MILKING APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR PRESENTING A TEAT CUP FOR ATTACHING TO AN ANIMAL

摘要

A rotary milking platform (1) comprises a plurality of apparatus, each of which comprises a platform (11) which forms a segment of the rotary platform (1). The platforms (11) define respective animal accommodating locations (3) for animals to be milked. A communicating opening (20) in each platform (11) is closed by a pair of closure plates (25) which are pivotal upwardly into an open state for separating the hind legs of an animal. A carriage (14) which is slideably carried beneath the platform (11 ) of each apparatus (10) in the directions of the arrows A and B. A teat cup carrier (15) is pivotally mounted in the carriage (14) of each apparatus (10) and is pivotal from a first state with teat cups (16) in the carrier (15) in a protective state extending horizontally and a second state with the teat cups (16) in a ready state extending vertically upwardly and ready for manual placement onto the teats of an animal. The carriage (14) is urgeable into a first position with the teat cup carrier (15) in the first state and with the teat cups (16) sealably engaged in plug elements (45) which include jetters (47) for use in rinsing and washing the milking system. The carriage (14) is moveable from the first position to a second position with the teat cup carrier (15) substantially aligned with the udder of an animal so that when the teat cup carrier (15) is urged into the second state, the teat cups (16) can be manually urged upwardly by hand and attached to the teat of the animal.