IMPROVED MILKING MACHINE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4567, 23 May 1923, Page 1

IMPROVED MILKING MACHINE.

• DEMONSTRATION AT BEREPEEHL I EXCELLENT RESULTS SHOWN. A very interesting demonstration on the merits of an improved milking machine was given recently by the inventor;, Mr H, D. Jamieson,, of Kerepeehi. Mr Jamieson, like many other dairy farmers, using the modern releaser milking plants, has long recognised that all was not, perfect,, and if the highest quality cream was to be produced some revolutionary method would have to be applied to existing machines to prevent milk getting in and contaminating the vacuum system. Such contamination not only affects the farmer by lowering the grade of his cream, but is a serious defect, and one that directly or indirectly interests every man, woman, and child in this country. Butter as our chief export product requires us to take all precautions possible that it may be offered for sale, in the world’s markets in first-class order, and any defect in a milking plant that is likely to lower the grade of the finished article has a direct bearing on pur main national source of revenue. Another defect in the releaser milking plant, said Mr Jamieson, is the fact that no simple means is provided to show how a cow is milking or when she is milked. The result is that apart from not being able to test, teat cups are left on longer than necessary, which in some casegi results in trouble with the cow’s quarters or teats. This is a very serious fault, arid as more cows are yeafly slaughtered on account of udder trouble than through any other cause it would be interesting to know to what extent the releaser milking machine is to blame. With a view to overcoming these and other defects/Mr Jamieson has spent' 3% year’s of patient study and research. The result of his investigations is now for the first time about to be disclosed to the public, and after witnessing his improved machine in .operation on the cows we cannot do otherwise than admit, that he has solved the problem in a very simple and most effective manner. The outstanding feature of this invention is the puls&tor, and herein lies the whole secret of its improvements. It consists of two flat discs rotating one against the other by means of a shafting that is keyed into one of them. The frices of both discs which rotate against each other have various shaped grooves, recesses, holes, and ports ’in the same, and on the one revolving against the other (which is a fixture) the control and direction of vacuum and atmosphere to the releaser and teat cups are obtained. The pulsator is absolutely fool-proof,; the pulsation to teat cups being fixed at a speed to conform with the circulation or the heart’s action of the cow. Where machines are made with variable speeds disaster is being courted, and if the farmer really knew why it is necessary to have pulsation to the teat cups he would see that the speed of his pulsator should not be altered. The method of drawing milk from the cow is similar to other well-known machines, but the control and disposal of milk after it has entered the releaser is where the secret lies. Three methods of gravitating the milk through the shed were employed. The trials witnessed were as follows :— First, the ordinary pipe system running through the shed to a single releaser was employed. Four cows were milked at one time into a releaser not more than one-quarter the size of those usually employed. With this system, if it is desired to test a cow all that is necessary is to attach a miniature releaser to a board across the dummy. A bracket is fixed to the same into which the seats. By disconnecting two rubbers and connecting them to the releaser each cow milks into a separate open bucket. Secondly, an open gutter was placed under three small releasers,, one at each dummy. The cows were each milked, into one of these releasers, the milk being discharged into an open chute. Thirdly, the same releasers were again employed, but by a simple movement with one hand the bottom chamber turned away from the open gutter and'discharged the milk into ah open bucket. One of these releasers had glass sides,, and every movement of the milk could be observe’d. After having observed these three trials the vacuum tank was examined, but no trace of milk could be found, and in each case the cows were carefully examined. They all gave theii milk freely,, without the slightest trace of fear or annoyance. Mr Jamieson then took the> glasssided relea&er and connected the top chamber with vacuum, while to. the bottom chamber he connected a piP e that is alternately under; vacuum and atmosphere. This is the usual method of getting release of milk from a double-chambered releaser. The result of this demonstration was a great deviation to those present, and proved beyond a dpubt the wonderful possibilities of the machine under review. Milk was drawn as before into the top chamber, and although most of it was released into the bucket froth kept steadily accumulating in the top chamber until It eventually filled, and would have passed right through into the vacuum system. Mr Jamiesop will be showing this machine at the various shows and demonstrating its gpod points. He ex-

pects to be able to market it at a price that is within tjae reach of all, and in addition to its many advantages over existing releaser machines no additional plant is required for testing purposes.