US 6,050,219 · Granted 2000-04-18

Apparatus for milking animals

An apparatus for milking animals, such as cows, comprising a movable floor which carries four milking compartments. Each milking compartment has a computer controlled milking robot. The movable floor may be a rotating circular platform on which the four milking compartments are located adjacent its periphery. The platform's rotary motion is governed by an automatically operative adjusting mechanism on the basis of the estimated milking time of the animals being milked in milking compartments on the platform or on their estimated residence time thereon. Each animal as it enters into a milking compartment on the platform is identified by an identification system. Also provided are guide members that extend around the periphery of the platform. Mounted on the guide members are a foremilking device, an udder massage device, an udder cleaning device, and a robot for replacing teat cups which may have fallen from the teats of animals being milked.

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