IE49012B1 - Apparatus for cheese making - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for use in draining curd or cheese consists of a table made up of several similar elements (2) each carrying a mould member (11) defining a row of moulds (12) for receiving the curd/cheese. The mould members (11) are mounted for limited movement between a normal position resting against the grooved upper surfaces (15) (or a blind interposed between them) of the table elements (2) and a position spaced from surface (15) to facilitate cleaning without need to dismantle the apparatus.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus for use in cheese making.

For draining moulded curd intended for the production of certain cheeses and draining certain cheeses, it is usual to use bottomless moulds of circular, oval, square, rectangular or polygonal configuration. The moulds are generally grouped together in multi-cavity moulds and are mounted on tables, also known as benches, which are grooved to facilitate the drainage of the whey.

A blind is normally interposed between the table and the moulds for seeping the curd together and assisting drainage from the base of the cheese.

The tables, blinds and multi-cavity moulds must be assembled prior to each production run for the manufacture of the cheese and subsequently dismantled for washing. The operations of assembly and disassembly demand considerable manpower.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for use in draining curd or cheese, comprising table means, and a mould member defining mould cavities for receiving curd or cheese, the mould member being mounted on the table means adjacent a surface thereof and for limited movement towards and away from said surface between a normal draining position resting against said surface or a blind interposed between the mould member and said surface and a cleaning posi49012 - 3 tion spaced from said surface.

With such an apparatus the mould member and table means do not have to be repeatedly assembled and dismantled due to the mould member being mounted for movement towards and away from the table surface.

This advantage is especially valuable if the curd or cheese to be drained is introduced into the mould cavities mechanically or automatically, since the machine and its automatic operation have only to act on a single composite device, instead of three separate elements, previously assembled manually with the risk of becoming dislocated or having had to be assembled automatically. As a result the machine and automatic operation are simplified.

Preferred features and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which is given below.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, one form of apparatus embodying the present invention. In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view? Figure 2 is a view partially in elevation partially in section of a multi-cavity mould member mounted on the table; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 2? and Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing the apparatus inverted.

A table 1 is constituted by five similar sections or elements 2 of plastics material and secured together in parallel by pins 3 and bolts 4 passing through aligned trans1 2 - 4 verse apertures provided at the ends of each element. Each element has at either end a projecting socket member 5 the upper part of which comprises an opening 6 into which a plug 7 having a collar 8 and a head 9 is forced.

The lower portion of the socket member 5 has a recess 10 for receiving the head 9 of a plug 7 associated with a table (shown in broken line) placed beneath table 1 so that the tables can be easily stacked one upon the other.

A multi-cavity mould member 11, also of plastics material, is mounted on each table element 2 and includes four cylindrical moulds 12 of circular cross-section and, at each of its ends, a lug or ear 13 having a hole or recess 14 engaging a socket member 5 of the table element. A blind (not shown) may be interposed between each multi-cavity mould member 11 and the corresponding table element on which it is mounted and may comprise slots or holes also engaging the socket members 5 and enabling them to move towards and away from the table element.

In the normal, upright position shown in Figure 2, each mould member 11 rests on its table element 2, possibly through a blind interposed therebetween, under its own weight. Consequently, draining of curd or cheese in the moulds 12 may be effected in the normal manner, aided by the grooves 15 in the upper surface of the table element.

The tables may be stacked as illustrated in Figure 2, in which case the lower surface 15 is preferably also grooved as shown, and at the level of the upper edges of the moulds 12 on the lower table, so that the assembly of stacked tables can be inverted to reverse direction of draining, the curd or cheese inside the moulds being maintained in as good a condition as - 5 it is when the assembly is in the upright position. The draining is just as efficient in the inverted position due to the grooves 16 in the lower surfaces of the table elements. To facilitate the draining in the inverted and upright positions, blinds (not shown) may be interposed between the table elements and the mould members and be fixed to each of the surfaces of the table elements for example by means of pressbuttons. When, after use, it is desired to wash the mould members 11 and of the table elements 2 which support them, they are each inverted as shown in Figure 4, so that the mould member slides down the socket members 5 under its own weight until the ears 13 engage and become supported against the collars 8 and the plugs 7. In this position, a clear space is created between the surface of the table element and the corresponding surface of the multi-cavity mould member, which facilitates easy washing.

Cleaning solution from a cleaning machine, e.g. a washing tunnel or a turbulence washing vat passes freely into the spaces to remove remaining particles of curd or cheese, thereby ensuring satisfactory cleaning of the entire surface of the tables or benches, the blinds, and of the surface of the multicavity moulds.

It should be understood that the embodiment of the invention which has been described above has been given purely by way of example and is in no way limiting. Numerous modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, although the table elements and the mould members are described as made of plastics material, they could be made of metal, especially of stainless steel. Also, while the tables have been described as being made up of a number of similar 48012 - 6 elements connected rigidly to one another by pins, the connec tions between the table elements could be hinges permitting a longitudinal deformation of the table; or the tables could be made in a single piece. Furthermore, the abutments limiting the sliding of the mould members could be provided other than by plugs with collars, e.g. by frames.

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus for use in draining curd or cheese, comprising table means, and a mould member defining mould cavities for receiving curd or cheese, the mould member being mounted on the table means adjacent a surface thereof and for limited movement towards and away from said surface between a normal draining position resting against said surface or a blind interposed between the mould member and said surface and a cleaning position spaced from said surface.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the table means has upwardly projecting members at opposite edges thereof, and the mould member has extension elements with holes or slots in which said projecting members are respectively received, the extension elements being slidable up and down the projecting members and said upward movement being limited by abutment means on the projecting members.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the upwardly projecting members comprises a socket member open at its upper end and a plug fixed in said socket and including a collar forming said abutment means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the table means has recesses in the undersurface thereof aligned with the socket members, and the plugs have heads, whereby the table means may be stacked together with a similar table means with the plug heads of the lower table means engaged in respective recesses of the upper table means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, 3 or 4, including blind means mounted on the table means between the table means and the mould member, said blind means being movable with respect to the table in the direction towards and away from said surface. - 8

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the blind means has mounting portions with slots or holes slidably engaged with said upwardly projecting members of the table means.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein 5 the table means comprises a plurality of similar elements connected together.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the elements are parallel and hinged together about parallel axes.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 to 8, wherein a separate 10. Mould member is mounted on each table element and defines a single row of mould cavities.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the table means and mould member(s) are made of plastics material.

11. 15 11. Apparatus for use in draining cheese or curd, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings .