a set of conditions are fulfilled, wherein the set of conditions comprises the condition that the teat cups (4) have been removed from a predetermined number of animals (3) and that all animals (3) that are still being milked, in an earlier milking preceding the present milking, must have been milked until the milking was determined to be substantially finished.

Abstract: This invention refers to a teatcup liner and a teatcup. The liner (1) is mounted in a shell (2) of the teatcup and defines an inner space (3) for receiving a teat. The liner includes a primary component (12) forming a barrel. The primary component includes a peripheral portion (15), a primary connecting ring (16) and a lip (17) defining an opening (4). The secondary component includes a secondary peripheral portion (18) and a secondary connecting ring (20). The primary component is connectable to the secondary component for releasing the liner by a mutual engagement of the connecting rings. At least one of the connecting rings abuts the peripheral portion of the other component to form a sealing abutment between the two components.

Abstract: The invention refers to a teatcup part and a teatcup to be attached to a teat of an animal The teatcup includes the teatcup part (1) and a connection part (2). The teatcup part is disengageably mountable to the connection part. The teatcup part (1) includes a shell (3) and a teatcup liner (4) having an upper opening (5) and a lower opening (6). The liner forms an inner space (11) for receiving the teat through the upper opening and a pulsation chamber (12) between the liner and the shell. The connection part includes a milk-discharging member for the discharge of milk from the teatcup, and a milk channel (35) extending between the lower opening of the inner space of the liner and the milk-discharging member. The connection part also includes a pulse-supplying member for the supply of a pulsating pressure to the pulsation chamber, and a pulse channel extending between the pulsation chamber and the pulse-supplying member.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for carrying a milking member, which includes four teatcups (3) and is connectable to a milking machine (5) via a flexible conduit member (6). A support element (10) is fixedly mounted at a milking box (13) for an animal to be milked and positioned with the head at the front. An arm arrangement (9) is pivotably connected to the support element and arranged to support partly the milking member during milking of the animal when the teatcups are applied to a respective teat. The arm arrangement (9) is movable from a first position beside the animal to a second position below the animal. The arm arrangement is fixedly connected to the flexible conduit member (6) at a distance from the milking member in such a way that the milking member is partly movable in relation to the arm arrangement. The device includes a force-generating member for generating, during milking, a force acting on the arm arrangement in a forward direction (x).

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for cleaning the teats of an animal, and to a milking stall. The device includes a first conduit member (1) and a teat-cleaning member (2), which is connectable to a central arrangement (3) for supplying cleaning liquid and discharging waste liquid. The teat-cleaning member (2) includes at least two teat-cleaning cups (5) to be applied to a respective teat of the animal, a conduit assembly and two second conduit members (7) extending between a respective one of the teat-cleaning cups and the conduit assembly. Each teat-cleaning cup (5) is connected to the central arrangement (3) via the respective second conduit member (7) and the first conduit member (1) for the supply of cleaning liquid and the discharge of waste liquid.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for carrying a milking member, which includes four teatcups (3) and is connectable to a milking machine (5) via a flexible conduit member (6). A support element (10) is fixedly mounted at a milking box (13) for an animal to be milked and positioned with the head at the front. An arm arrangement (9) is pivotably connected to the support element and arranged to support partly the milking member during milking of the animal when the teatcups are applied to a respective teat. The arm arrangement (9) is movable from a first position beside the animal to a second position below the animal. The arm arrangement is fixedly connected to the flexible conduit member (6) at a distance from the milking member in such a way that the milking member is partly movable in relation to the arm arrangement. The device includes a force-generating member for generating, during milking, a force acting on the arm arrangement in a forward direction (x).

Abstract: A diaphragm valve for shutting off milk flow through a claw (13) of a vacuum driven milking machine has, in a preferred embodiment, a lever (5) linked (6), outside the milk flow, to the diaphragm (4), thereby avoiding any bushings which are prone to leakage. The lever (5) can be swung manually to a position holding the diaphragm away from its seat thereby permitting milk flow. In the automatically closing embodiments, the lever is swung in this case against the bias of a spring (7) and is retained in this open position if the suction force acting on the diaphragm (4) and the link (6) is sufficient to overcome the bias of the spring (7), which will be the case when there is normal milk flow through the valve.

Abstract: The invention refers to a teatcup liner (3), a teatcup (1) having teatcup shell (2) and such a teatcup liner (3), and a milking member with at least two such teatcups (1). The teatcup liner (3) includes a head portion (3b), which is provided at a first end of the teatcup liner, and a pipe portion (3c), which extends from the head portion to a second end along a longitudinal axis (z) of the teatcup liner and which defines an inner space (5) arranged to receive a teat of an animal. The longitudinal axis forms a center axis of the inner space. The head portion includes an opening (9), which is intended to permit the introducing of said teat into the inner space (5). The head portion (3b) consists of a first part (10), which extends from a first side of a plane including the longitudinal axis (z), and a second part (11), which extends from the other side of said plane and which is larger than the first part.

Abstract: The application discloses a device for a container which includes a casing (1) which defines an inner space (2), which extends from the inner space and is connectable to a vacuum source in order to reduce the pressure in the inner space and the outlet space to be lower than the pressure of a surrounding space. The device includes a valve arrangement (8) with a valve seat (9), which forms a first passage (6) between the inner space and the outlet space, a valve element (10), which is abuttable against the valve seat for closing the first passage in the first position and is displaceable from the valve seat for opening the passage, and a spindle portion (11) which is connected to the valve element and extends through the valve seat, the outlet space and a second passage (12) through the casing. Means (18, 19) are arranged to form a flow passage, which in the first position of the valve arrangement permits a flow from the surrounding space to the inner space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for automatic separation of foremilk and/or milk not suitable for consumption from the milk line system of a milking plant and an apparatus for carrying out said method. A separating device (44) is arranged at the ends of a milk line (52) and a test milk line (56), said milk lines being parallel. The separating device is designed with a damper means (48) attached to a cup (46). When milk is fed through the outlet (16), the cup (46) is filled up and its weight pivots the separating device from a first position, in which the inlet to a milk line (52) is closed by means of the damper mean, to a second position, in which the milk in cup is poured into a test milk line (56) and the damper means is lifted off the inlet (50|) to the milk line (52).

Abstract: A claw for a milking machine comprises a housing (1, 3) defining an inner space and having four inlet members (8', 9'), which are intended to connect the inner space of the housing (1, 3) to a respective teatcup of the milking machine, and an outlet member, adapted to connect the inner space of the housing (1, 3) to a milk collecting member of the milking machine via a conduit member. The four inlet members are provided in pairs in such a manner that they are adapted to the natural position of the teats. Thereby, a first pair (8), intended for two front teats of the animal to be milked, has a different position with respect to the center axis (5) than a second pair (9'), intended for the rear teats of the animal.