US 12,465,010 B2
Milking cluster pipe support
James Hudson, Leyburn (GB); and Andrew Metcalfe, Leyburn (GB)
Assigned to JH Solutions Limited., Leyburn (GB)
Appl. No. 18/563,526
Filed by JH & PM SOLUTIONS LTD, Leyburn (GB)
PCT Filed May 24, 2022, PCT No. PCT/GB2022/051302
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 22, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/248847, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2107448 (GB), filed on May 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0245030 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. A01J 7/00 (2006.01); A01J 5/00 (2006.01); A01J 5/017 (2006.01); A01J 5/04 (2006.01); F16L 3/00 (2006.01); F16L 3/01 (2006.01); F16L 3/02 (2006.01); F16L 3/20 (2006.01)
CPC A01J 5/0175 (2013.01) [A01J 7/00 (2013.01); F16L 3/02 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A milking cluster pipe support, for fitment to a deck-side or kerb of a milking parlour, comprising a pivotable pipe support arm that moves within a plane P between a deployed position and a stowed position, wherein:
the extent of movement of the pipe support arm is limited to between the deployed position and the stowed position and is constrained by a deployed position end stop and by a stowed position end stop and in the deployed position the pipe support arm rests against the deployed position end stop and in the stowed position the pipe support arm rests against the stowed position end stop, the pipe support arm having towards one end at least one open ended pipe slot and having towards another end a pivot point;
the milking cluster pipe support has a pivot extending perpendicularly to the plane P and having a horizontal axis X-X and a vertical axis Y-Y located within the plane P and passing through the centre of the pivot;
the pipe support arm comprises a counterweight section and the pipe support arm further comprises a slotted body and a pivot extension that are each attached to the counterweight section, wherein the slotted body has a spine with a longitudinal axis L-L that is vertically oriented when the pipe support arm is in a vertical position and the pivot extension is offset from the longitudinal axis L-L by an angle « in a second rotational sense;
the pipe support arm pivots freely around the pivot within the plane P and moves in a first rotational sense from its deployed position to its stowed position and in the second rotational sense from its stowed position to its deployed position, wherein the first rotational sense and the second rotational sense are opposite to each other;
when the pipe support arm is located in the deployed position, a centre of gravity of the pipe support arm is located on one side of the vertical axis Y-Y and the pipe support arm is held against the deployed position end stop under the action of gravity and when the pipe support arm is located in the stowed position, the centre of gravity of the pipe support arm is located on the other side of the vertical axis Y-Y and the pipe support arm is held against the stowed position end stop under the action of gravity;
the counterweight section is located on the same side of the vertical axis Y-Y as the deployed position end stop when the pipe support arm is located in the deployed position and is located on the other side of the vertical axis Y-Y when the pipe support arm is located in the stowed position; and
wherein the centre of gravity of the pipe support arm crosses the vertical axis Y-Y during movement between the stowed position and the deployed position.