Dec International, Inc.

James A Carrano

William S Nelson

Roger K Erdman

Ronald J Pulvermacher

George H Tucker, Jr

Timothy E Blair

A milk meter (22) has a measuring chamber (40) with an inlet (42) receiving milk from a mammal's teat (24), a discharge chamber (48) having an inlet (50) from the measuring chamber and an outlet (52) discharging the milk to a collection tank (32), a central vertically reciprocal plunger valve (46) opening and closing the outlet of the measuring chamber and communication vacuum from the discharge chamber through the plunger to the measuring chamber, and a level sensing float (56) in the measuring chamber and circumscribing the plunger valve and vertically reciprocal therealong.

Milk meter

A milking cluster air fork (120) has outlets (122, 124, 126, 128) directing air tubes (80, 82, 84, 86) laterally inwardly of respective milk tubes (58, 60, 62, 64), rather than outwardly, to provide a narrower profile, such that if the dairy animal (22) lifts her rear leg (76, 78) and steps forward, the dew claw (112, 114) on the inside of her leg will not hook an air tube (80, 82, 84, 86) and pull the teat cup (50, 52, 54, 56) off the teat (26, 28, 30, 32).

Milking cluster air fork

A livestock sorting system (10) is provided with an entrance (11) having an identification sensor (13-15) for identifying designated livestock passing therethrough, and first and second aisles (18, 20) extending from the entrance. A gate (52) has a first position (FIG. 2) providing communication of the entrance with the first aisle, and a second position (FIG. 3) providing communication of the entrance with the second aisle. An automatic control actuates the gate between the first and second positions in response to the identification sensor.

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Stoughton, WI, United States of America

James A Carrano