Apparatus for producing a food product
AssigneeTetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
InventorMichael OLSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for producing a food product is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: an enclosed vessel for holding the food product, the vessel having a first end wall, a second end wall opposite to the first end wall, and a side wall between the first and second end walls; a first agitator rotatably mounted to the first end wall, the first agitator extending inside the vessel towards the second end wall; and a second agitator rotatably mounted to the second end wall, the second agitator extending inside the vessel towards the first end wall. The first agitator is unsupported by the second end wall, and the second agitator is unsupported by the first end wall.
Claims20
Apparatus for producing a food product, comprising
- an enclosed vessel for holding the food product, the vessel having a first end wall, a second end wall opposite to the first end wall, and a side wall between the first and second end walls;
- a first agitator rotatably mounted to the first end wall, the first agitator extending inside the vessel towards the second end wall;
- and
- a second agitator rotatably mounted to the second end wall, the second agitator extending inside the vessel towards the first end wall;
- wherein the first agitator is unsupported by the second end wall, and wherein the second agitator is unsupported by the first end wall.
Apparatus for processing cheese curd, comprising
- an axially extending vessel configured to receive cheese curd-making ingredients, the vessel comprising a first end wall at one axial end of the vessel, a second end wall at an axial end of the vessel opposite the first end wall, and a side wall extending from the first end wall to the second end wall, the first and second end walls and the side wall surrounding an interior of the vessel;
- a first agitator positioned in the interior of the vessel, the first agitator including a first shaft and a plurality of pointed parts extending radially outwardly from the first shaft, the first shaft including one end mounted on the first end wall, the first shaft projecting away from the first end wall toward the second end wall, the first shaft being cantilevered and possessing a free end opposite the one end of the first shaft, the free end of the first shaft being spaced from the second end wall;
- a second agitator positioned in the interior of the vessel, the second agitator including a second shaft and a plurality of pointed parts extending radially outwardly from the second shaft, the second shaft including one end mounted on the second end wall, the second shaft projecting away from the second end wall toward the first end wall, the second shaft being cantilevered and possessing a free end opposite the one end of the second shaft, the free end of the second shaft being spaced from the first end wall;
- and
- the free end of the first shaft being spaced apart from the free end of the second shaft.
A method comprising:
- introducing curd-making ingredients into a vessel, the vessel comprising:
- first and second end walls at opposite axial ends of the vessel, and a side wall extending between the first and second end walls;
- a first agitator positioned inside the vessel, rotatably mounted on the first end wall and projecting in a cantilever manner toward the second end wall;
- a second agitator positioned inside the vessel, rotatably mounted on the second end wall and projecting in a cantilever manner toward the first end wall;
- rotating the first and second agitators while the curd-making ingredients are in the vessel;
- and
- cooking the curd-making ingredients to produce a coagulum of cheese curds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.