Milking hose support

Abstract

A milking hose support comprising a frame adapted for supporting a milking hose, the frame having a hose coupler located on a side and adapted for supporting a milking hose; a hinge assembly, wherein the hinge assembly includes a hinge and connects the frame to the hinge; and a first flat bar, wherein the first flat bar is coupled to the hinge assembly, and extends away from the frame, wherein the hinge permits a variable angle of rotation between the frame and the first flat bar.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A hose support apparatus comprising:
 a frame coupled to a hinge assembly, the hinge assembly including a hinge;   a first flat bar coupled to an end of the hinge assembly distal to the frame; and   a mounting assembly coupled to an end of the first flat bar distal to the hinge assembly, wherein the frame includes at least one hose coupler on a side, the hose coupler configured to wedgingly receive a generally horizontal hose when the mounting assembly is mounted to a floor and the frame is generally perpendicular to the floor.   
     
     
         35 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , the mounting assembly comprising a second flat bar coupled to a flat bar connector, and wherein the flat bar connector is coupled to the first flat bar. 
     
     
         36 . The hose support apparatus of  claims 35 , wherein the second flat bar is mounted to the floor. 
     
     
         37 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the flat bar connector includes channels configured to slidingly receive the first flat bar and the second flat bar. 
     
     
         38 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the second flat bar and the flat bar connector comprise stainless steel. 
     
     
         39 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the first flat bar comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         40 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , the frame including at least one hose coupler on an opposite side. 
     
     
         41 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , the hinge assembly configured to permit a variable angle of rotation of the frame when hose is received by the frame. 
     
     
         42 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , the hinge assembly configured to cause the frame to fall flat to the floor when the hose is disengaged from the hose coupler. 
     
     
         43 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein an end of the hose is supported by a milking claw coupled to a cow. 
     
     
         44 . The hose support apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the hose coupler is generally cylindrical in configuration. 
     
     
         45 . A method of using the hose support apparatus comprising the steps of:
 mounting a mounting assembly of the hose support apparatus to a floor, the hose support apparatus further comprising a first flat bar coupled to the mounting assembly, a hinge assembly coupled to an end of the first flat bar distal to the mounting assembly, the hinge assembly including a hinge, a frame coupled to and end of the hinge assembly distal to the to the first flat bar, the frame including at least one hose coupler on a side, wherein the frame lies flat on the floor;   rotating the frame upwards from the floor so that the at least one hose coupler is positioned to receive a generally horizontal hose; and   receiving the hose in the hose coupler.   
     
     
         46 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , the mounting assembly comprising a second flat bar coupled to a flat bar connector, and wherein the flat bar connector is coupled to the first flat bar. 
     
     
         47 . The method of using a hose support apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the second flat bar is mounted to the floor. 
     
     
         48 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the flat bar connector includes channels configured to slidingly receive the first flat bar and the second flat bar. 
     
     
         49 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the second flat bar and the flat bar connector comprise stainless steel. 
     
     
         50 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the first flat bar comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         51 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , the frame including at least one hose coupler on an opposite side. 
     
     
         52 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , the hinge assembly configured to permit a variable angle of rotation of the frame when the hose is received by the frame. 
     
     
         53 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising the step of:
 disengaging the hose from the hose coupler, whereby the frame falls flat to the floor.   
     
     
         54 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein an end of the hose is supported by a milking claw coupled to a cow. 
     
     
         55 . The method of using the hose support apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the hose coupler is generally cylindrical in configuration.