Dec International, Inc.

Terrence J Mullen

Gary C Steingraber

Paul D Thompson

A top unloading milking claw (10) includes a high-impact transparent plastic lower bowl (12) and a stainless steel upper top (14). The claw has a plurality of deflectors (50, 52, 54, 56) on the inner surface (48) of the lower bowl (12) and spaced radially outwardly of the vertical riser outlet tube (28) by an annular gap (58) therebetween. The deflectors (50, 52, 54, 56) reduce tangential velocity of milk flow along the inner surface (48) of the bowl (12) by intercepting such tangential milk flow and redirecting the intercepted milk flow inwardly and downwardly along the inner surface (48) toward the bottom of the bowl (12) to fill the space (38) between the lower end (36) of the outlet tube (28) and the bottom of the bowl (12), to maximize the air pressure differential across the surface of the milk, between the ambient air pressure within the claw and the vacuum within the outlet tube, to maximize milk flow capacity of the claw ( 10). An acceleration surface (94) having a bell-shaped curve extends from the bottom of the bowl (12) upwardly into the outlet tube (28) and provides uniform acceleration of the milk as it enters the outlet tube (28), to minimize shear stress and energy loss as the milk is directed to flow upwardly through the outlet tube (28).

Top unloaded milking claw

The valve comprises a housing connected to the outlet of a teat cup assembly. The housing includes a nipple formed in the bottom portion thereof for connection to a milk suction line. A ball member is mounted inside the valve housing and adapted to seat at the opening from the housing into the nipple when the interior of the housing is exposed to atmospheric pressure. The valve further includes a plunger slidably mounted in the wall of the valve housing, and the plunger is adapted to slide inwardly into the valve housing when the pressure in the housing falls below atmospheric pressure. The inward movement of the plunger is adapted to dislodge the ball member from its seated position at the nipple opening. The plunger member has an elastomeric washer mounted thereon which seals against the housing when the plunger slides inwardly. The washer has a locking ear thereon which engages a projection on the housing to lock the plunger in its retracted position during cleaning.

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Sun Prairie, WI, United States of America

Terrence J Mullen