JPH04335866A - Method for cutting and transferring bean curd and its apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automate the transfer of coagulated soybean milk to a frame mold container without losing the shape and improve operating efficiency by discharging the coagulated soybean milk stepwise from an opening of a coagulating container to the outside, cutting the coagulated soybean milk and then transferring the cut coagulated soybean milk to the frame mold container. CONSTITUTION:Soybean milk is initially coagulated in a coagulating container 3 and a transfer container 6 is further moved and stopped above the coagulating container 3. Shutter plates 615 and 616 of the transfer container 6 are then opened. The bottom plate 31 of the coagulating container 3 is subsequently lifted to a position of (1/3) the height of a container frame 30 to push up the coagulated soybean milk, which is placed in a container frame 60 of the transfer container 6 by the lifted height of the bottom plate 31. The shutter plates 615 and 616 are then closed to horizontally cut the upper part (1/3) of the coagulated soybean milk and the cut coagulated soybean milk is contained in the transfer container 6, which is finally moved above a frame mold container (B). The shutter plates 615 and 616 are subsequently opened to drop the coagulated soybean milk into the frame mold container (B). The aforementioned operation is repeated for each stage of the bottom plate 31 in which the stopped position is controlled.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting and transferring tofu, which cuts soybean milk coagulated in a coagulation container to a desired thickness and transfers the cut to a desired thickness into a mold container.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tofu is made by transferring coagulated soymilk into a molded container and compressing it. During these steps, all steps of transferring the coagulated tofu to a mold container are performed manually by an operator. The steps are as follows. ■ Put soy milk and a coagulant into a coagulating container with a predetermined capacity, such as 40 pieces of tofu, and coagulate it. A removable partition plate that divides the soybean milk into two upper and lower stages is housed in advance in the coagulation container. Note that the partition plate is equipped with a permeable part to allow soymilk to spread throughout the container. ■ Using a scooping plate shaped like a dustpan, insert the scooping plate into the coagulated soymilk, slide the tip of the scooping plate along the partition plate, scoop up the coagulated soymilk in the upper part in several portions, and place it in the formwork. Transfer to a container and press to form tofu. (2) Remove the partition plate inside the coagulation container, scoop up the coagulated soymilk in the lower part in several portions using the scooping plate again, transfer it to a mold container different from (2) above, and press-mold.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, transferring coagulated soymilk using the method described above has the following problems. (a) Since one stage of coagulated soymilk is transferred in several batches, the coagulated soymilk is divided into pieces. If the tofu is press-molded in this state, the resulting tofu will crack, resulting in poor yield and quality. For this reason, the joint must be repaired after the coagulated soymilk is placed in the molded container, which is troublesome. (b) The work of transferring the coagulated soymilk to a molded container is all done manually by the operator, so the work efficiency is poor, and this process is a bottleneck in automating the tofu manufacturing process.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The technical means of the present invention taken to solve the above problems are as follows. The first invention includes a step of coagulating soymilk in a coagulating container; a step of gradually discharging the coagulated soymilk from an opening of the coagulating container; This is a method for cutting and transporting tofu, which includes the steps of: cutting the tofu to a thickness and transporting the tofu to a mold container; In a second invention, there is provided a device for cutting soybean milk coagulated in a coagulation container to a required thickness and transferring it to a mold container, the device comprising: a base; at least one coagulation container; a formwork container table which is provided in the lateral direction of the coagulation container and moves up and down with a removable formwork container thereon; a transfer container that stops at an upper opening of a frame container stand; and a cylindrical container frame having upper and lower openings; a bottom plate that stops in stages; the transfer container has a cylindrical container frame having upper and lower openings; a slide shutter device that opens and closes a lower opening of the container frame; This is a tofu cutting and transferring device. Although one coagulation container is normally provided, for example, two or more coagulation containers may be provided side by side in the moving direction of the transfer container to improve the throughput of the tofu cutting and transfer device. Note that the coagulated soymilk as used in the present invention is a coagulated product obtained by mixing soymilk and a coagulant and coagulating the mixture, and is a pre-forming product to be compressed into tofu.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained in more detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic front view with some parts omitted showing one embodiment, Fig. 2 is a schematic side view with some parts omitted, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the transfer container section, and Fig. 4 shows the drawer structure of the form container. The perspective view of FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the level switch section. Reference numeral A denotes a tofu cutting and transferring device equipped with a base 1. The base 1 has a structure in which support legs 11 are provided at the four lower corners of an underframe 10, and adjuster bolts 12 are provided at the bottom of each support leg 11 to adjust the seating of the base 1. A mold container stand 2 is provided on one end side of the underframe 10 so as to be movable up and down. The formwork container stand 2 is
It has a structure in which a drawer base plate 21 is slidably attached to a base plate 20 which is horizontally fixed to the rod head of an air cylinder S1 attached to a base 1, and is raised and lowered by the operation of the air cylinder S1. On the upper surface of the formwork container stand 2, the formwork container B
A required number of positioning members 22 are provided for positioning. Note that reference numeral G1 indicates a reinforcing guide device, which is provided on both sides of the air cylinder S1. A frame plate 13 having a rectangular through hole 130 is provided on the other end side of the underframe 10.
A coagulation container 3 is provided upright from the edge of this through hole 130. The coagulation container 3 includes a container frame 30 in the shape of a square cylinder. A bottom plate 31 is provided inside the container frame 30 so as to be movable up and down. The bottom plate 31 is formed to be in substantially watertight contact with the inner wall of the container frame 30, and is horizontally attached to the rod head of the air cylinder S2 provided on the base 1. Furthermore, reinforcing guide devices G2 are provided on both sides of the air cylinder S2 to support the bottom plate 31. Note that the reference numeral 32 is an air pipe that supplies air to the inside of the coagulation container 3. The base 1 is provided with a level control device 4 which is a control means for controlling the height at which the bottom plate 31 stops. Level control device 4 is switch case 4
It is equipped with 0. The switch case 40 has a box shape with one side open, and a tubular guide 41 is provided at the top of one end. A control rod 42 is inserted through the guide 41, and the upper part of the control rod 42 is fixed to the bottom plate 31. Also, inside the switch case 40, limit switches sw1, sw2, sw3, s as shown in FIG.
w4 is provided in the vertical direction. Each limit switch sw1
, sw2, sw3, and sw4 are turned OFF when the control rod 42 descends and contacts the roller 44 at the tip of the switch lever 43, and the switch lever 43 rotates to the left, and the control rod 42 comes off the roller 44. It turns ON when the switch lever 43 becomes horizontal. At the top of the container frame 30 of the coagulation container 3, fixed stands 5, 5a of a required length are horizontally attached on both sides when viewed from the side view of FIG. Sprocket shafts 50, 51 are pivotally supported at both ends of the fixed bases 5, 5a in FIG. sprocket shaft 50
Sprockets 52, 52a are provided on both sides of the sprocket, and a sprocket 53 having a smaller diameter than the sprocket 52 is provided further outside of one sprocket 52. Also, sprockets 54 and 5 are provided on both sides of the sprocket shaft 51.
4a, and a sprocket 5 having a smaller diameter than the sprocket 54 is provided further outside of one sprocket 54.
5 is provided. A chain C1 is wound around the sprocket 52, the sprocket 54, and the sprocket 52a, and the sprocket 54a. A tension sprocket 56 is provided at the lower center of the chain C1 to apply appropriate tension to the chain C1. Further, an air cylinder S3 is horizontally attached to the substantially central portion of the fixed base 5 via a support base piece 57. The air cylinder S3 is a double-acting cylinder, and a long rod 58 passing through the cylinder slides in and out from side to side. Both ends of the chain C2, which is wound around the sprockets 53 and 55, are fixed to both ends of the rod 58. A transfer container 6 is attached to the fixed bases 5, 5a so as to be slidable along the fixed bases 5, 5a. The transfer container 6 includes a flat rectangular cylindrical container frame 60 and a slide shutter device 61 that opens and closes a lower opening of the container frame 60. In addition, the transfer container 6 is attached to the fixtures 6 provided on both sides of the container frame 60 in FIG.
2 to the upper side of the chain C1. According to this structure, when the air cylinder S3 is operated to drive the chain C2, the chain C1 is interlocked, and the transfer container 6 moves along the fixed bases 5 and 5a with a stroke larger than the stroke of the rod of the air cylinder S3. The transfer container 6 is then stopped at a position corresponding to the upper opening of the container frame 30 of the coagulation container 3 and a position corresponding to the opening of the mold container B placed on the mold container stand 2. There is. At the top of the container frame 60, underframes 63, 63a, which are approximately twice as long as the container frame 60, are provided on both sides in FIG. Sprocket shafts 65 and 66 are pivotally supported at both ends of the underframes 63 and 63a via bearing members 64. Sprockets 67 and 67a are attached to both sides of the sprocket shaft 65, and a sprocket 68 having a smaller diameter than the sprocket 67 is provided further outside of one sprocket 67. Further, sprockets 69 and 69a are provided on both sides of the sprocket shaft 66, and a sprocket 70 having a smaller diameter than the sprocket 69 is provided further outside of one sprocket 69. A chain C3 is wound around the sprocket 67 and the sprocket 69, and between the sprocket 67a and the sprocket 69a. Further, an air cylinder S4 is installed approximately in the center of the underframes 63, 63a.
is mounted horizontally via a support piece 71. The air cylinder S4 is a double-acting cylinder, and both ends of the rod 72 have
Chain C4 wrapped around sprockets 68 and 70
Both ends are fixed. A tension sprocket 73 is provided at the lower center of the chain C4, and a tension sprocket 73 is provided at the upper center of the chain C3.
4 is provided to apply appropriate tension to the chains C3 and C4. A slide shutter device 61 is provided at the bottom of the container frame 60. The slide shutter device 61 includes a guide rod 610. The guide rod 610 is attached horizontally to the lower portions of both sides of the container frame 60, and its center portion is supported by a support member 610a. Tubular sliding bodies 611 and 612 are attached to both sides of both guide rods 610 with the support member 610a in between. The sliding body 611 is fixed to the upper side of the chain C3 via a mounting piece 613. The sliding body 612 is fixed to the lower side of the chain C3 via an attachment piece (not visible in the figure). Further, shutter plates 615 and 616 are attached to each of the sliding bodies 611 and 612 via attachment rods 614. The shutter plates 615 and 616 are attached to the lower opening of the container frame 30 so as to be able to slide in substantially close contact therewith. According to this structure, when the air cylinder S4 is operated to drive the chain C4, the chain C3 is interlocked, and the shutter plates 611, 6
12 is an air cylinder S along the lower opening of the container frame 30.
It moves with a stroke larger than the stroke of rod 4 to open and close the opening. As shown in FIG. 3, when closed, they meet at the center. In addition,
In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the shutter plate 615 is shown in an open state, and the shutter plate 616 is shown in a closed state. (Operation) FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 are schematic explanatory diagrams showing the operating steps of this embodiment. The operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. - Operate the air cylinder S2 to lower the bottom plate 31 of the coagulation container 3 to the lowest position. As a result, the bottom plate 31 is removed downward from the bottom of the container frame 30, and the inside of the coagulation container 3 is cleaned at this position. In addition, formwork container B is placed on formwork container stand 2.
Place it there. - Operate the air cylinder S2 to raise the bottom plate 31. The control rod 42 rises together with the bottom plate 31, and the switch lever 43 of the limit switch sw1 at the bottom becomes horizontal and the switch is turned on, and the bottom plate 31 stops while being fitted into the bottom of the container frame 30. (See Figure 1) ■ Pour a predetermined amount of a nutrient solution in which a coagulant is dissolved in water into the coagulation container 3, then pour soy milk into the coagulation container 3 and wait for it to coagulate. ■ Operate air cylinder S3 and move the rod to the right in Figure 1. As a result, the transfer container 6 moves to the left and stops above the coagulation container 3. Next, the air cylinder S4 is operated and the rod is operated to the left to open the shutter plates 615 and 616. (See Figure 6)■
The air cylinder S2 is operated to raise the bottom plate 31. As a result, the next limit switch sw2 is turned on, and the bottom plate 31 stops at a position approximately one third of the height of the container frame 30. At the same time, the coagulated soymilk is pushed up and enters the container frame 60 of the transfer container 6 by the amount that the bottom plate 31 has risen. ■ Activate air cylinder S4 and move the rod in the opposite direction to the above. As a result, the shutter plate 61
5 and 616 are closed, and the coagulated soymilk is horizontally cut at approximately one-third of its upper portion and placed inside the transfer container 6. (See FIG. 7) - The bottom plate 31 is lowered slightly by the air cylinder S2, and air is supplied from the air pipe 32 to the low pressure gap created above the cut surface of the coagulated soymilk to return the pressure to approximately atmospheric pressure. ■ Activate air cylinder S3 and move the rod in the opposite direction to the above. Thereby, the transfer container 6 is located above the form container B on the form container stand 2. At the same time, the form container stand 2 is raised by the air cylinder S1, and the upper edge of the form container B stops directly below the shutter plates 615, 616. (See Figure 8) ■ Air cylinder S4 releases shutter plates 615, 6.
Open 16. As a result, the coagulated soymilk directly falls into the mold container B and is accommodated therein. Next, the mold container stand 2 is lowered by the air cylinder S1, and the shutter plates 615 and 616 are closed by the air cylinder S4. Then, the drawer base plate 21 of the form container stand 2 is pulled out laterally to replace the form container B. The coagulated soymilk transferred to the mold container B is compressed and formed into tofu. (See Figures 4 and 9.) After that, the steps ① to ② above are repeated for each stage of the bottom plate 31 whose stop position is controlled by the limit switches sw3 and sw4, and the coagulated soymilk in the coagulation container 3 is molded. After transferring to frame container B, start the process from step ① above again and repeat. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and numerous modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0006]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has the above configuration and has the following effects. (a) Since the coagulated soymilk can be transferred one stage at a time to the mold container, the coagulated soymilk is not divided. Therefore, there is no need to repair the joints of the coagulated soymilk after it is placed in a molded container as in the conventional case, and there is no trouble. (b) Since the work of transferring the coagulated soymilk to the mold container is almost automated, the work efficiency is improved and the entire process of tofu production can be automated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted schematic front view showing one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view with some parts omitted.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a transfer container section.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the drawer structure of the form container.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a level switch section.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an operating process.

FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an operating process.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an operating process.

FIG. 9 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an operating process.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Tofu cutting and transferring device 1: Base 2: Formwork container stand 3: Coagulation container 30: Container frame 31: Bottom plate 5, 5a: Fixed stand 6: Transfer container 60: Container frame 61: Slide shutter device

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A step of coagulating soymilk in a coagulation container; A step of gradually discharging the coagulated soymilk from the opening of the coagulation container; Cutting the coagulated soymilk discharged from the coagulation container to a desired thickness. A method for cutting and transporting tofu, comprising the steps of: cutting and transporting tofu into a mold container; 2. A device for cutting soymilk coagulated in a coagulation container into a required thickness and transferring it to a mold container, the device comprising: a base (1); and at least one coagulation container (3).
and; a mold container stand (2) that is provided in the lateral direction of the coagulation container (3) and that lifts and lowers the removable mold container (B); and; the coagulation container (3) and the mold container The coagulation container (3) moves reciprocally above the stand (2).
and a transfer container (6) that stops at the upper opening of the formwork container stand (2);
It has a cylindrical container frame (30) having openings at the top and bottom; and a bottom plate (31) that moves up and down within the container frame (30) and stops in stages at a predetermined height by a control means. The transfer container (6) has a cylindrical container frame (60) having openings at the top and bottom; and a slide shutter device (61) for opening and closing the lower opening of the container frame (60). ing,
A tofu cutting and transferring device characterized by: