WO2013095269A1

WO2013095269A1 - Magazine arrangement and a milking parlour comprising such arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2013095269A1
Application number: PCT/SE2012/051409
Authority: WO
Inventors: Helmut OBERMÜLLER; Kerstin Vollmer
Original assignee: Delaval Holding Ab
Priority date: 2011-12-19
Filing date: 2012-12-17
Publication date: 2013-06-27

Abstract

There is presented a teat cup magazine arrangement comprising a teat cup adapted to be connected to a teat of an animal, a flexible conduit 22 connected to the teat cup and a magazine forming a storage for the teat cup when it is not used for milking and from which it is removed to be attached to the teat. The arrangement further comprises a cleaning device 30 for cleaning an outer surface portion of the flexible conduit 22 and a control device 38 connected to the cleaning device 30 for initiating the cleaning of the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit 22 in response to the teat cup being retracted to the magazine. A milking parlour comprising a milking stall and a teat cup magazine arrangement is also presented.

Description

MAGAZINE ARRANGEMENT AND A MILKING PARLOUR COMPRISING SUCH ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a teat cup magazine arrangement comprising a magazine forming a storage for a teat cup when it is not used for milking. It further relates to a milking parlour comprising a milking stall and a teat cup magazine arrangement. BACKGROUND

When milking animals in a milking system a farmer grasps teat cups arranged at a milking stall of a milking parlour and attaches them to teats of an animal to be milked standing in the milking stall. At the end of a milking operation the teat cups are retracted from the teats either manually by the farmer or, if available, by means of an automatic retraction mechanism. From the teat cups one or more flexible conduits lead to a milk conduit for transporting the milk towards a miik tank.

In fully automatic milking systems where teat cups are automatically attached to teats of animals and automatically disconnected from the teats, a farmer does not have to perform these laborious tasks. A fully automatic milking system has an attachment apparatus, such as a robotic arm for handling one or more teat cups and an

arrangement for detecting teat positions. A teat cup can thus be attached to a teat of an animal. After milking the teat cup is disconnected from the teat by an automatic retraction mechanism, which e.g. pulls on the flexible milk conduit connected to the teat cup. A fully automatic milking system has a milking parlour, which may comprise one or more milking stalls and one or more attachment apparatuses.

EP 91892 discloses fully automatic milking systems of various sizes - single and double stall systems with one attachment apparatus and multi-stall systems with either an attachment apparatus moving between the milking stalls or a stationary attachment apparatus and the milking stalls being arranged on a rotary platform. in a fully automatic milking system the farmer has a supervising function making sure the system operates as intended to provide a high capacity for milking animals on a farm. A milking parlour comprising one or only a few milking stalls with one or more attachment apparatuses may be left unattended for several hours, while larger milking parlours with many milking stalls and one or more attachment apparatuses might require a farmer to be present for periods during milking. However, in fully automatic milking systems of both sizes the farmer is relieved of the laborious work of handling the teat cups.

Dust, dirt, insects and animals droppings are part of animal husbandry. For obvious reasons hygienic aspects are important in milk production. It is thus necessary to clean a milking parlour and parts thereof during and/or after milking. This applies to manual milking parlours as well as milking parlours of fully automatic milking systems.

A farmer performs tasks such as cleaning and maintenance of the milking system. The latter includes attending to malfunctioning equipment parts. Some types of milking systems are provided with one or more magazines where the teat cups are stored between milkings and which are associated with at least part of the flexible conduits connected to the teat cups. Such a magazine may be a cause of malfunctioning. It happens that the magazine may be soiled by the flexible conduits dragging manure and dust into the magazine.

EP 1230844 discloses a rinsing device for cleaning the insides of milk lines and a cleaning device for cleaning the exterior of a milking parlour. In particular the bottom area of a milking parlour is cleaned by means of nozzles of the cleaning device.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to ensure reliable operation of a magazine forming a storage for a teat cup when it is not used for milking and which magazine is associated with a flexible conduit connected to the teat cup.

According to an aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a teat cup magazine arrangement comprising a teat cup adapted to be connected to a teat of an animal, a flexible conduit connected to the teat cup and a magazine forming a storage for the teat cup when it is not used for milking and from which it is removed to be attached to the teat. The arrangement further comprises a cleaning device for cleaning an outer surface portion of the flexible conduit and a control device connected to the cleaning device for initiating the cleaning of the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit in response to the teat cup being retracted to the magazine.

Since the cleaning device is initiated to clean the flexible conduits in response to a teat cup being retracted to the magazine, cleaning of the flexible conduits may be regularly performed as directed by the control device. Automatic cleaning of the flexible conduit may be performed at regular intervals. Build up of dirt in the magazine is thus minimized without having to rely on the farmer to attend to a regular cleaning schedule of the magazine. Reliable operation of the magazine is ensured. Also, the farmer's work is relieved of a cumbersome task. Suitably the control device may also be arranged to initiate retraction of the teat cup to the magazine.

A magazine arrangement of the above mentioned kind may be used in fu!iy automatic milking systems as well as in milking systems where a farmer attaches teat cups manually. The term magazine is to be interpreted in a broad sense. It performs the function of forming a storage for one or more teat cups when they are not used for milking. The magazine is associated with at least a part of one or more flexible conduits connected to the teat cup or teat cups. A teat cup may be retracted to the magazine e.g. when a monitored parameter, such as a threshold milk flow rate, indicates that a teat cup is to be detached from a relevant teat. A different situation when a teat cup is to be retracted to the magazine is when it has accidentally been removed from a teat during milking and a monitored vacuum level in the teat cup decreases (i.e. pressure increases in relation to when the teat cup is attached to the teat).

According to example embodiments a portion of the flexible conduit may extend through the magazine. According to example embodiments the cleaning device may comprise at least one nozzle for directing a fluid towards the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit. The nozzle provides a convenient way of applying a cleaning fluid to the flexible conduit ensuring that the outer surface of the flexible conduit is cleaned. The cleaning fluid to be used may be water with or without an added chemical or detergent. The cleaning fluid may have been used for cleaning internal surfaces of a milking system such as the insides of milk conduits prior to being used in the cleaning device.

According to example embodiments the cleaning device may comprise at least one brush and/or sponge and/or scraper arranged to abut against the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit. A mechanical removing of dirt may be achieved by such means as the brush and/or the sponge and/or the scraper. The means may be used in addition to the above mentioned at least one nozzle. At least one nozzle may be integrated in the means. The means may be arranged to be moved in and out of abutment with the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit. The control device may thus control when the means is to abut against the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit.

According to example embodiments the cleaning device may comprise an enclosure, inside which the nozzle and/or the brush and/or the sponge and/or the scraper is arranged and through which the flexible conduit extends. The enclosure may be provided with openings for the flexible conduit such that it may be moved though the enclosure. While the flexible conduit is moved through the enclosure the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit may be cleaned. It is to be understood that not necessarily the entire flexible conduit needs to pass through the enclosure. The enclosure may be arranged outside the magazine suitably in dose proximity to the magazine. The enclosure may provide the benefit of enclosing a space where the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit is being cleaned. The enclosure may be provided e.g. in the form of a framework, a partially open box, or comprise a number of wall elements. Dirt and/or cleaning fluid may thus be prevented from spreading.

According to example embodiments the magazine may comprises a compartment. The cleaning device may be arranged inside the compartment. The flexible conduit may pass into the compartment when the teat cup is retracted to the magazine. The above mentioned enclosure may be arranged inside the compartment. The compartment may provide protection to the cleaning device and/or the flexible conduits from environmental influence.

According to example embodiments the teat cup magazine arrangement may comprise a pulling apparatus for pulling the teat cup to the magazine. Such a pulling apparatus is also known as a retraction device or a detachment apparatus. The control device may be arranged to initiate retraction of the teat cup to the magazine. The control device may be connected to the pulling apparatus to control retraction of the teat cup to the magazine. The pulling apparatus may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, which may be controlled by the control device.

According to example embodiments the magazine may comprise a guiding device adapted to guide the flexible conduit. The guiding device may be in the form of a roller to ensure a tangle-free handling of the flexible conduit. A nozzle for distributing a cleaning fluid onto the outer surface portion of the flexible conduit may be arranged in the guiding device. This may be the above mentioned nozzle or an additional nozzle.

According to example embodiments the cleaning device may be adapted to clean the teat cup. The cleaning device may clean the teat cup externally. Since the teat cup is also cleaned externally hygienic conditions are improved. A separate nozzle and/or brush and/or sponge may be provided for external cleaning of the teat cup. The cleaning device may be arranged to clean the teat cup internally. A nozzle may be provided to distribute cleaning fluid into the teat cup. According to an aspect of the invention a milking parlour comprises a milking stall, and the milking parlour comprises a teat cup magazine arrangement according to aspects of example embodiments discussed above. The milking stall is an area or space where an animal stands during milking. The magazine of the teat cup magazine arrangement is arranged such that the teat cup reaches an animal standing in the milking stall. The magazine may be attached to a railing of the milking stall or it may be attached to a structure separate from the milking stall or it may be a stand-alone device. In case the milking parlour comprises more than one milking stall the magazine of one milking stall may be attached to an adjacent milking stall. According to example embodiments the magazine may be connected to the milking stall. The magazine may be attached to a railing of the milking stall. Alternatively, the magazine may be attached to a structure separate from the milking stall or it may be a stand-alone device. In case the milking parlour comprises more than one milking stall the magazine of one milking stall may be attached to an adjacent milking stall.

According to example embodiments the milking parlour may comprise an attachment apparatus for automatically attaching the teat cup to a teat of an animal to be milked in the milking stall. The attachment apparatus may be adapted to pick the teat cup from the magazine for the attaching of the teat cup to the teat. Accordingly, the magazine arrangement may be implemented in a fully automatic milking system.

According to example embodiments the milking parlour may comprise a rotary platform on which the milking stall is arranged. On the rotary platform there may be arranged more than one milking stall. For example, twelve or more milking stalls may be arranged on the rotary platform.

Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. Those skilled in the art will realize that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various aspects of the invention, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the fo!lowing detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a milking parlour according to example embodiments, Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a cleaning device for cleaning an externa! surface of a flexible conduit of a teat cup magazine arrangement according to example

embodiments, Fig. 3 illustrates schematically a cleaning device of a teat cup magazine arrangement according to example embodiments,

Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a cleaning device for cleaning an external surface of a flexible conduit of a teat cup magazine arrangement according example embodiments, Fig. 5 illustrates a magazine for teat cups of a milking parlour according to example embodiments, and

Fig. 6 illustrates schematically a milking parlour according to example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the

accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. However, this invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

Disclosed features of example embodiments may be combined as readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

As used herein, the term "comprising" or "comprises" is open-ended, and includes one or more stated features, elements, steps, components or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof.

As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the common abbreviation "e.g.", which derives from the Latin phrase "exempli gratia," may be used to introduce or specify a general example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is not intended to be limiting of such item. If used herein, the common abbreviation "i.e.", which derives from the Latin phrase "id est," may be used to specify a particular item from a more general recitation.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in common!y used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly format sense unless expressly so defined herein. it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "coupled" or

"connected" to another element, it can be directly coupled or connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another element, there are no intervening elements present.

Weil-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or ciarity. Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a milking parlour 2 according to example embodiments. A milking stall 4 is provided with an entrance gate 6 and an exit gate 8, though which an animal to be milked enters and exits the milking stall 4. An automatic attachment apparatus 10 for automatically attaching teat cups 12 to teats of the animal to be milked is arranged at one side of the milking stall 4. The teat cups 12 are part of an automatic milking apparatus 14 for extracting milk from the udder of the animal. The milking apparatus 14 comprises a system of conduits for leading milk extracted from the animal to a milk tank and a vacuum source, which creates a vacuum in at least part of the conduit system. Commonly the milking apparatus may also comprise an intermediate milk collecting container, valves for directing the flow of milk, valves for controlling vacuum, a milk pump and measuring devices for measuring milk flow, milk quality, quantity of milk etc. For hygienic reasons the teat cups, the system of conduits and other parts of the milking apparatus 14 coming into contact with milk are cleaned internally by means of a rinsing apparatus 16. This internal cleaning is suitably performed at regular intervals. During the internal cleaning of the teat cups, milking can for obvious reasons not be performed. The internal cleaning may alternatively be performed in several steps and/or by more than one rinsing apparatus.

When not in use the teat cups 12 are stored in a magazine 20 at a side of the milking stall 4. Flexible conduits forming part of the conduit system of the milking apparatus 14 extend from the teat cups 12 and into the magazine 20. Associated with the magazine 20 is a cleaning device for cleaning outer surface portions of the flexible conduits.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a cleaning device 30 for cleaning an external surface of a flexible conduit of a teat cup magazine arrangement according to example

embodiments. The cleaning device 30 may be arranged adjacent or inside the magazine 20 for teat cups and flexible conduits as illustrated in Fig. 1. Sections of four flexible conduits 22 are illustrated in Fig. 2. The flexible conduits 22 extend through a conduit loop 32 of the cleaning device 30. A cleaning fluid is lead to the conduit loop from a source of cleaning fluid through a feed conduit 34 provided with a valve 36. By means of the valve 36 the flow of cleaning fluid to the conduit loop 32 is controlled by means of a control device 38. The source of cleaning fluid may be a water main or a dedicated cleaning fluid container and a pump. A detergent may be added to the cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid is distributed over outer surfaces of the flexible conduits 22 by means of nozzles 40, in this case eight nozzles 40, two per flexible conduit 22.

Fig. 3 illustrates schematically a cleaning device 30 of a teat cup magazine arrangement according to example embodiments. The cleaning device 30 is enclosed in a separate enclosure 31 through which a flexible conduit 22 extends. A teat cup 12 is hanging upside down from the flexible conduit 22. A conduit loop 32 provided with nozzles 40 is arranged for distributing cleaning fluid over an outer surface portion of the flexible conduit 22. The separate enclosure 31 will prevent excessive splashing of the cleaning fluid and encase cleaning fluid mist. The separate enclosure 31 is provided with an outlet 33 for spent cleaning fluid at a lower end of the separate enclosure 31. The separate enclosure 31 may be arranged in a magazine 20 or adjacent to a magazine 20. An alternative to a separate enclosure 31 may be that walls of a magazine 20 form an enclosure which prevents splashing of cleaning fluid to a sufficient extent. Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a cleaning device 30 for cleaning an external surface of a flexible conduit 22 of a teat cup magazine arrangement according example

embodiments. The cleaning device is arranged in a magazine 20. Walls of the magazine 20 may form a compartment 46. Alternatively, the compartment 46 may be referred to as a cabinet. The cleaning device 30 comprises two guiding rollers 42 between which the flexible conduit 22 extends. One or both of the guiding rollers 42 may be provided with one or more cleaning fluid outlets along their periphery. Cleaning fluid is distributed to the outlets by means of a feed conduit and channels inside the guiding rollers 42. A valve and a control device control the flow of cleaning fluid to the guiding rollers 42. Two rotating brushes 44 are arranged beside the flexible conduit 22 such that the rotating brushes 44 reach an externa! surface portion of the flexible conduit 22. The rotating brushes 44 may be fed with a cleaning fluid such that during brushing cleaning fluid is also distributed over the surface portion being brushed. The cleaning fluid may be fed through a hub of a brush 44 or through at least one separate nozzle directing the cleaning fluid towards the brushes 44. One or more of the guiding rollers 42 and/or the rotating brushes 44 may be displaceable by means of a non-shown mechanism such that they may be moved in and out of abutment with the flexible conduit 22. in addition to, or as an alternative to the brushes 44 there may be provided a sponge and/or a scraper.

Fig. 5 illustrates a magazine 20 for teat cups 12 of a milking parlour according to example embodiments. A cleaning device 30 as illustrated in one of Figs. 2, 3 or 4 is arranged inside a compartment 46 of the magazine 20. When an animal is to be milked, a farmer or an automatic attachment apparatus grips the teat cups 12, one by one or all at once, and withdraws them from the magazine 20 to connect them to the teats of the animal. A conduit mechanism inside the magazine 20 releases each flexible conduit 22 such that the attachment apparatus can withdraw each teat sup 12 from the magazine 20. The conduit mechanism may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder connected to a pulley, over which a flexible conduit extends. The attachment apparatus releases the teat cups 12 after they have been attached to the teats. During milking the conduit mechanism may be arranged to keep the flexible conduits 22 off the ground, e.g. by pulling at the flexible conduits 22 with a force balancing the weight of the flexible conduits 22. After milking has been completed the teat cups 12 are retracted to the magazine 20 by means of the conduit mechanism. This may be done individually per teat as milking of each udder portion finishes or collectively for all teats at once. When a retraction operation of one or more teat cups 12 is initiated, the control device 38 at the same time opens valve 36 to admit cleaning fluid into the conduit loop 32 and to the nozzles 40, see Figs. 2 and 3. Alternatively or additionally rotating brushes 44 and guiding rollers 42 are utilized, see Fig. 4. Cleaning fluid is thus distributed over surface portions of the flexible conduits 22 from the start of the retraction operation and is maintained unti! the teat cups 12 have been returned to the magazine 20. Spraying may alternatively be performed intermittently during the retraction operation.

It may happen that during milking an animal steps on a flexible conduit and accidentally detaches a teat cup. This is called kick-off. In this case the teat cup 12 and part of the corresponding flexible conduit 22 may come in contact with a floor of the milking parlour before the conduit mechanism retracts the teat cup 12 to the magazine 20. The cleaning device may thus be used to clean the flexible conduit 22 during a retraction operation after kick-off. If there is still milk left in the relevant udder portion, the famer or the attachment apparatus may reattach the teat cup to the teat from which it was kicked off. Fig. 6 illustrates schematically a milking parlour 2 according to example embodiments. The milking parlour 2 illustrated in Fig. 6 is a rotary milking parlour also called a milking carousel. The milking parlour comprises a platform 50, which rotates in a clockwise direction. On the platform 50 there are arranged 18 milking stalls 52 delimited from each other by means of partitions 54. For each milking stall 52 there is arranged a magazine 20 near an outer periphery of the platform 50. The magazine 20 forms a storage for teat cups and portions of flexible conduits connected to the teat cups. An automatic attachment apparatus 10 is arranged to attach teat cups to animals standing on the platform 50. An animal 56 steps onto the platform 50 from an entrance area 58. When the animal standing on the rotating platform 50 arrives in the vicinity of the attachment apparatus 10 a manipulator of the attachment apparatus takes the teat cups from the magazine 20 of the stall where the animal is standing and attaches them to the teats of the animal. Milking is performed while the platform 50 continues to rotate. When milking has ended the teat cups are automatically retracted to the magazine 20, e.g. by means of the above described conduit mechanism. When an animal arrives at an exit area 60 it steps off the platform 50. The platform 50 rotates continuously and during milking may be stopped only in emergency situations. Alternatively, the platform 50 rotates intermittently such that the animals may step on to and off from the platform 50 and optionally also the teat cups are attached when the platform is standing stil!. The animals on the illustrated platform 50 are standing with their heads towards an inner periphery of the platform 50. Alternatively the animals may stand with their heads towards the outer periphery of the platform as is also known in the art. In this case the magazines are arranged at the inner periphery of the platform and the automatic attachment apparatus is arranged in a central area around which the platform rotates.

The magazines 20 on the platform 50 are provided with a cleaning device for cleaning external surface portions of the flexible conduits. Cleaning of the external surface portions of the flexible conduits may be performed when the teat cups are retracted to the magazines 20 after milking and may also be performed when a teat cup is retracted after kick-off. The flexible conduits can thus be kept clean and accordingly the interior of the magazines will stay clean. This is achieved without increasing the workload of a farmer or operator.

Example embodiments may be combined as understood by a person skilled in the art. It is also understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is applicable in different types of milking parlours, such as the parallel type where the animals are standing side by side with their heads next to each other or they may be of the herringbone type where the animals are standing side by side and offset such that one animal's head is next to the brisket of an adjacent animal or of the tandem type where an animal is facing the next animal's tail. During milking the flexible conduits may extend between the rear legs of an animal or between a front leg and a rear leg on one side of the animal.

Even though the invention has been described with reference to example embodiments, many different alterations, modifications and the like will become apparent for those skilled in the art. The control device may for instance form part of a control system controlling part of or an entire milking process, by controlling e.g. milking vacuum level, pulsation vacuum level and frequency, detachment of teat cups, monitor milk flow rates and extracted milk quantity.

In a fully automatic milking system the magazine may form part of the manipulator positioning teat cups under an animal and attaching the teat cups to the teats of the animal.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, combinations of features of disclosed embodiments as well as other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A teat cup magazine arrangement comprising a teat cup (12) adapted to be

connected to a teat of an animal, a flexible conduit (22) connected to said teat cup (12) and a magazine (20) forming a storage for said teat cup (12) when it is not used for milking and from which it is removed to be attached to said teat

characterized in that

said arrangement further comprises a cleaning device (30) for cleaning an outer surface portion of said flexible conduit (22) and a control device (38) connected to said cleaning device (30) for initiating the cleaning of said outer surface portion of said flexible conduit (22) in response to said teat cup (12) being retracted to said magazine (20).

2. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said cleaning device (30) comprises at least one nozzle (40) for directing a fluid towards said outer surface portion of said flexible conduit (22).

3. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said cleaning device (30) comprises at least one brush and/or sponge and/or scraper arranged to abut against said outer surface portion of said flexible conduit (22).

4. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein said cleaning device (30) comprises an enclosure, inside which said nozzle (40) and/or said brush and/or said sponge and/or said scraper is arranged and through which said flexible conduit (22) extends.

5. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said magazine (20) comprises a compartment and said cleaning device (30) is arranged inside said compartment.

6. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of said flexible conduit (22) extends through said magazine (20).

7. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said arrangement comprises a pulling apparatus for pulling said teat cup (12) to said magazine (20).

8. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said magazine (20) comprises a guiding device adapted to guide said flexible conduit (22).

9. The teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cleaning device (30) is adapted to clean said teat cup (12).

10. A milking parlour (2) comprising a milking stall (4; 52)

characterized in that

said milking parlour (2) comprises a teat cup magazine arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. The milking parlour (2) according to claim 10, wherein said magazine (20) is

connected to said milking stall (4; 52).

12. The milking parlour (2) according to any one of claims 10 and 11 , wherein said

milking parlour (2) comprises an attachment apparatus (10) for automatically attaching said teat cup (12) to a teat of an animal to be milked in said milking stall (4; 52).

13. The milking parlour (2) according to claim 12, wherein said attachment apparatus (10) is adapted to pick said teat cup (12) from said magazine (20) for said attaching of said teat cup (12) to said teat.

14. The milking parlour (2) according to any one of claims 10 - 13, wherein said milking parlour (2) comprises a rotary platform (50) on which said milking stall (52) is arranged.