Anti-twist Liner and Shell for a Dairy Animal Teat Cup Assembly

Abstract

A milker unit teat cup assembly for dairy animals having a shell and liner combination that resists twisting by the liner barrel relative to the shell using a recess in the liner that is engaged by a key in the shell.

1 . A teat cup assembly liner comprising:
 a mouthpiece defining a teat opening; and   a barrel joined to the mouthpiece, and defining a bore and a longitudinal axis aligned with the teat opening; and the barrel defines a shell-engaging annular recess.   
     
     
         2 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , wherein the alignment recess opens radially outwardly. 
     
     
         3 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and the barrel comprises:
 a lower locking ring joined to a lower portion of the barrel and extending radially outwardly from the barrel; and   an upper locking ring joined to the lower portion of the barrel, extending radially outwardly from the barrel, and spaced apart from the lower locking ring to define an annular recess, and the alignment recess is formed in the upper locking ring.   
     
     
         4 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 3 , wherein the alignment recess is open to the annular recess. 
     
     
         5 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 3 , wherein the alignment recess opens radially outwardly and into the annular recess. 
     
     
         6 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and the barrel further defines a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess. 
     
     
         7 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and the barrel further defines:
 a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess to form a first pair of alignment recesses; and   a second pair of alignment recesses spaced apart from the first pair of alignment recesses.   
     
     
         8 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and the barrel further defines:
 a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess to form a first pair of alignment recesses; and   a second pair of alignment recesses spaced diametrically opposite from the first pair of alignment recesses.   
     
     
         9 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a short milk tube joined to the barrel and defining a milk bore substantially aligned with the barrel bore.   
     
     
         10 . The teat cup assembly shell liner of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a short milk tube joined to the barrel and defining a milk bore substantially aligned with the barrel bore, and defining an air vent.   
     
     
         11 . A teat cup assembly, comprising:
 a liner having:
 a mouthpiece defining a teat opening; 
   a barrel joined to the mouthpiece, and defining a bore and a longitudinal axis aligned with the teat opening;   a lower locking ring joined to a lower portion of the barrel and extending radially outwardly from the barrel;   an upper locking ring joined to the lower portion of the barrel, extending radially outwardly from the barrel and spaced apart from the lower locking ring to define a shell-engaging annular recess, and the upper locking ring defines an alignment recess radially spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the barrel; and   a shell into which the shell liner is disposed, and the shell defines a lower opening with an inward annular edge disposed in the annular recess between the lower locking ring and the upper locking ring in the shell liner, and the shell includes a key disposed in the alignment recess.   
     
     
         12 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the alignment recess opens radially outwardly. 
     
     
         13 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the alignment recess is open to the annular recess. 
     
     
         14 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the alignment recess opens radially outwardly and into the annular recess. 
     
     
         15 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , and the upper locking ring further defines a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess. 
     
     
         16 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , and the upper locking ring further defines:
 a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess to form a first pair of alignment recesses; and   a second pair of alignment recesses spaced apart from the first pair of alignment recesses.   
     
     
         17 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , and the upper locking ring further defines:
 a second alignment recess spaced apart from the first alignment recess to form a first pair of alignment recesses; and   a second pair of alignment recesses spaced diametrically opposite from the first pair of alignment recesses.   
     
     
         18 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 a short milk tube joined to the barrel and defining a milk bore substantially aligned with the barrel bore.   
     
     
         19 . The teat cup assembly of  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 a short milk tube joined to the barrel and defining a milk bore substantially aligned with the barrel bore, and defining a vent.