GB920348A - Production of moulded cheese blocks - Google Patents

Abstract

920,348. Moulding cheese curd. W. M. ELLINGHAUS, and H. HILGERS, [trading as BENZ & HILGERS MASCHINENFABRIK]. Sept. 6, 1960 [Sept. 12, 1959], No. 30679/60. Class 49. Crude mouldings of curd are continuously produced from a curds and whey mixture, by charging a mixture having a predetermined ratio of uniformly distributed solid and liquid components into one of a group of perforated moulds, rotatable around a vertical shaft, compressing the charge, with further separation of whey, by application of pressure for a predetermined time interval to give a volume which corresponds to the dimensions of the finished crude moulding and flushing the moulding with whey taken from the same charge as that used for filling the mould, before removing the curd moulding from the mould. Groups of five slotted or otherwise perforated moulds 11, fitted flush with a table 5 rotating continuously or intermittently on a shaft 4, are charged with curds and whey mixture from a hopper 28, during a portion of the rotation pistons 12 co-operate with a pressing plate 25, actuated by control arms 16 and 24 respectively, to compress the curd, and the curd mouldings 30 produced are flushed with whey and ejected by the pistons 12. The arms 16 and 24 are actuated by wheels 18, 26 riding respectively on tracks 29 and cam 27; the working stroke of the pistons may be varied through vertical adjustment of the track 29 by a threaded spindle 20. The pressing plate 25, which may have parts entering into the moulds and may extend over several groups of moulds, rotates back and forth on a shaft 22; alternatively, the pressing plate may be replaced by counter-pistons facing the pistons 12. The moulds may be of cylindrical or other cross-section. The drive for the machine may be situated either at the upper end of the support column 3 or beneath the base provided it is protected against spray and cleaning water.