Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for developing a uniform temperature gradient in a block of cheese. The apparatus includes a chamber for receiving a cheese block. The chamber has a uniform cross section and has opposed openings separated by the length of the chamber. The chamber is surrounded by insulation on the peripheral surface between the openings. A heat exchange surface is disposed over and closes one of the openings. A second heat exchange surface is disposed over and closes the other of the openings. The temperature of the two heat exchange surfaces are different. When a block of cheese is disposed within the chamber, a temperature gradient can be established in the block of cheese in a relatively short period of time. Thereafter, the cheese block can be sliced into appropriate sections for determining moisture content as a function of cheese temperature.
Abstract:
A method of controlling the cooling in green cheese blocks wherein the blocks are rectangular and are placed in identically oriented layers in a rigid rectangular container and wherein the dimensions of the blocks and the interior of the container are directly related so that the blocks can be placed in each layer so as to completely occupy the area provided for the layer and so that a corresponding surface of each block will be free of contact with adjacent blocks and then directing cooling onto the said corresponding surfaces.
Abstract:
An apparatus for storing and ventilating cheeses has a plurality of shelves for the cheeses supported at their ends by hollow side walls so that the shelves are arranged vertically one above another. The side walls have passages within them for supply and discharge of ventilating air to the spaces above the respective shelves. To achieve a minimal spacing between shelves, while obtaining good air distribution over the cheeses, each said shelf has at least one longitudinal extending duct for conducting ventilating air along the shelf, which duct is connected at one end of the shelf to an air passage in the side wall and has, spaced longitudinally along the shelf, a plurality of openings for the ventilating air located at the underside of the shelf. Preferably each shelf has two such ducts, one for supply and one for discharge of air.
Abstract:
A refrigerator having a curd maker to make curd directly disposed in a refrigerating compartment wherein curd is made by the curd maker disposed in the refrigerating compartment and is kept fresh. The refrigerator includes a curd maker provided in a refrigerating compartment to ferment milk into curd, wherein the curd maker includes a case including an outer case forming an external appearance of the case and an inner case provided in the outer case, an insulation member provided between the outer case and the inner case, a curd container received in the inner case to store milk, a heater provided between the inner case and the insulation member to heat the curd container, a fan to supply cool air from the refrigerating compartment to the curd container to cool the curd container, and a temperature sensor to measure temperature in the curd maker.
Abstract:
A refrigerator having a curd maker to make curd directly disposed in a refrigerating compartment wherein curd is made by the curd maker disposed in the refrigerating compartment and is kept fresh. The refrigerator includes a curd maker provided in a refrigerating compartment to ferment milk into curd, wherein the curd maker includes a case including an outer case forming an external appearance of the case and an inner case provided in the outer case, an insulation member provided between the outer case and the inner case, a curd container received in the inner case to store milk, a heater provided between the inner case and the insulation member to heat the curd container, a fan to supply cool air from the refrigerating compartment to the curd container to cool the curd container, and a temperature sensor to measure temperature in the curd maker.
Abstract:
A horizontal supply conveyor carrying a board with a number of loaves of cheese thereon is mounted for vertical adjustment in front of the open ends of a multiplicity of horizontal guideways disposed in superimposed and in juxtaposed relationship. By selective adjustment and selective operation of the conveyor the board is moved into registry with a selected one of said guideways whereupon a pushing device pushes the board from the conveyor and into the guideway in which similar loaded boards are stored the last one of which is thus discharged from the rear of the selected guideway onto another conveyor to be moved back to the first conveyor by transporting means which include a device for turning over the loaf. The walls separating adjacent units constitute ducts for the supply and discharge of air to the guideways accommodating the loaves of cheese.
Abstract:
An apparatus for storing produce under controlled atmospheric conditions comprising a room in which two rows of palletized produce are positioned spaced apart from one another forming an interstitial space between the two rows and each of the two rows is spaced from sidewalls of the room forming a fluid circulation space between the sidewalls and rows of palletized produce. A partition positioned within the interstitial space divides the interstitial space into a first interstitial space and second interstitial space. An air-handling unit is operatively connected to the chamber and in fluid communication with the interstitial space and the fluid circulation space for controlling airflow between the interstitial space and fluid circulation space and across the palletized produce. The air-handling unit has a temperature control for regulating the temperature of air circulated through the first interstitial space independently from the temperature of air circulated through the second interstitial space.
Abstract:
A cheese processing system utilizes a liquid flume to convey blocks of cheese between two components of the system. A staging section is provided in the flume to accumulate cheese blocks into groups that are more easily handled by the component at the outlet of the flume. The staging section has a first movable stop mechanism against which the cheese blocks are detained. When a predefined amount of cheese blocks have accumulated, a second stop prevents additional cheese blocks from entering the staging section until the accumulated one can be released by the first movable stop mechanism. A unique flume structure is provided to direct the liquid flow into different channels to aid in rapidly forcing the detained blocks of cheese into and from the staging section.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a preservation method and preservation apparatus which are suitable for preserving perishable goods for a long period of time. A method of the present invention is characterized by removing from the refrigerating chamber such harmful aging substances as ethylene or volatile base nitrogen triethylamine which are released from the perishable goods being preserved in a refrigerating chamber and which cause additional maturation and aging. In order to realize this method, an apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising adsorption materials which have adsorptivity to adsorb these harmful aging substances and are disposed in the refrigerating chamber for preserving the perishable goods. Since the above-described method and apparatus of the present invention can remove the harmful aging substances released from the perishable goods from the refrigerating chamber, it enables the safe prevention of the additional maturation and aging of the perishable goods which would be caused by the harmful aging substances. In addition, the apparatus of the invention is partitioned by a perforated plate into the cold-air blowout holes of a cooling unit and a preserving chamber for the perishable goods. The cold air passes through the fine pores of the perforated plate and is uniformly supplied to the perishable goods in the preserving chamber, whereby uniform cooling can be performed.
Abstract:
A horizontal supply conveyor carrying a board with a number of loaves of cheese thereon is mounted for vertical adjustment in front of the open ends of a multiplicity of horizontal guideways disposed in superimposed and in juxtaposed relationship. By selective adjustment and selective operation of the conveyor the board is moved into registry with a selected one of said guideways whereupon a pushing device pushes the board from the conveyor and into the guideway in which similar loaded boards are stored the last one of which is thus discharged from the rear of the selected guideway onto another conveyor to be moved back to the first conveyor by transporting means which include a device for turning over the loaf.