A milking system includes an assembly, a controller, and a milking cluster configured to attach to one or more teats of a livestock. The assembly includes a clevis, a piston, a pulley system, and a sensor. The clevis includes a first member, a second member, a base member, and a cylinder. The cylinder is coupled to the base member. The piston is positioned at least partially within the cylinder, and is configured to move within the cylinder. The pulley system of the assembly includes a cord configured to be coupled to the milking cluster. The assembly includes a sensor configured to generate a displacement signal in response to detecting that a portion of the clevis is within a predefined distance of the sensor.

The present disclosure provides a method of milking a mammal which includes, applying a vacuum to the lower end of a milking cup liner; and modulating the pressure in the pulsation volume to cause a milking operation on a teat of an animal that is inserted into the top end of the bore. The modulation includes an on phase in which the vacuum applied to the liner bore is less than a vacuum applied to the pulsation volume to thereby enable milk flow from the teat, and an off phase in which the pulsation volume is at an increased pressure relative to the on phase to close the liner bore to thereby stop milk flow from the teat. The modulation includes applying positive pressure to the pulsation volume to apply compressive load to the teat.

The present disclosure provides a method of milking a mammal which includes, applying a vacuum to the lower end of a milking cup liner; and modulating the pressure in the pulsation volume to cause a milking operation on a teat of an animal that is inserted into the top end of the bore. The modulation includes an on phase in which the vacuum applied to the liner bore is less than a vacuum applied to the pulsation volume to thereby enable milk flow from the teat, and an off phase in which the pulsation volume is at an increased pressure relative to the on phase to close the liner bore to thereby stop milk flow from the teat. The modulation includes applying positive pressure to the pulsation volume to apply compressive load to the teat.

A teatcup and a cartridge insertable into a connector of the teatcup to be attached to the teat of an animal to be milked are disclosed. The cartridge includes an elongated sleeve, having an upper end section and a lower end section, and a teatcup liner pre-mounted in the elongated sleeve. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end section, a lower end portion located at the lower end section, and a barrel portion extending between the upper end portion and the lower end portion. The elongated sleeve includes three separate primary hook members provided circumferentially after each other on an outer surface of the elongated sleeve. Each primary hook member has a lower slide surface sloping upwardly and outwardly, and an upper hook surface extending inwardly.

A teatcup and a cartridge insertable into a connector of the teatcup to be attached to the teat of an animal to be milked are disclosed. The cartridge includes an elongated sleeve, having an upper end section and a lower end section, and a teatcup liner pre-mounted in the elongated sleeve. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end section, a lower end portion located at the lower end section, and a barrel portion extending between the upper end portion and the lower end portion. The elongated sleeve includes three separate primary hook members provided circumferentially after each other on an outer surface of the elongated sleeve. Each primary hook member has a lower slide surface sloping upwardly and outwardly, and an upper hook surface extending inwardly.

A cartridge and a teatcup to be attached to the teat of an animal to be milked are disclosed. The cartridge includes an elongated sleeve, having an upper end section and a lower end section, and a teatcup liner pre-mounted in the elongated sleeve. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end section, a lower end portion located at the lower end section, and a barrel portion extending between the upper and lower end portions. The barrel portion has a polygonal cross-sectional shape defining a plurality of corner portions and a plurality of side portions. The elongated sleeve includes a primary locking member. The teatcup liner includes a primary complementary locking member. The two locking members engage each other to prevent rotation of the teatcup liner in relation to the elongated sleeve.

A cartridge and a teatcup to be attached to the teat of an animal to be milked are disclosed. The cartridge includes an elongated sleeve, having an upper end section and a lower end section, and a teatcup liner pre-mounted in the elongated sleeve. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end section, a lower end portion located at the lower end section, and a barrel portion extending between the upper and lower end portions. The barrel portion has a polygonal cross-sectional shape defining a plurality of corner portions and a plurality of side portions. The elongated sleeve includes a primary locking member. The teatcup liner includes a primary complementary locking member. The two locking members engage each other to prevent rotation of the teatcup liner in relation to the elongated sleeve.

In order to avoid negative changes in the teat ends of a cow, in particular to avoid hyperkeratoses, the invention proposes a method for operating a milking system in which at least one of the parameters from total pressure per cycle, minimum total pressure per cycle or the ratio of total suction to total pressure is determined for at least one animal of a herd during at least one part of a milking process, and is compared with at least one reference value.

In order to avoid negative changes in the teat ends of a cow, in particular to avoid hyperkeratoses, the invention proposes a method for operating a milking system in which at least one of the parameters from total pressure per cycle, minimum total pressure per cycle or the ratio of total suction to total pressure is determined for at least one animal of a herd during at least one part of a milking process, and is compared with at least one reference value.

A milking device includes a support device (1) supporting a milking member (2) having a claw (3) and a number of teatcups (4) to be attached to a respective teat of an animal. The support device (1) includes a rear portion (6), an attachment part (9) attaching the support device to a structure, and an arm section (7) having a proximal end portion attached to the rear portion (6) and a distal end portion movable between an active position in the proximity of the animal to be milked and a rest position. A first cavity extends along the arm section and houses a retracting member for retracting the milking member from the teats of the animal. A second cavity for conveying a fluid flow extends along the arm section. The arm section includes an extruded part enclosing the first cavity and the second cavity.