Udder treatment apparatus

Claim 2

A dairy animal udder treatment unit for mounting upon an animal-supporting floor comprising: means for receiving fluid under pressure, said means deflecting animal hooves away from said unit by having a generally convexshaped exterior surface; means defining within said deflecting means a plurality of apertures; nozzle means for directing said fluid under pressure from said receiving means out through said apertures; and said deflecting means being of a size to separate the hooves of an animal over said udder treatment unit whereby the animal''s udder is exposed to fluid discharged from said nozzle means.

Claim 3

The spraying unit of claim 1 wherein said deflecting means defines a plurality of concave indentations for containing said means defining said apertures and reinforcing said deflecting means.

Claim 4

The spraying unit of claim 1 including means defining a disc member sealed along the inside surface of the lower portion of said deflecting means for establishing a fluid chamber communicating said inlet means with said apertures.

Claim 5

The spraying unit of claim 1 including: means defining a carriage plate securely fixed to the lower edge of said deflecting means; and means defining a support plate positioned on the floor and formed to provide sliding support for said carriage plate and said deflecting means.

Claim 6

The spraying unit of claim 1 including: a first fluid source under pressure; a second fluid source under pressure; and valve and conduit means for selectively connecting said first and second fluid sources with said receiving means.

Claim 7

The spraying unit of claim 5 wherein said valve means include check valves for preventing flow of fluid from said first source from flowing into said second source and fluid from said second source from flowing into said first source.

Claim 8

A means for spraying fluid toward a desired region on the underside of an animal''s body comprising: an animal stall including an animal-supporting floor and means for locating one portion of the animal''s body; a spraying unit supported on said stall floor in a predetermined position relative to said locating means beneath the region of said animals to be treated; said spraying unit including a means for receiving fluid under pressure, said means directing said fluid under pressure in a predetermined pattern and said means having a generally convex surface for deflecting the animal''s hooves from said fluid directing means; and said deflecting means defining an exterior surface having nozzle means through which said projecting fluid passes with the width of said dome substantially equal to the width of the animal region being treated by said fluid.

Claim 9

A means for spraying fluid toward a desired region on the underside of an animal''s body comprising: an animal stall including an animal-supporting floor and means for locating one portion of the animal''s body; a spraying unit supported on said stall floor in a predetermined position relative to said locating means beneath the region of said animals to be treated; said spraying unit including a means for receiving fluid under pressure, said means directing said fluid under pressure in a predetermined pattern and said means having a generally convex surface for deflecting the animal''s hooves from said fluid directing means; and said deflecting means defining an exterior surface having nozzle means through which said projecting fluid passes with the width of said dome substantially equal to the width of the animal region being treated by said fluid.

Claim 10

The spraying means of claim 7 wherein said dome surface includes means defining concave pockets for adding structural strength to said deflecting means and for locating said fluid directing means.

Claim 11

The spraying means of claim 7 including fluid supply means having a plurality of fluid sources under pressure and valve means for selectively communicating said fluid sources with said fluid receiving means.

Claim 12

The fluid spraying means of claim 9 wherein at least one of said fluid sources includes means for heating its fluid to a temperature above ambient temperature.

Claim 13

The fluid spraying means of claim 10 including control means having means for sensing the termination of milking and means for operating said valve means after the termination of milking to permit one of said fluid sources to be in communication with said fluid receiving means for a predetermined treatment period with said fluid.

Claim 14

The fluid spraying means of claim 7 wherein said region is the udder including the teats of a milk-producing animal.

Claim 15

The fluid spraying means of claim 7 wherein said pattern is selected to cover all exterior surfaces of the animal''s teats and the udder surfaces adjacent thereto.

Claim 16

The fluid spraying means of claim 7 including means supported by said floor for defining a path for guiding said spraying unit along said path for adjusting its position relative to said locating means.

Claim 17

The fluid spraying means of claim 7 wherein said spraying unit includes means defining a fluid chamber for communicating said fluid receiving means with said fluid directing means.