Abstract: An enclosed finishing vat for cheese making. The vat has a generally oval configuration and an agitating unit is mounted for reciprocating movement on a frame above the vat and includes a vertical drive shaft that extends through a slot in the top of the vat. The lower end of the drive shaft carries a rotatable support arm and at each end of the arm both a stirring paddle and an unloading paddle are pivotally mounted. The stirring paddle and unloading paddle extend in opposite directions from the respective end of the arm. In operation, the agitating unit reciprocates along the length of the vat, and the arm is rotated such that the stirring paddles lead in the direction of rotation and stir the curd, while the unloading paddles trail and float on the curd.

Abstract: A valve assembly including a first housing member having a flange and a second housing member having a flange. The first housing member is connected to the vacuum milking system. A flexible diaphragm is mounted between the flanges of said first and second housing members. The diaphragm is movable between an unflexed position and a flexed position in response to forces exerted on opposite sides thereof. A control valve is operable to selectively place the second housing member in communication with the atmosphere wherein the diaphragm is forced to assume its unflexed position and to periodically place the second housing member in communication with the vacuum in the vacuum line to thereby force the diaphragm to assume its flexed position. A valve member is mounted on the diaphragm and is operable to place the first housing in communication with the atmosphere when the diaphragm is in its flexed position to thereby admit air into the vacuum line.

Abstract: Spray dried products exhibiting improved dispersibility in solvent medium are obtained from a highly porous foraminous mat. The mat is comprised of a multiplicity of spheroidal dry particles bonded or fused together in an aggregate form. The fused particles of the mat are structurally arranged to provide a multiplicity of communicating pores and channels extending through the mat permitting the flow of a gas through the mat. The mat can be subdivided into pieces of the required size or reduced to a fine powder, if desired.

Abstract: A milking unit support and detacher mechanism is provided for supporting a milking unit when the milking unit is attached to a cow for milking. The detacher mechanism includes a support arm movable between a first position wherein the arm extends downwardly and a second position wherein the arm extends outwardly, and the arm has a free end engageable with the hose member for supporting the milking unit. The arm is supported by a first support bracket disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis and a second bracket supported by the first bracket and being pivotal about a vertical axis. The support structure also includes a friction disc for yieldably resisting pivotal movement of the arm about the vertical axis. The support structure also includes a spring having one end supported by one of the brackets and the other end supporting the support arm.

Abstract: A cheese making vat comprising a closed vessel having a vertical shaft mounted for rotation within the vessel. The shaft carries a frame that extends radially outward from the shaft, and a series of vertical blades are mounted on the frame and are designed so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction, the blades act to cut the cheese curds and when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction the blades act to stir or agitate the curds. During the agitation cycle, whey is continuously withdrawn from the upper end of the vessel and circulated through a heat exchanger to increase the temperature of the whey. The heated whey is then re-introduced into the lower end of the vessel. The circulation of whey, in combination with the movement of the agitator blades, provides a gentle agitation for the curds.

Abstract: An enclosed finishing vat for cheese making. The vat has a generally oval configuration and an agitating unit is mounted for reciprocating movement on a frame above the vat and includes a vertical drive shaft that extends through a slot in the top of the vat. The lower end of the drive shaft carries a rotatable support arm and at each end of the arm both a stirring paddle and an unloading paddle are pivotally mounted. The stirring paddle and unloading paddle extend in opposite directions from the respective end of the arm. In operation, the agitating unit reciprocates along the length of the vat, and the arm is rotated such that the stirring paddles lead in the direction of rotation and stir the curd, while the unloading paddles trail and float on the curd.

Abstract: An apparatus for salting cheese. A tank containing a quantity of salt is located outside of the finishing vat that contains the cheese curd. The curd in the vat is agitated by stirring paddles which are mounted on a rotating arm and one end of a salt supply line is connected to the bottom portion of the salt tank while the opposite end of the line is connected to the rotating arm within the vat. A pressure line, connected to a source of gas under pressure, is also connected to the bottom portion of the salt tank, opposite the connection of the salt supply line. The pressure line has a smaller diameter than the supply line and gas is jetted through the salt bed, causing salt to be drawn into the fast moving gas stream and delivered through the supply line to the vat where it is uniformly distributed onto the curds.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating curd fines from whey including a closed housing having an inlet to receive whey that contains a substantial portion of curd fines. The whey is introduced onto an inclined delivery trough and is discharged from the lower end of the trough onto a stationary inclined screen which is inclined in the opposite direction from the delivery trough. In passing from the delivery trough to the screen the whey passes through a slot which distributes the whey in a thin layer over the screen. In flowing down the screen a portion of the whey drains through the screen and is collected in a whey bin, while the remaining portion of the whey and fines, in the form of a slurry, is collected in a separate bin and can be returned to the cheese making vat.

Abstract: A teat cup assembly including a central shell member of transparent plastic material and an upper shell member of stainless steel telescopically engaged with the central shell member. A stop is provided for limiting the telescopic engagement of the upper shell with respect to the central shell. An inflation member is mounted inside the central and upper shells with the cap portion of the inflation fitted over the upper edge of the upper shell and with the lower end portion of the inflation stretched over the lower end of the central shell. A cap member of transparent plastic material is threaded onto the lower end of the central shell to securely capture the folded over portion of the inflation.

Abstract: A vehicle body including an outer shell including side walls, end walls and a floor. The floor has a discharge recess located at one end thereof inside the shell. A plurality of vertically positioned and spaced apart bulkhead members are mounted inside the shell to provide a plurality of separate, material containing, storage compartments therein. A bulkhead drive including a plurality of power screws is provided for successively driving the bulkhead members along the floor of the shell and over at least a portion of the discharge recess. The power screws each have an unthreaded portion and a threaded portion with the threaded portion normally in threaded engagement with the bulkhead members. The unthreaded portions of the power screws are located the discharge recess so that as each bulkhead member moves over the discharge recess it will become disengaged from the threaded portions of the power screws so that the lead bulkhead members can become nested over the discharge recess.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous matting and milling of cheese curd. The apparatus includes a housing which houses an upper, water-permeable, endless conveyor belt and a lower endless conveyor belt which operates in the opposite direction to that of the first belt. A mixture of cheese curd and whey is deposited as a layer on the upper belt and the whey is drained through the belt and is discharged through the lower end of the housing. The matted curd is transferred from the upper belt to the lower belt and as a result is inverted, and is subsequently discharged to a curd milling unit which acts to cut the mat of curd into cube-like chunks.

Abstract: A combined storage tank and heat exchanger unit for heating water including a watertight tank having a water inlet in the lower portion thereof and a pair of water outlets in the upper portion thereof. The wall of the tank is in the form of a double wall jacket having a hot refrigerant inlet at the top portion thereof and a hot refrigerant outlet at the bottom portion thereof. A cylindrical heat barrier is mounted inside the tank and spaced a short distance from the inside surface of the jacket wall to thermally isolate a relatively small amount of water in the tank in direct contact with the inner surface of the jacket. A heat barrier disc is mounted in the tank and extends horizontally across the interior thereof to thermally isolate the water in the top portion of the tank from the water in the bottom portion thereof. The water outlets communicate with the interior of the tank on opposite sides of the partition to provide heated water at two distinctly different temperatures.

Abstract: A method for conveying ground cheese in which the cheese is initially ground and the ground cheese is then extruded by an auger through a multiplicity of holes in a die plate. Two sets of rotating blades are located in a housing outwardly of the die plate and act to cut the extruded cheese into a plurality of small particles or plugs. Air is supplied to the lower end of the housing and the cut particles are suspended in the air stream and discharged from the upper end of the housing.

Abstract: A processing housing containing a primary stage spray chamber, a filter stage and redryer chamber, a second stage drying chamber and a cooling stage chamber all in communication one with the other. The primary stage spray chamber has an outlet at the lower end thereof and at least one hot gas inlet port thereof in the upper portion thereof with a source of drying gas connected thereto. At least one spray nozzle extends into the spray chamber and a draft producing means is provided to force the drying gas from the gas source through the spray chamber and out through the outlet thereof. An endless connecting belt is supported for horizontal movement adjacent the outlet of the spray chamber, said belt traveling from the primary stage spray chamber through the filter stage redryer chamber, then through the second stage drying chamber and then through the cooling stage chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous matting and milling of cheese curd. The apparatus includes a housing which houses an upper, water-permeable, endless conveyor belt and a lower endless conveyor belt which operates in the opposite direction to that of the first belt. A mixture of cheese curd and whey is deposited as a layer on the upper belt and the whey is drained through the belt and is discharged through the lower end of the housing. The matted curd is transferred from the upper belt to the lower belt and as a result is inverted, and is subsequently discharged to a curd milling unit which acts to cut the mat of curd into cube-like chunks. The curd mill includes a cylindrical drum and a blade extends the length of the drum and is spaced outwardly from the drum periphery. A series of radial knives connect the blade and the drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying ground cheese comprising a hopper to receive the ground cheese and having an auger adapted to extrude the cheese through a multiplicity of holes in a die plate. Two sets of rotating blades are located in a housing outwardly of the die plate and act to cut the extruded cheese into a plurality of small particles or plugs. Air is supplied to the lower end of the housing and the cut particles are suspended in the air stream and discharged from the upper end of the housing.

Abstract: A milking unit detacher mechanism including a main support column and a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted on the main column. The retractable support assembly is comprised of a plurality of link members pivotally connected to each other with the end link member pivotally connected to the main support column by a pivot pin to facilitate movement of the support assembly in its retract direction from underneath the cow and in its extended direction to the milking position underneath the cow. A biasing means is provided to create a biasing force on the end link member tending to rotate it towards its extended position. The biasing means includes a first cam sleeve rotatably mounted on the pivot pin and fastened to the main support column and a second cam sleeve fixedly mounted on the pivot pin adjacent the first cam sleeve.

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.

Abstract: A milking unit detacher mechanism including a main support column and a vertically movable milker support column slidably mounted on the main support column. The milker support column has a horizontally extending retractable milking unit support assembly mounted thereon adapted to support a milker unit on the end thereof when the milker unit is attached to a cow for milking. The milker unit support assembly can be retracted from its extended position underneath the cow to a retracted position adjacent the cow. A flexible retract member is fastened at one end to the milking unit support assembly and at the other end to a retract means for exerting a pulling force on the flexible retract member to thereby cause the milker unit support assembly to be retracted. The retract means includes a power cylinder having a movable piston rod.

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.