Method and apparatus for producing moulded cheese blocks

An apparatus for forming blocks of cheese from prepared cheese curd, said apparatus comprising:

• a tower having a hollow column therein;
• first vacuum means for extracting air from the tower to obtain a sub-atmospheric pressure therein;
• means for directing the curd into the top of the tower to form a pillar of curd in the column while the tower is at said sub-atmospheric pressure;
• means for removing from the tower whey expressed from the lower end portion of the pillar of curd due to the weight of curd superimposed thereon;
• the hollow column of the tower having apertures in the wall thereof for passage of whey pressed out of the curd;
• a mould;
• means for severing the lower end of the pillar of curd and depositing the mass of curd severed from the pillar into the mould;
• second vacuum means for extracting air from the mould so as to subject the mass of curd therein to a sub-atmospheric pressure;
• means operable to compress the mass of curd in the mould at a pressure of at least 4 bar to consolidate the mass of curd into a block of cheese;
• and
• means to eject the block of cheese from the mould;
• said second vacuum means further comprises means operable to raise the sub-atmospheric pressure in the mould to atmospheric pressure while the mass of curd is being compressed in the mould;
• and
• said mass of curd in the mould being compressed for sufficient time to form on the block of cheese a rind firm enough to permit handling of the block of cheese after ejection from the mould.

A method of forming a block of cheese from prepared cheese curd, said method comprising the steps of:

• feeding the prepared curd into a tubular perforated column so as to build up a pillar of curd in the column with the curd being fed onto the top of the pillar, the curd in the lower portion of the pillar being compressed by the weight of superimposed curd to press out whey therefrom through the perforations in the column;
• extracting air and whey from the column so as to maintain a sub-atmospheric pressure therein during the feeding of the curd into the column;
• severing the lower end of the pillar of curd;
• depositing the mass of curd severed from the pillar into a cheese mould below the column;
• moving the mould into a plurality of pressing stations in succession;
• compressing the mass of curd in the mould at each of the pressing stations at a pressure of at least 4 bar, said mass of curd in the mould being successively compressed for sufficient time to consolidate the mass of curd into a block of cheese with a rind firm enough to permit handling of the block of cheese after ejection from the mould;
• moving the mould into an unloading station at which the block of cheese is ejected from the mould;
• and
• returning the mould directly to a loading station below the column for receiption of another mass of curd.

An apparatus for forming blocks of cheese from prepared cheese curd, said apparatus comprising:

• a tower having a hollow column therein;
• vacuum means for extracting air from the tower to obtain a sub-atmospheric pressure therein;
• means for directing the curd into the top of the tower to form a pillar of curd in the column while the tower is at the sub-atmospheric pressure;
• means for removing from the tower whey expressed from the lower end portion of the pillar of curd due to the weight of curd superimposed thereon;
• the hollow column of the tower having apertures in the wall thereof for passage of whey pressed out of the curd;
• a plurality of moulds;
• conveyor means operable to transport the plurality of moulds in succession into a loading station below the tower, a plurality of pressing stations, and an unloading station;
• means for severing the lower end of the pillar of curd and depositing the mass of curd severed from the pillar into the mould registered with the loading station;
• means at each of the pressing stations operable to compress the mass of curd in the mould registered with the pressing station at a pressure of at least 4 bar to consolidate the mass of curd into a block of cheese;
• and
• means at the unloading station to eject the block of cheese from the mould;
• said mass of curd in the mould being successively compressed for sufficient time to form on the block of cheese a rind firm enough to permit handling of the block of cheese after ejection from the mould.