Cord Detachers

Air Controlled with Electronic Sensing

The Milk-Pro Detacher is produced in two configurations. The standard Milk-Pro uses a built in air cylinder and a Dacron cord to retrieve the claw from the cow. The Compact Milk-Pro Detacher is smaller and uses a remote air cylinder with a stainless steel chain to retrieve the claw. The standard detacher will work well in most applications and is less costly. The compact detacher uses very little space and allows the cylinder to be mounted overhead and out of the way. Neither unit is very big and can be mounted for minimum interference with the milking operation in virtually any type of barn.

MILK-PRO Milk Flow Sensing is done electronically to obtain the best possible accuracy. Mechanically the unit is air pressure operated, it will operate manually even without electrical power. Only 12 Volt DC power which is isolated from the 120 Volt AC power elsewhere in the barn, is used for the detachers. The chance of stray voltage is thereby virtually eliminated. The stainless steel construction assures durability and the thoroughly thought out packaging provides for easy maintenance and serviceability. For the Compact Detacher your dealer may supply a remote cylinder assembly or PBI Ross-Holm can supply it. The PBI Ross-Holm cylinder assembly has a stainless steel back channel and a stainless steel cover. The stainless cylinder is repairable and a stainless steel twist link chain with break away and snap is used to prevent damage when a cow kicks the claw off.

The Detacher Control Assembly

The Control Assembly uses an all stainless steel enclosure to house the control valves that are used by the milker to operate the detacher and the control components. An epoxy encapsulated electronic module, an air pilot valve and pressure switch are part of those components. The standard Milk-Pro detacher also has the air cylinder and cord retracting mechanism built in, the Compact Milk-Pro detacher does not.

The Milk / Detach, Push / Pull Valve

A large easy to operate push / pull button activates a valve. The valve is totally inert to the wet environment of the milking barn providing long, reliable performance. This button is used to bring the detacher down and allow the claw to be attached to the cow. During normal operation this is the only control used by the milker. For that reason it has been located in the most convenient spot to reach.

The Manual / Auto, Push / Pull Valve

The Manual / Auto button is used to prevent the detacher from removing the claw from that hard to milk cow. When it is pushed, the electronic circuit will not activate the detacher and the milker will have to do that manually.

The Amber Indicator Light

An Amber Indicating light shows when the detacher is activated and the cow is finished milking. However if this light blinks, it indicates that the cow is finished but the detacher is in the manual mode. This feature reminds the milker to check this cow and activate the detacher manually.

The Solid State Control Module

The module is the brains of the detacher and houses all the circuitry for milk flow sensing, the let down timing and the logic functions. It is completely epoxy encapsulated to protect it from the wet barn conditions.

Air Valves

The Milk/Detach pushbutton valve is the main valve of the detacher, it controls the retract cylinder as well as the vacuum shut-off. Both pushbutton valves can be manually pushed in or pulled out. They also have a pilot port to reset them with an air signal. Since these valves are air controls, moisture does not effect them. A small sealed solenoid valve is used for automatic operation. It resets the Milk/Detach pushbutton valve at the end of a milking.

Air Cylinder

The Air Cylinder in the standard Milk-Pro detacher has a 2 inch stainless steel barrel and a 1/2 inch stainless rod. The Remote Cylinder for the Compact Milk-Pro detacher has a longer 1-1/2 inch stainless barrel and a 1/2 inch stainless rod. The rod end head can be removed from either cylinder to replace internal seals. These are not throw away cylinders but quality repairable cylinders.

The Sensor Assembly

The Sensor (Vacuum Shutoff) Assembly is a simple, straight flow-through design to facilitate vacuum stability as well as excellent in-place wash up. It may be ordered with a 45 or 90 degree inlet for special installation conditions. For vacuum shut-off a section of rubber milk hose is used. Air pressure is applied to collapse the hose. The Milk Flow Sensor measures the conductivity of the milk between the stainless steel inlet and outlet tubes. The full 5/8 inch straight opening through the sensor assures superior milk flow. The brackets and hardware that complete the assembly are made of stainless steel and plenty heavy to assure solid installation. The same assembly is used for both types of detachers. A larger sensor is now also available for 3/4 inch milk hose. This new sensor has a stainless housing rather then plastic but is functionally the same.

Operation

To operate the detacher in the automatic mode, all the milker needs to do is press the MILK DETACH button. The light goes off, the "let-down" timer is started, the vacuum shut-off is opened and the air cylinder drives to the down position allowing the claw to be attached to the cow. The "let-down" timer is the timer that disables the automatic detach circuit to allow the cow to get a let down and start milking, it is fixed at about 100 seconds. After the "let-down" timer runs out the detacher automatically switches to monitoring the milk flow from the cow. The milk flow is monitored continuously and the flow level circuit actuates when the milk flow drops below a set level. The trip level of this circuit is adjustable and set at the factory for the average dairy operation. Once the milk flow sensing circuit is tripped the MILK / DETACH button pops back out. The amber light comes on to indicate that the cow is finished. The vacuum shut-off and the retract cylinder are activated. The speed of the cylinder is controlled to allow the vacuum to partially bleed off before the claw is removed thus preventing damage to the cow due to detaching under full vacuum. A MILK SWEEP FUNCTION for back-flush operations is optional. If Milk Sweep is included, the vacuum shut-off opens for a few seconds (to retrieve the last milk from the hose) after the retract cylinder removed the claw from the cow. The detacher is now ready for the next cow and by pressing the MILK / DETACH button the sequence is started again.

Manual Opration

The detacher may be manually activated by pushing the MILK / DETACH button and then the MANUAL / AUTO button. Doing this will prevent the detacher from operating automatically. The detacher may be activated to remove the claw from the cow by pulling the MILK / DETACH button out at any time.

Over Milking Indicator

The detacher is also equipped with an OVER MILKING SENSING CIRCUIT, which will show if a cow is milked out but the claw is still on the cow because the detacher is in the manual mode. In large barns a milker may not notice this happened and allow a cow to be over milked. 

The MILK-PRO detacher lets you know. The Amber light will be blinking instead of on solid. All the milker has to do is pull the MILK / DETACH button to remove the claw. The over milking circuit is active only in the Manual Mode.

Construction

The construction of this detacher is one of its major features. Many hours of design time were spent on the selection of quality materials, coming up with an extremely small package to fit within the limited space available in new barns, maintain high reliability and provide for easy serviceabilit y and access to all components.

Features and Advantages

• Works Manually Even If The Electrical Power Is Off
• Low, Competitive Price
• Straight Through Flow Sensor And Shut-Off (5/8 In. Opening)
• Accurate Electronic Sensing With Adjustable Trip Level
• Air Controls With Electronic Sensing
• Low Voltage Isolated And Grounded Power In The Barn
• New Epoxy Encapsulated Solid State Control Module
• Easy One Button Operation
• Stainless Steel Repairable Air Cylinder
• Compact Design To Fit In Virtually Any Kind Of Barn
• Stainless Steel Construction
• Easy To Maintain, Part Replacement Is Quick And Handy
• Probably The Lowest Maintenance Unit On The Market

Milk Sweep

To prevent the back-flush system from discarding all the milk in the milk hose after a detacher removes the milking unit from the cow, a milk sweep system may be used. Milk Sweep is available as an option with the PBI Ross-Holm Milk Pro Detachers.

MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA