Rapid exit herringbone stall

A herringbone-type milking parlor of the type in which the cow is milked from the side utilizes a rotating gate that moves from a horizontal exit position to a vertical position to urge the cow to exit from the milking stall. The gate stays in this position until a new cow has moved into the milking stall, at which time the gate indexes back to a position short of vertical to engage the brisket of the cow and move it gently back towards the rump rail and into a proper milking position.

I claim:

1. A milking parlor entry/exit system for use in a parlor having a herringbone configuration in which the cows are angularly disposed in stalls defined by a herringbone rump rail and cow restraining framework in which the milking is done from the side of the cow's legs, said system comprising:

an elongated rotating gate disposed on the framework and movable in a rotational manner and having elongated rails disposed at opposite ends of the gate,

motive means for moving said gate from a first substantially vertical position to a first substantially horizontal position in which said rails do not obstruct the cow and the cow is allowed to exit from the milking stall,

said motive means also rotating said gate from said substantially horizontal position to a second substantially vertical position so that one of said elongated rails engages the rump of the cow and urges the cow to exit the stall, with said rotational movement between said first substantially vertical position and said second substantially vertical position being substantially continuous with a hesitation in the movement at said first substantially horizontal position, and

means for reversing the movement of said gate so that said gate returns to a third position short of vertical and one of said elongated rails engages the cow and urges said cow rearwardly toward said rump rail.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said gate to said first and second positions comprises a rod and cylinder actuated chain drive in which retraction of the rod causes said gate to rotate.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said means for reversing said gate movement comprises a rod and cylinder with said rod having a surface engageable with an abutment on said gate so that extension of said rod rotates said gate in a reverse direction.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said reversing means includes means to prevent movement of said gate from said third position to said second position.

5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises a rod and cylinder with said rod having a surface engageable with an abutment on said gate to prevent movement of said gate.

6. The system defined in claim 5 further comprising release means for disengaging said rod surface from said gate abutment.

7. The system defined in claim 6 wherein said rod and cylinder are mounted on an elongated base plate having one end pivotally mounted to the framework and said release means comprises a rod and cylinder attached to the framework with the rod connected to the other end of said base plate so that extension of said rod causes pivotal movement of said base plate whereby said locking means rod surface is moved out of engagement with said gate abutment.