US3773016A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Milker control
Assignee: Babson Brothers Co
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Filing: 1972-01-31
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Granted: 1973-11-20
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Expires: 1992-01-31
Abstract
Abstract A control circuit for an automatic milker unit includes a circuit for sensing the flow of milk from each teat cup. When the flow ceases, the liquid sensing circuit actuates a time delay circuit which in turn operates to cause a pneumatic piston to remove the teat cup from the animal. A dribble or sloshing of milk during the time delay does not prevent teat cup removal. However, a resumption of steady milk flow for an extended period of time during the delay will prevent removal of the teat cup until a subsequent cessation of milk flow. A circuit is provided for disabling the sensing circuit for a period of time to permit the operator to attach the teat cups at the start of the milking operation. The four sensing circuits of the milker unit are connected with an output circuit which detects the absence of milk flow from all four quarters of the animal and produces a ''''not milking'''' signal for energizing indicators or other milking system devices. The output circuit also produces an inverse ''''milking'''' signal to energize a motor for supplying feed to the animal or operate other devices so long as milk is flowing.
Inventors
- 👤 L Needham
- 👤 D Fitzpatrick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:29
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01J; A01J5/00; A01J5/017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing each teat cup, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup; an electronic circuit connected with said sensing means, having a first condition during continued flow of milk and a second condition in the absence of a flow of milk, said circuit being connected with said teat cup removing means for actuation thereof in said second condition, said circuit including timing means operative in the second condition of the circuit rendering the circuit insensitive to a temporary resumption of milk flow and responsive to a continued resumption of milk flow for reestablishing said first condition and terminating actuation of said teat cup removing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing each teat cup, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup; an electronic circuit connected with said sensing means, having a first condition during continued flow of milk and a second condition in the absence of a flow of milk, said circuit being connected with said teat cup removing means for actuation thereof in said second condition, said circuit including timing means operative in the second condition of the circuit rendering the circuit insensitive to a temporary resumption of milk flow and responsive to a continued resumption of milk flow for reestablishing said first condition and terminating actuation of said teat cup removing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
The milker control of claim 1 wherein said circuit includes: means responsive to said flow sensing means for changing said circuit from the first to the second condition on cessation of milk flow; and means responsive to said flow sensing means for changing said circuit from the second to the first condition on resumption of milk flow, the time for changing from the first to the second condition being less than the time for changing from the second to the first condition, rendering the control insensitive to a temporary resumption of milk flow.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The milker control of claim 2 wherein the time for changing from the first to the second condition of said circuit is less than one-fourth second and the time for changing from the second to the first condition of the circuit is of the order of at least one-fourth second.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The milker control of claim 1 wherein the means rendering the circuit insensitive to a temporary resumption of milk flow includes: a capacitor connected with said flow sensing means; a high impedance path connected with the capacitor for charging the capacitor in one sense; a low impedance path connected with the capacitor and operative in the absence of milk flow for charging the capacitor in the opposite sense; and means responsive to a charge of said one sense on the capacitor for maintaining said circuit in its first condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
136 words
The milker control of claim 1 wherein said circuit includes: a transistor switch with a control element; a source of operating potential for said transistor switch; a capacitor connected with said control element; a first charge circuit connecting said capacitor with said source of operating potential of one polarity, a charge on the capacitor of said one polarity estabilshing the first circuit condition; and a second charge circuit connecting the capacitor with said milk flow sensing means and with a potential source of the opposite polarity, to charge the capacitor with the opposite polarity in the absence of milk flow, establishing the second circuit condition, the time constant of the first charge circuit being greater than the time constant of the second charge circuit to render the control insensitive to a temporary resumption of milk flow.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
The milker control of claim 1 wherein said circuit includes: a transistor switch having a control element and having first and second circuit conditions; a capacitor connected with said control element; a source of DC operating potential; a resistive circuit connecting said capacitor with said DC source to charge the capacitor with one polarity, and establish said first circuit condition of said transistor switch; a source of AC operating potential; a probe connected with said AC source and positioned in the path of milk flow, the circuit from said AC source being completed through the milk; and a diode connecting said capacitor with said probe and conductive only in the absence of milk flow to charge said capacitor with the opposite polarity and establish the second circuit condition of said transistor switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing said teat cups, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup and for providing an electrical signal upon cessation of milk flow; a time delay circuit connected with said sensing means and operative on occurrence of said signal to initiate a timing period; and a solid state switch connected with said time delay circuit and operative upon completion of the timing period to actuate said teat cup removing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing said teat cups, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup and for providing an electrical signal upon cessation of milk flow; a time delay circuit connected with said sensing means and operative on occurrence of said signal to initiate a timing period; and a solid state switch connected with said time delay circuit and operative upon completion of the timing period to actuate said teat cup removing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
The milker control of claim 2 wherein said circuit includes: a time delay circuit connected with said teat cup removing means, operative on occurrence of said second circuit condition to initiate a timing period, the period of said time delay means being several times as long as the time for changing the circuit from the first to the second condition on cessation of milk flow and at least as long as the time for changing the circuit from said second to said first condition on resumption of milk flow.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The milker control of claim 7 including: a first switch responsive to said sensor; a time delay circuit responsive to the first switch; and a second switch responsive to the time delay circuit for actuating said teat cup removing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The milker control of claim 9 wherein said first and second switches are transistors having control elements, the control element of the first transistor switch being connected with said sensor and the control element of the second transistor switch being connected with the time delay means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The milker control of claim 10 wherein said time delay means includes: a capacitor connected with the control element of the second transistor switch; and a resistive charging circuit connected with the capacitor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
186 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing each teat cup, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup; an electronic circuit connected with said sensing means, having a first condition during continued flow of milk and a second condition in the absence of flow of milk, said circuit being connected with said teat cup removing means for actuation thereof in said second condition; a transistor switch connected with said electronic circuit having a temporary inhibit condition maintaining said electronic circuit in its first condition in the absence of a flow of milk, said transistor switch having a control element; a capacitor connected with said control element; a source of operating potential; a manual switch actuable by an operator to connect said capacitor with said source, charging the capacitor and establishing the temporary condition of said transistor switch; and a resistive network connected with said capacitor to dissipate the charge thereon, the time constant of the capacitor and resistive network establishing the duration of the temporary condition of said transistor switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
186 words
A control for a milker having teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats and means for individually removing each teat cup, comprising: means for sensing a flow of milk from each teat cup; an electronic circuit connected with said sensing means, having a first condition during continued flow of milk and a second condition in the absence of flow of milk, said circuit being connected with said teat cup removing means for actuation thereof in said second condition; a transistor switch connected with said electronic circuit having a temporary inhibit condition maintaining said electronic circuit in its first condition in the absence of a flow of milk, said transistor switch having a control element; a capacitor connected with said control element; a source of operating potential; a manual switch actuable by an operator to connect said capacitor with said source, charging the capacitor and establishing the temporary condition of said transistor switch; and a resistive network connected with said capacitor to dissipate the charge thereon, the time constant of the capacitor and resistive network establishing the duration of the temporary condition of said transistor switch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The milker control of claim 12 including: a voltage divider connected with said source of potential; and a second manual switch actuable by the operator to connect said capacitor with said voltage divider to establish the temporary condition of said transistor for a period of time shorter than that established by actuation of the first mentioned switch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The milker control of claim 12 including: switch means actuable for interrupting the connection of the transistor switch circuit with the source of operating potential; and an auxiliary discharge circuit for said capacitor having a diode connected with the capacitor and the cource of operating potential and back biased by said source, said diode conducting upon actuation of said switch means, to discharge said capacitor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The milker control of claim 12 including a voltage regulator connected with said transistor switch to stabilize the operation thereof in the event of a variation in the operating potential.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
An automatic milker having: four teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats; means associated with each of said teat cups for sensing the flow of milk therefrom; a sensing circuit connected with each of said sensing means having a first condition in response to a flow of milk from the associated teat cup and a second condition in response to the absence of a flow of milk from the associated teat cup; and an output circuit connected with each of said sensing circuits, having a first condition responsive to a flow of milk from any one of the teat cups and a second condition responsive to an absence of a flow of milk from all of said teat cups.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
120 words
An automatic milker having: four teat cups for attachment to an animal''s teats; means associated with each of said teat cups for sensing the flow of milk therefrom; a sensing circuit connected with each of said sensing means having a first condition in response to a flow of milk from the associated teat cup and a second condition in response to the absence of a flow of milk from the associated teat cup; and an output circuit connected with each of said sensing circuits, having a first condition responsive to a flow of milk from any one of the teat cups and a second condition responsive to an absence of a flow of milk from all of said teat cups.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The automatic milker of claim 16 wherein the sensing circuits have output signals of different voltage levels representing the first and second conditions and the output circuit includes a gate circuit means responsive to the sensing circuit output signals to establish the output circuit conditions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The automatic milker of claim 16 including an operator signal connected with said output circuit and actuated upon occurrence of the second condition thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The automatic milker of claim 16 including a device connected with said output circuit and actuated upon occurrence of the first condition thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The automatic milker of claim 19 wherein said device is a feed motor for delivering feed to the animal being milked.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
83 words
The automatic milker of claim 16 in which said output circuit includes: first switch means conductive in the first condition of the output circuit and nonconductive in the second condition thereof; second switch means nonconductive in the first condition of the output circuit and conductive in the second condition thereof; a first device connected with said first switch means and energized during the milking operation; and a second device connected with said second switch means and energized upon termination of the milking operation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The automatic milker of claim 21 in which the first device is a feed motor for delivering feed to the animal being milked and the second device is an operator signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2576808A
Cited
US3115116A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |