Milk quantity meter

Claim 1

In combination with a milk quantity meter for use in milking stations for directly measuring a quantity of milk for a quantity of milk and entrained air yielded by a cow during a milking of the type having a container for receiving milk and entrained air, means for directing milk and entrained air into said container and for separating said milk and air, air vent means associated with said container for the discharging of the air, a milk measuring receptacle adjacent to said container, connecting means providing fluid communication between said container and said receptacle such that the separated milk flows into said receptacle, the milk measuring receptacle having a closed cylinder vertically disposed below the separation chamber, said cylinder having a milk inlet opening at its upper end surface in fluid communication with said separation chamber and a milk outlet opening at its lower end surface concentrically of said milk inlet, shutoff means disposed within said receptacle alternately opening and closing both said milk inlet opening and said milk outlet opening, the improvement comprising sensing means for sensing the level of milk within the receptacle as an indication of the quantity thereof including a measuring tube extending coaxially with the receptacle axis within the receptacle, switch means arranged at predetermined axially spaced locations in said measuring tube for indicating the level of the milk, float slidably mounted on the measuring tube for actuating said switch means and an electrically operated counter operatively connected to said switch means for indicating the quantity of milk in response to the actuation of said switch means.