Milking Parlor for the Forward Straight Line Animal Ambulation and Individual Presentation of an Animal to be Milked in a Milking Stall Located Intermediate a Holding Area and a Release Area

Abstract

A milking parlor has a holding gate and a parallel spaced individually loaded-occupied-unloaded milking stall with an operator pit located intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall. The operator pit can be recessed from the holding gate and the milking stall, wherein a bridge or a bridge cart selectively connects a holding gate to an unoccupied milking stall. A robotic or human operator can function from the operator pit to implement the milking process.

1 . A milking parlor for presenting an animal to be milked, comprising: 
 (a) a holding gate;    (b) a milking stall co-linear with the holding gate; and    (c) an operator pit intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall.    
   
   
       2 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , further comprising a robotic operator in the operator pit.  
   
   
       3 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge cart moveable between a first position intermediate the staging stall and the milking stall, and a second position spaced from the staging stall and the milking stall.  
   
   
       4 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of holding gates and a different plurality of milking stalls.  
   
   
       5 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of staging stalls and a corresponding plurality of milking stalls.  
   
   
       6 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , wherein the holding gate pivots about one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.  
   
   
       7 . The milking parlor of  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge cart intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall.  
   
   
       8 . A milking parlor for presenting an animal to be milked, comprising: 
 (a) a milking stall with an egress gate; and    (b) a holding gate co-linear with the milking stall.    
   
   
       9 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , further comprising an operator pit intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall.  
   
   
       10 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , further comprising an ingress gate operably connected to the milking stall.  
   
   
       11 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , wherein the holding gate is a holding stall egress gate, and the holding stall includes an ingress gate.  
   
   
       12 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , further comprising a bridge intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall.  
   
   
       13 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , further comprising a platform moveable between a first position and the second position intermediate the holding gate and the milking stall.  
   
   
       14 . The milking parlor of  claim 8 , further comprising a milking robot operably connected the milking stall.  
   
   
       15 . A milking parlor comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of holding gates;    (b) a plurality of milking stall entrance gates spaced from the plurality of holding gates; and    (c) an operator pit intermediate the plurality of holding gates and the plurality of milking stalls.    
   
   
       16 . The milking parlor of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of holding gates is greater than the plurality of milking stalls.  
   
   
       17 . The milking parlor of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of holding gates is less than the plurality of milking stalls.  
   
   
       18 . A milking parlor defining a travel path for an animal to be milked, the travel path at least partially defined by a milking stall and a bridge upstream of the milking stall.  
   
   
       19 . The milking parlor of  claim 18 , further comprising an egress gate in the milking stall.  
   
   
       20 . The milking parlor of  claim 18 , further comprising an ingress gate in the milking stall.  
   
   
       21 . The milking parlor of  claim 20 , wherein the ingress gate includes a manure gutter.  
   
   
       22 . The milking parlor of  claim 18 , wherein the bridge moves at least one of a vertical, a horizontal direction.