This is a Surge bucket milker. Other bucket milkers collected the milk in a can that was set on the ground a short ways away from the cow. The milk had to travel in a hose from the cow to the can. This milker was unique in that it was hung from a leather surcingle or strap draped over the cows back and hung under the cow's belly, just in front of the udder .The bucket was attached by a hose to a vacuum pump. This meant that the milk only traveled a very short distance in the rubber hose to the bucket thus making this unit very easy to clean. The weight of the milk in the bucket prevented the teat cups from creeping up on the teats and blocking the flow of milk. In addition if the teat cups fell off they would not hit the ground and suck foreign material into the milk since they were supported by the surcingle. Also the bucket being so close to the teats resulted in a reserve of vacuum that resulted in a more even milk out. The unit was advertised as having a tug and pull action similar to a suckling calf. The name Surge Milker came from the movement of the machine since it had a tendency to surge back and forth as it milked.
This milking machine was invented by Herbert McCornack of Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He applied for patents in November of 1923 on both the milking machine itself and also the process of milking with this machine. He was granted two patents on May 17, 1932 for the milking machine and the patent for the milking process was issued on April 11, 1936. It is interesting that it took nine years for the patent to be granted. This style machine was first sold in 1924 soon after McCornack came up with the idea and remained on the market until 1999. The earliest machines were sold by the Pine Tree Milking Machine Company. McCornack had offered his invention to numerous companies but had little luck in selling his idea until the Pine Tree Milking Machine Company decided to produce them. These early machines had teat cups that had rings on them, not smooth like the later teat cups. Early milkers also had a seam in the middle of the bucket while later machines were seamless. The Surge milker received great press coverage in 1933 when Admiral Byrd took three Guernsey cows and two Surge milkers on his expedition to Antarctica.
