GB979168A - Improved press - Google Patents

Abstract

979,168. Press for cheese curd &c. COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION. May 16, 1963 [May 17, 1962], No. 19533/63. Heading A2B. A press, suitable particularly for compacting grains of cheese curd, comprises an inner press chamber of rectilinear transverse cross-section, and an outer shell of curvilinear cross-section, a piston slidable within the press chamber, provision for applying fluid under pressure to the back of the piston and so cause it to advance into the press chamber and for applying the pressure of that fluid also internally also to the walls of the press chamber internally to the walls of the press chamber at the rear of the piston, and means to apply fluid under pressure to the space between the inner press chamber and the outer shell. The apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an exterior cylindrical shell 1 in which is mounted a double-walled, rectangular prismatic, compression chamber 6 having a watertight skin 7 and a perforated inner sleeve 8. A piston 15, which is a close fit in the sleeve 8, is mounted on an extensible rubber tube 16. On opening the door 2, cheddared, milled and salted curd is charged into the sleeve 8, door 2 is closed, and the chamber 6 and the spaces 29, 30 and 31 are evacuated to 20-25 inch mercury vacuum. Water at atmospheric pressure is admitted to the tube 16 to move the piston 15 forward, consolidate the curd and expel air and whey through the perforations in the sleeve 8. The whey and air are removed in a vacuum pipe 27, the whey being retained in a trap 24. Further advance of the piston 15 builds up pressure in the curd, and, at the same time, pressure of water in the tube 16 reacting on the walls of the chamber is transmitted through gussets 10, 11, 12 and 13 to the outer shell 1 and the inside surfaces of doors 2 and 3. When the pressure in the curd reaches atmospheric, water at atmospheric pressure is admitted to spaces 29, 30 and 31. The pressure of the water is gradually increased, causing the piston 15 to advance further and compress the curd, expelled whey being evacuated by the pipe 27, which remains under 20-25 inch mercury vacuum. The water pressure is increased to 50 p.s.i.g. and maintained for 30 minutes. On concluding such compression of the curd, the water pressure is reduced to atmospheric, the vacuum source disconnected and the door 2 opened for discharge of the compressed curd.