Abstract:
This invention relates to cheese making equipment including a vat to contain cheese curd, and a portable unloading unit for conveying the curd from the vat to an elevated location. The vat is provided with an open end which is enclosed by a hinged door and the cheese curd is removed from the vat by a blade attached to a reciprocating carriage. The blade acts to push the curd out of the open end of the vat into a hopper of a portable unloader unit where a horizontal auger, located within the hopper, conveys the curd to an inclined auger which extends upwardly and discharges the curd into hoops or onto a conveying system.
Abstract:
A liquid dispensing system including a liquid supply manifold connected to a liquid dispensing reservoir. A check valve is interposed between the manifold and the reservoir to permit liquid flow from the manifold to the reservoir and to prevent reverse flow from the reservoir to the manifold. A dispenser outlet is connected to the reservoir and a dispenser valve is provided thereat to control liquid flow from the dispenser outlet. A source of air under pressure is connected to the reservoir and a control valve is provided to alternately place the reservoir into communication with the source of air under pressure and then subsequently cut off the source of air pressure and place the reservoir into communication with the atmosphere. During the period the reservoir is placed in communication with the air under pressure, the liquid dispenser valve is opened to thereby cause a quantity of liquid to be dispensed from the reservoir out through the dispenser outlet. The manifold assembly includes a plurality of liquid containers connected thereto with the container closest to the reservoir being at a lower elevation than the next adjacent container and so on up the line to the last container which is located at the highest elevation. The end of the reservoir adjacent the last container is open to the atmosphere. With this arrangement liquid flowing from the manifold to displace the liquid dispensed from the reservoir will be supplied first from the container at the highest elevation and then from the container at the second highest elevation and so on down the line to the container at the lowest elevation.
Abstract:
A milking unit support and detacher mechanism including a vertical column assembly and a horizontally extending retractable milker unit support assembly mounted at the lower end of the column assembly. The vertical column assembly is comprised of an outer tubular jacket and an inner support tube slidably mounted inside the jacket. The inner support tube is supported for vertical movement by means of a threaded rod, the upper end of which is supported from and drivingly connected to motor gear box unit. The lower end of the rod is threaded through an internally threaded collar secured to the top of the support tube. The retractable milker unit support assembly is comprised of four link members pivotally connected together in end-to-end relationship. The link assembly is retracted by means of a ball chain fastened at one end to the end link member and threaded back through openings in the two link members next adjacent the end link member. The other end of the chain link is connected to rotatably mounted hub member. The ball chain is reeled up on the hub by a motor drive to thereby cause the link members to fold up on themselves which in turn will cause the milker unit to be retracted from underneath the cow.
Abstract:
A method of making cheese utilizing a closed vessel having a central vertical shaft and agitator paddles are attached to the lower end of the shaft. During the cheese making process, a portion of the whey is withdrawn from the upper end of the vat while the agitators are operating. To withdraw the whey, a tube is inserted into the upper end of the vat and the lower end of the tube carries a perforated cylindrical strainer which may be covered by a fabric filter bag. Whey is drawn through the strainer and into the tube. A generally S-shaped baffle is located ahead of the cylinder in the direction of agitator rotation and serves to protect the strainer from direct impingement by the circulating whey.
Abstract:
A food processing vat comprising a closed vessel that includes a pair of partially cylindrical, intersecting sections. A vertical shaft is disposed centrally within each vat section and the distance between the shafts is slightly greater than the radius of the cylindrical sections. Each shaft carries an agitator frame that extends radially outward from the shaft, and a series of vertical blades are mounted on each frame and are designed so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction the blades act to stir the food product and when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, the blades act to cut or slice the food product.
Abstract:
A device for unloading cheese curd from a vat, weighing out a predetermined quantity of the curd and pre-pressing the curd within a hoop. The device includes a movable frame having a hopper adapted to be positioned adjacent the open end of the vat, and the curd is pushed out of the open end of the vat by a blade mechanism into the hopper. An upwardly inclined auger conveys the curd from the hopper and discharges the curd into a hoop located at a weighing station on the frame. After the desired weight of curd has been discharged into the hoop at the weighing station, the hoop is moved across a conveyor on the frame to a prepressing station where a platen acts to compress the curd within the hoop.
Abstract:
A cheese-making vat comprising a closed vessel having a central vertical shaft and agitator paddles are attached to the lower end of the shaft. During the cheese-making process, a portion of the whey is withdrawn from the upper end of the vat while the agitators are operating. To withdraw the whey, a tube is inserted into the upper end of the vat and the lower end of the tube carries a perforated cylindrical strainer which may be covered by a fabric filter bag. Whey is drawn through the strainer and into the tube. A generally S-shaped baffle is located ahead of the cylinder in the direction of agitator rotation and serves to protect the strainer from direct impingement by the circulating whey.
Abstract:
An apparatus for comminuting and blending materials such as food products. The materials to be blended are initially fed into a shredder unit and the shredded materials are discharged to a comminuting or grinding unit. The grinding unit includes a rotor which rotates within a perforated drum having a generally U-shaped cross section and open ends. The material is introduced into the drum through the longitudinally extending opening and is forced outwardly through the perforations by the rotor and discharged to a hopper. The drum is adapted to be slipped longitudinally over the rotor and rotor bearings and is retained within a fixed cage. The drum can be readily removed from the unit without removing the rotor or disassembling the bearings for the rotor shaft.
Abstract:
A curd mill for milling slabs of cheese curd. The curd mill includes a hopper to receive the curd to be milled, and two sets of intermeshing cutting discs are mounted for rotation within the hopper and serve to slice the curd. Located beneath the cutting discs is a reel having a series of generally herringbone-shaped blades which act to transversely cut the sliced curd into cubelike pieces. The curd mill is mounted on a support so that the upper, open end of the hopper is at an angle of about 10* to 20* to the horizontal and in addition, the curd mill is positioned at an angle of about 10* to 20* with the sidewall of the cheese making vat. With this angular disposition of the curd mill, the milled curd is discharged outwardly toward the center of the vat.