Detacher mechanism for milking unit

Abstract

A milking unit detacher mechanism including a main support column and a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on the main support column. The milker support column has a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted thereon adapted to support a milker unit on the end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking. The milker unit support assembly can be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow. A flexible retract member is fastened at one end to the milking unit support assembly and at the other end to a retract means for exerting a pulling force on the flexible retract member to thereby cause the milker unit support assembly to be retracted. The retract means includes a power cylinder having a movable piston rod. When the power cylinder is energized in its retract direction, it operates to pull on the flexible retract member and to also engage the milker support column and move it upwardly in a vertical direction.

I claim: .[.1. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising: 
     
        .[.3.  A milking unit according to claim 1 in which said retract means further includes first and second pulleys, said first pulley mounted at the lower end of said main support column and said second pulley mounted on the end of the piston rod of said power cylinder, with said flexible retract member extending from said retractable milking unit support assembly downwardly and around said first pulley and then upwardly and around said second pulley..]. .[.4. A milking unit according to claim 1 in which said retract means further includes a counterweight assembly for said milker support column, said counterweight assembly adapted to support said milker support column in a substantially stable, vertical position so that it can be moved vertically either up or down with only a small amount of force applied to it..]. .[.5. A milking unit according to claim 4 in which said counterweight assembly is comprised of a cable fastened at one end to the upper end of said milker unit support column and at the other end to a counterweight member, said counterweight member mounted for slidable movement inside the upper portion of said milker support column, said counterweight assembly further including a pulley member mounted on the top portion of said main support column over which said cable member is wound..]. .[.6. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising: a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened at one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly;   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction; and   control means for automatically initiating the actuation of said power   
     
     
        cylinder at a predetermined point in the milking cycle..]. .[.7.  A milking unit according to claim 6 in which said control means includes a control valve means and a milk valve means, said control valve means adapted to control the operation of said power cylinder and said milk valve means wherein when said power cylinder is energized for movement in the retract direction, the milk valve means will close to shut off flow of milk from the milker unit attached to the cow..]. .[.8. A milking unit according to claim 7 in which said control valve means is further adapted when said power cylinder is energized in its return direction to open said milk valve means..]. .[.9. A milking unit according to claim 8 in which said milk valve means includes an inlet and an outlet adapted for connection to a milk line and a tubular valve member of flexible material through which milk flows from said inlet to said outlet when said tubular valve member is in its normal unflexed position, said milk valve means further including a pressurizing means for pressurizing the exterior surface of said tubular valve member to thereby cause said valve member to 
     
     
        be flexed inwardly to cut off flow of milk therethrough..]. 10. A milking unit according to claim .[.9.]. .Iadd.17 .Iaddend.in which said pressurizing means includes a sealed chamber in which said tubular valve member is mounted and a source of air under pressure connected to said 
     
     
        sealed chamber. 11. A milking unit according to claim 10 in which said control valve means is operative to connect said source of air under pressure with said sealed chamber of said milk valve means when said power cylinder is energized in its retract direction. .[.12. A milking unit according to claim 6 in which said retract means further includes first and second pulleys, said first pulley mounted at the lower end of said main support column and said second pulley mounted on the end of the piston rod of said power cylinder, with said flexible retract member fastened at its other end to said main support column and then extracted upwardly and around said second pulley and then downwardly from said second pulley and around said first pulley and then upwardly from said first pulley for connection to said horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly..]. .[.13. A milking unit according to claim 6 in which said retract means further includes a counterweight assembly for said milker support column, said counterweight assembly adapted to support said milker support column in a substantially stable vertical position so that it can be moved vertically either up or down with only a small amount of force applied to it..]. .[.14. A milking unit according to claim 13 in which said counterweight assembly is comprised of a cable fastened at one end to the upper end of said milker unit support column and at the other end to a counterweight member, said counterweight member mounted for slidable movement inside the upper portion of said milker support column, said counterweight assembly further including a pulley member rotatably mounted on the top portion of said main support column over which said cable member is wound..]. .Iadd. 15. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising: a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened at one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly; and   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction, said retract means further including first and second pulleys, said first pulley mounted at the lower end of said main support column and said second pulley mounted on the end of the piston rod of said power cylinder, with said flexible retract member extending from said retractable milking unit support assembly downwardly and around said first pulley and then upwardly and around said second pulley and then anchored. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
         6.  A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising: a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened to one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly;   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction; and control means for automatically initiating the actuation of said power cylinder at a predetermined point in the milking cycle, said control means further including a control valve means and a milk valve means, said control valve means adapted to control the operation of said power cylinder and said milk valve means wherein when said power cylinder is energized for movement in the retract direction, the milk valve means will close to shut off flow of milk from the milker unit attached to the cow, said control valve means further adapted when said power cylinder is energized in its return direction to open said milk valve means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising:   a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened at one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly;   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction; and control means for automatically initiating the actuation of said power cylinder at a predetermined point in the milking cycle, said control means further including a control valve means and a milk valve means, said control valve means adapted to control the operation of said power cylinder and said milk valve means wherein when said power cylinder is energized for movement in the retract direction, the milk valve means will close to shut off flow of milk from the milker unit attached to the cow, said control valve means further adapted when said power cylinder is energized in its return direction to open said milk valve means, said milk valve means further including an inlet and an outlet adapted for connection to a milk line and a tubular valve member of flexible material through which milk flows from said inlet to said outlet when said tubular   
     
     
        valve member is in its normal unflexed position. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18.  A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising: a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unt support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened to one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly;   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction, said retract means further including first and second pulleys, said first pulley mounted at the lower end of said main support column and said second pulley mounted on the end of the piston rod of said power cylinder, with said flexible retract member fastened at its other end to said main support column and then extended upwardly and around said second pulley and then downwardly from said second pulley and around said first pulley and then upwardly from said first pulley for connection to said horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly; and   control means for automatically initiating the actuation of said power cylinder at a predetermined point in the milking cycle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising:   a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support column;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened at one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly;   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction, said retract means further including a counterweight assembly for said milker support column, said counterweight assembly adapted to support said milker support column in a substantially stable, vertical position so that it can be moved vertically either up or down with only a small amount of force applied to it. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 20. A milking unit according to claim 19 in which said counterweight assembly is comprised of a cable fastened at one end to the upper end of said milker unit support column and at the other end to a counterweight member, said counterweight member mounted for slidable movement inside the housing for said milker unit support column, said counterweight assembly further including a pulley member rotatable mounted on the top portion of main support column over which said cable member is wound. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. A milking unit support and detacher mechanism comprising:   a main support column;   a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on said main support colunn;   a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on said milker support column, said retractable milker unit support assembly adapted to support a milker unit on the outer end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking, said milker unit support assembly further adapted to be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow;   a flexible retract member fastened at one end to said retractable milking unit support assembly; and   retract means for pulling on said flexible retract member to cause said milker unit support assembly to be moved from its extended position to its retracted position, said retract means including a power cylinder having a movable piston rod mounted on said main support column, said power cylinder being operatively connected to said flexible retract member and to said milker support column, said power cylinder adapted when energized in its retract direction to pull on said flexible retract member and to also move said milker support column upwardly in a vertical direction, said retract means further including a pair of pulleys, one of said pulleys mounted at the lower end of said main support column and the other of said pulleys mounted on the end of the piston rod of said power cylinder, with said flexible retract member fastened at its other end to one of said pulleys and extending therefrom to the other of said pulleys and around said other pulley and back to the pulley at which the retract member is fastened and then around said pulley to said retractable milking unit support assembly, said retract means further including a counterweight assembly for said milker support column, said counterweight assembly adapted to support said milker support column in a substantially stable, vertical position so that it can be moved vertically either up or   
     
     
        down with only a small amount of force applied to it. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. A milking unit according to claim 21 in which said control means includes a control valve means and a milk valve means, said control valve means adapted to control the operation of said power cylinder and said milk valve means wherein when said power cylinder is energized for movement in the retract direction, the milk valve means will close to shut off flow of milk from the milker unit attached to the cow. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. A milking unit according to claim 22 in which said control valve means is further adapted when said power cylinder is energized in its return direction to open said milk valve means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. A milking unit according to claim 23 in which said milk valve means includes an inlet and an outlet adapted for connection to a milk line and a tubular valve member of flexible material through which milk flows from said inlet to said outlet when said tubular valve member is in its normal unflexed position, said milk valve means further including a pressurizing means for pressurizing the exterior surface of said tubular valve member to thereby cause said valve member to be flexed inwardly to cut off flow of milk therethrough.