Abstract: The present invention comprises a rigid device capable of separating whey from yogurt when inserted into yogurt. The bottom of the device and a portion of the lower sides are walled to a height great enough to create a whey collecting reservoir. An accompanying ladle which fits within the device and is at a sufficient height to allow the collection of liquid into the ladle when inserted in the device may be included as part of a sales package.

Abstract: Provided is a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance includes a cooktop part on which a grill module for grill cooking is detachably disposed, a collection device for sucking an exhaust gas generated in the grill module, an exhaust device forcibly sucking the exhaust gas collected into the collection device to exhaust the exhaust gas to the outside, and a guide device for guiding the exhaust gas collected into the collection device to the exhaust device. The cooking appliance enables different types of food to be simultaneously cooked according to different cooking methods, and thus cooking time for food may be reduced and various demands of users may be met.

Abstract: Processing of a bulk liquid including particles, including use of a rotating strainer surface with openings disposed on a circumference thereof, the openings allowing an extracted liquid in the bulk liquid to pass through the strainer surface while preventing particles from passing through the strainer surface, such that a concentration of particles in the extracted liquid is less than in the bulk liquid; an extracted liquid outflow port which outputs the extracted liquid from an interior region of the rotating strainer surface; and a motor configured to rotate the strainer surface at a speed sufficient to generate a centrifugal force or turbulence at the openings sufficient to prevent the particles from clogging the openings, wherein the strainer surface is rotated and the extracted liquid is output through the extracted liquid outflow port when the strainer surface is fully submerged in the bulk liquid.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a continuous curding machine for tofu products, designed to be capable of manufacturing clean tofu products in that it will not cause a leakage of soymilk and seams and/or wrinkles on the tofu, sanitary and simple in mechanism, easy to perform transport of tofu to following processes, and capable of forming a deep coagulation compartment so as to enable “tatedori” (taking the depth of the coagulation compartment to be the longest side of the tofu). The machine is equipped with the conveyor belt C that transports coagulating coagulant-added soymilk as well as with a concave member 10 disposed underneath the belt. The belt C is conveyed as it is shaped into concave in accordance with the form of the said concave member 10 disposed underneath, and forms a coagulating compartment 10a, 10b.

Abstract: A by-pass control system for a meat injection system has a variable speed pump that transports fluid to a meat injection machine. Excess fluid is transported to a by-pass control valve. The valve has a moveable piston disposed therein that separates the valve into a fluid chamber and an air chamber. The piston moves back and forth based on the relationship between fluid pressure and air pressure. Sensors are disposed within or through the lid or the valve to sense the position of the piston. A controller is connected to the sensors and the variable speed pump and adjusts the speed of the pump based on the position of the piston.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing curd and feeding same to a curd processing apparatus, comprising a number of curd tanks and a pipe system connected with the curd tanks and provided with pumping means to feed curd from the curd tanks to the curd processing apparatus, wherein at least a number of curd tanks are provided with a first outlet and a second outlet, the pumping means being connected with the two outlets of said curd tanks, such that a curd tank can be pumped out via both outlets simultaneously.

Abstract: A system for pressing and vacuum treatment of cheese solids is disclosed. The system includes a device for continuously treating loaded cheese solids containers with mechanical pressure and vacuum during movement of the containers in a circular path. Preferably, mechanical pressure and vacuum treatment are applied simultaneously to the loaded cheese solids containers.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for making soft cheese or fresh paste cheese comprising at least a first set of perforated cheese-moulds and at least a second set of perforated cheese-moulds arranged in a chamber. The invention is characterized in that said first and second sets of cheese-moulds are designed to be fitted one into the other.

Abstract: A stainless steel structural member for a blockformer apparatus has at least one surface along which in operation curd slides. The at least one surface coming into contact with curd is at least partly a substantially sloping undulating surface, viewed on a microscopic scale, which has been obtained through a micropeening treatment.

Abstract: A number of cheese block forming towers are fed curds from a central vat. Curd accumulates in each tower and its weight causes whey to be expressed. Individual blocks are severed from the bottoms of the columns of curd by guillotine blades. A controller monitors both the output of each severing device (rate of discharge of blocks and their weight) and the rate of use of curd in each tower. The latter is determined by the same time that the level of curd takes to drop from sensor to sensor. These factors may then be used to adjust the output of severing devices or the charge rate of curd to balance the outputs of the multiple tower.

Abstract: A cheese tower system is adapted for producing precise weight quantities of cheese. In an embodiment of the invention, a column of cheese is formed using a tower. Retail portions of cheese may be cut from the cheese column. The cut portions of cheese may be weighed to determined whether they are within a desired range of weight. If the cheese weights are outside of the range of preferred weights, then the size of subsequent quantities of cheese may be adjusted to change their weights to within acceptable limits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing cheese, suitable in particular for producing crumbly cheese. Cheese molds are filled with curd, are subsequently closed with a lid and are pressed, whereafter the obtained cheeses are removed from the cheese molds. Prior to removing the cheeses from the cheese molds, however, the cheese molds still filled with cheese are heated.

Abstract: A block former for the production of blocks of cheese, comprising an upright drainage column with a feed opening for curd particles at the upper end, a closed casing and a perforated inner tube. There is an annular space between the casing and the inner tube and a cutting-off device at the lower end for cutting off blocks of cheese. A discharge device is provided for discharging a cut-off block of cheese after a block forming cycle. A vacuum device is also provided for filling under reduced pressure the inner tube with curd particles via the feed opening and for creating a vacuum in the annular space. The column is divided into an upper and a lower part in such a manner that different pressures can prevail simultaneously in the upper and the lower part during any moment of the cycle.

Abstract: A block former for the production of blocks of cheese, comprising an upright drainage column with a feed opening for curd particles at the upper end, a closed casing and a perforated inner tube. There is an annular space between the casing and the inner tube and a cutting-off device at the lower end for cutting off blocks of cheese. A discharge device is provided for discharging a cut-off block of cheese after a block forming cycle. A vacuum device is also provided for filling under reduced pressure the inner tube with curd particles via the feed opening and for creating a vacuum in the annular space. The column is divided into an upper and a lower part in such a manner that different pressures can prevail simultaneously in the upper and the lower part during any moment of the cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cheese block forming with vacuum separated tower sections is disclosed for use in producing large blocks of compressed cheese without having to halt delivery of cheese curd into the tower while discharging a block of cheese. The cheese block former has an upper tower section with an interior area for receiving a mixture of curd and whey under a negative pressure, and a lower tower section, also under a vacuum, for separating the whey from the mixture and pressing the remaining curd into a block of cheese. A vacuum separator is disposed between the upper and lower tower sections to allow the upper and lower sections to remain in fluid communication and, additionally, to allow different pressures therein. The vacuum separator thus provides for a continuous cheesemaking process.

Abstract: A block former for the production of blocks of cheese, comprising an upright drainage column with a feed opening for curd particles at the upper end, a closed casing and a perforated inner tube. There is an annular space between the casing and the inner tube and a cutting-off device at the lower end for cutting off blocks of cheese. A discharge device is provided for discharging a cut-off block of cheese after a block forming cycle. A vacuum device is also provided for filling under reduced pressure the inner tube with curd particles via the feed opening and for creating a vacuum in the annular space. The column is divided into an upper and a lower part in such a manner that different pressures can prevail simultaneously in the upper and the lower part during any moment of a cycle.

Abstract: An inner vertically upright perforated conduit is concentric within an outer vertically upright conduit. The chamber between the conduits is separated by fluid impervious rings forming sub-chambers. Hot curd cooking water is injected into the various sub-chambers in controlled amounts through corresponding valves to provide cheese at 135.degree. F. at the bottom exit port of the cheese passageway formed by the inner conduit. The water and curd/cheese together form a pressure head of at least about 2 psi at the bottom of the conduits. Raw curd is fed in a continuous process to the top of the inner conduit producing finished cheese at the bottom without moving parts. A shredder at the bottom automatically shreds the cheese. The shredder includes a rotating blade with blow out apertures for ejecting shredded cheese from a fixed shredding plate. The shredded cheese is automatically cooled and salted in a single continuous process.

Abstract: A strainer device for draining off whey from a cheese vat comprises an outlet for the whey and a substantially circularly shaped strainer disc (3) arranged in the outlet. This strainer disc is rotatably arranged in the wall (2) of the cheese vat about an axis of rotation (7) extending perpendicular to said wall and being connected to a motor for rotating the strainer disc.

Abstract: Fluid is efficiently and uniformly removed from successive bodies of a product by a combination of finely perforated wedge shaped hollow blades sufficiently long as to fully penetrate the product body depth, a series of vacuum suction tubes arranged within the blades for pressure differential removal of accumulated free fluid from the lowest point of the product body, a pneumatic or other cylinder to provide linear motion, position control, and cyclic variation in applied load for introduction and withdrawal of each blade and suction tube assembly to and from successive bodies of the product, and mechanism allowing the blade and suction tube assembly to travel only in a defined linear path for repeatable unimpeded entry to and withdrawal from successive product containers, each of which is mechanically fed into and precisely held in a series of locations directly beneath wedge and suction tube assemblies.

Abstract: A system for recovery of dairy product from a milk storage tank includes a recovery tank disposed to receive raw milk product from the storage tank, a fluid treatment section disposed to apply treated fluid to the storage tank to loosen residual milk solids from the storage tank and to provide a diluted milk fluid when the storage tank is emptied, and a filtering system disposed to receive the diluted milk fluid from the storage tank, filter the diluted milk fluid, and pass a treated fluid to the recovery tank.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a form system for tofu production, comprising: a bottom plate; a frame, surrounding the bottom plane; a form grid, further comprising: a border, having a plurality of holes, surrounding an area, which is relatively wide at the top side and relatively narrow at the bottom side, a plurality of V-shaped longitudinal ridges, having two ends connected with the border and open to the bottom side, and a plurality of V-shaped transverse ridges, having two ends connected with the border and open to the bottom side, such that the form grid is divided into a plurality of fields, which are relatively wide at the top side and relatively narrow at the bottom side; a gauze cloth; and a top plate; wherein, for producing tofu, the frame is placed on the bottom plate, the bottom side of the form grid is placed on the bottom plate, the gauze cloth is laid from the top side on the form grid, covering the fields, tofu raw material is poured into the fields, the top plate is laid on the tofu raw ma

Abstract: The invention relates to a drainage pipe with perforations for draining whey from a whey/curd mass, in which the perforations are formed by small holes, and the hole size lies within the range 0.05-3 mm, while the hole density lies within the range 5-50,000 holes/cm.sup.2. Such a pipe is used in the preparation of cheese. In a drainage pipe which is provided with a large number of small holes, a larger part of the surface can be perforated, with the result that the drainage is more efficient. A natural counterpressure can be built up by varying the hole size and the hole density over the surface of the pipe, thus making expensive facilities for regulating the counterpressure unnecessary. The hole size and/or hole density can be varied in such a way over the surface of the pipe that the open surface increases from top to bottom. Various grid patterns are described for this.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing element for forming a liquid-tight seal between two tubular elements running essentially parallel. The sealing element consists of positioning means which are in the form of a flange which is fixed to the inner element of the tubular elements and which is provided on its periphery with a groove which accommodates, in a slightly wedged fit, an endless element of flexible material sealing the groove. On the inside of the groove one or more supply apertures for a compressed medium are present. When the compressed medium is supplied, the endless element of flexible material is moved outwards against the outer element of the tubular elements, in order to form a liquid-tight seal between the two columns. The element can be manufactured simply and cheaply from commercially available materials. The element is also easy to remove from the positioning means and replace. If water is used as the compressed medium, in the event of leakage's, no damage is caused to the products.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of two piece wear buttons that insert into the blade of a guillotine and protect the surface of the guillotine as it slide in U-shaped channels within a cheese block forming unit. Each wear button comprises a male portion and a female portion, each portion configured to fit into opposite sides of a through bore drilled in the surface of the guillotine blade. The male portion is provided with an outwardly tapered extension or neck which snaps into an inwardly tapered recess defined within a cylindrical member on the female portion of the button. Each portion is also provided with a lip such that when the male portion and the female portion are joined together within the through bore, the lips overlay the through bore and inhibits product from seeping into the through bore.

Abstract: Multiple columns of cheese curd are simultaneously compressed and cut into blocks of cheese by feeding curd into the top perforated tubular linings hanging freely within hollow towers, all towers positioned on a single, enclosed sanitary housing. A negative pressure is maintained in each tower to draw curd into the tower. Each pillar of curd is supported by a single guillotine blade closing off the bottom of all the towers and located within the sanitary housing. Each perforated, freely hanging lining is spaced apart from the wall of its tower to form a drainage passage for whey pressed out from the curd by the weight of the superimposed pillar. The guillotine blade is then withdrawn and each pillar of curd is lowered by an elevator into a cheese form positioned below each tower and within the housing. The guillotine blade is then returned to its closed position, so as to cut off a block of curd from each pillar.

Abstract: An automatic food processor for producing an aqueous extract of protein and oil containing seeds is disclosed. The processor includes a cooking facility as well as seed griding mill and a screened filter. In one embodiment the filter is a centrifuge screen. The processor allows airless griding of seeds, thus ensuring an oxygen-free environment for seed disintegration to produce an aqueous extract which has no off-flavor, bitterness or chalkiness.

Abstract: A yogurt cheese making device for separating the whey from yogurt having a strainer which receives the yogurt, the strainer having an open top, a bottom, a pair of opposing end walls, and a pair of opposing side walls. The side walls and bottom are covered with a straining medium which is a wire mesh. The wire mesh is disposed at a 45.degree. angle with respect to the vertical to assist in drainage. The bottom of the strainer is defined by a pair of parallel straining troughs. The strainer is nested in a sealable container which has a sealing top. Whey from the yogurt seeps through the straining medium and is collected at the bottom of the sealable container. The entire device is preferably square or rectangular in shape to minimize the storage area required in a refrigerator.

Abstract: A food processing utensil for straining the liquid from food packed in a liquid and for storage of the food product once the liquid is drained therefrom and the method for using the utensil are disclosed. The plastic utensil includes a cylindrical container open at the top and bottom; a set of lids comprising a top lid and a bottom lid which can be press fit onto the container to seal the container; a strainer releasably engageable with either the top or bottom opening of the container wherein the strainer has an end wall further having perforations for the passage of liquid, and a sleeve for releasably engaging an open can, such as a can of tuna fish, for collecting the drained liquid; and, a plunger slidably receivable into the container for contacting the food in the container. A lid is snapped onto an open end of the container and a food product with associated liquid is introduced therein.

Abstract: A food press having an elongated body including a forward end to which a perforated cap or the like is removably attached and through which pressed foodstuffs pass, and a chamber means within the body adjacent the forward end of the press for receiving and pressing foodstuffs. A reciprocating piston is slidably fitted within the chamber means for moving and pressing foodstuffs, wherein the piston is adapted to be positioned rearwardly of the foodstuffs in the chamber means in its retracted position and against said forward end for pressing the foodstuffs through the perforations in the cap in its forward position. The press also has a rotatable handle pivotally connected to the elongated body rearwardly of the piston, and a linking member connected to the handle and to the piston. When the handle is rotated in one direction the piston is moved to it's retracted position to allow the chamber means to received foodstuffs.

Abstract: The curd ripening apparatus comprises two perforated, semicylindrical baskets (12, 30), rotatably supported on a common horizontal axis, one within the other. Curds are poured into the inside basket, and the outside basket is then rotated of 180.degree. with respect to the other and is latched with latching means (26, 28, 40) to make it integral with the other basket (12, 24) in an angular position opposite to it, so that a closed barrel is formed. One or two motors (36, 38; 136, 138) can rotate both baskets together, so that the curds are rolled until ripe. The inside basket is preferably provided with internal, parallel, transverse blades (42).

Abstract: A collapsible container for making and transporting cheese is made with four interlocking wall panels. Each of the panels is molded from a resin material with ribbed construction and with locking elements for engaging adjacent panels. The locking elements provide mechanical interlocks against relative movements of the panels along two axes that extend normal to the panels and frictional interlocks against relative movements of the panels along a third axis that extends normal to the other two axes. The mechanical interlocks also transmit a preload torque that resists angular diverging movements between the panels about the third axis. The preload torque bows the panels toward an interior space of the container before the container is filled with cheese.

Abstract: A tray for making cheese has a plate having upper and lower faces and a frame having walls having an inner surface connected to the plate about its periphery, thereby defining upper and lower tray portions. The frame has a slot positioned, respectively, adjacent each of the upper and lower plate faces for receiving a removable store which, upon insertion, is juxtaposed to a surface of the plate. Block molds may be positioned on the store, and a second tray may be placed above, so that the frame walls of the trays are in contact and so that the upper tray portion of the first tray and the lower tray portion of the second tray nest around the molds.

Abstract: A support for manufacturing and storage of cheese, including a mesh which is weared and stretched, and then secured on a peripheral, rigid reinforcement. The mesh has weft threads and warp threads which are interlaced, forming crossing zones. A coating of anti-corrosion synthetic material is provided, which coats threads of the mesh and the peripheral reinforcement, thereby forming an organic matrix connecting the weft threads and the warp threads of the mesh. The coating also provides a sealed surface along the threads of the mesh, along the peripheral reinforcement, in the crossing zones of the threads of the mesh, and in a connecting zone of the threads of the mesh to the peripheral reinforcement.

Abstract: A food press, having an elongated body including a forward end with perforations through which pressed foodstuffs can pass, and chamber means adjacent said forward end for receiving and pressing foodstuffs. A reciprocating piston is slidably fitted within the chamber means for moving and pressing foodstuffs, wherein the piston is adapted to be positioned rearwardly of the foodstuffs in the chamber means in its retracted position and against said forward end for pressing the foodstuffs through the perforations in its forward position. The press also has a rotatable handle pivotally connected to the elongated body rearwardly of the piston, and linking means which are connected to the handle and to the piston. When the handle is rotated in one direction the piston is moved to its retracted position to allow the chamber means to receive foodstuffs. When the handle is rotated in the other direction the piston is moved to its forward position for pressing foodstuffs through the perforations.

Abstract: A hydroextractor in which a liquid material to be processed can be introduced into a hydroextracting chamber under a small pressure and the chamber can be filled with the material in a short period of time to thereby improve the operational efficiency, and a cake of the hydroextracted material can be easily removed from the hydroextracting chamber. For these purposes, this hydroextractor is arranged such that upper and lower filter cloths are provided at the top and the bottom of the hydroextracting chamber extending substantially horizontally, and that a diaphragm (8) shaped like an inverted dish is disposed on the upper surface of the upper filter cloth. Further, a pressure chamber is provided on the upper side of the diaphragm. The hydroextracting operation is performed by filling the liquid material in the hydroextracting chamber and generating a pressure in the pressure chamber so as to press the diaphragm downwardly.

Abstract: A cheese former for making large batches of cheese in a continuous process includes a tower having a screen along its internal side wall and a central screen extending along the axis of the tower, wherein whey may be separated from a curds and whey mixture introduced into the tower by drawing the whey through the screens toward both the perimeter of the tower and the central axis of the tower for removal from the system. This permits large quantities of cheese such as 600-650 pound blocks or 500 pound barrels to be made in a continuous tower forming system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drainer pan assembly especially useful in cheese curd processing having an easily removable drainer plate secured to a drainer pan by a plurality of restraints including at least one releasable restraint. Preferably, the releasable restraint is a spring loaded movable pin which engages the plate and the pan.

Abstract: Cheese curd is compressed into blocks by feeding the curd into the top of a hollow tower having a perforated lining while the tower is at a sub-atmospheric pressure to form a pillar of curd supported on a guillotine blade at the bottom of the tower, the guillotine blade is then withdrawn, the pillar of curd lowered by an elevator, and the guillotine blade returned to the closed position so as to cut off a block of curd from the bottom of the pillar of curd. The tower comprises a tubular casing, and the perforated lining comprises a pre-form tube formed as an integral structure prior to the fitting of the tube into the tower. The tube is spaced from the wall of the tower to form a drainage passage for whey pressed out from the curd in the pillar by the weight of superimposed curd, the whey passing into the drainage passage through apertures in the tube.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for filling curd into cheese moulds (6). During the cheese production process, milk is separated in a cheese vat (1) into curd and whey (2), both of which are routed to a piping manifold that distributes the curd for the run-off drainage of the whey (8) into cheese moulds (6) placed in a whey drainage vat (7). According to the invention, the manifold comprises a main line (3) exiting from the cheese vat, a plurality of side lines (5) branching from the main line and discharging into the multiple cheese moulds (6), and a return line (9) which forms a continuation of the main line and is routed back to the cheese vat, whereby the discharge of the curd in whey takes place as a continuous process via the main line and the side lines into the cheese moulds, while simultaneously the excess flow is returned at a set rate via the return line back to the pan.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a curd mass by draining a mixture of whey and curds in an upright column consists of a permeable sleeve or circular or rectangular cross-section, one or more sleeves being surrounded, with some clearance, by a tube monted on a worktable. The apparatus further comprises means at one end of the tube, above or under the worktable, for feeding the mixture of whey and curds and means at the other end of the sleeve, under or above the worktable, for receiving and discharging a drained and extruded curd mass. The free space between the sleeve or sleeves and the tube is subdivided into various compartments, lying one above the other, with the aid of sealing dividers. Each compartment is provided with inlet and outlet connections for whey or cleaning liquid. The sleeve or sleeves disposed inside the same tube forms or form a fixed assembly with the partitions and with said tube.

Abstract: With the use of a distributor unit, which is reciprocable over and along an oblong prepressing vat for cheese production, it has already been proposed that a uniform distribution of the whey/coagulum mixture can be achieved by a horizontal wing rotors in a transverse distributor container, such rotor or rotors being rotated to lift the mixture up to an overflowing edge of the container while isolating the mixture from the turbulent mixture receiving area of the container. However, it is experienced that coagulum lumps may build up on the overflowing edge and thus disturb an even overflow. To avoid this problem two interengaging wing rotors are mounted at the bottom of the container so as to sluice down the mixture along opposite, correspondingly arched bottom/side portions to a central lowermost outlet slot, whereby the risk of lump formations is practically eliminted without compromising the desired uniform distribution of the coagulum.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for draining whey from cheese curd and for manufacturing blocks of cheese. A mould of flat perforated wall panels, a perforated bottom plate and a perforated follower plate, all of plastic material, enclosed by metal hoops is filled with cheese curd. A perforated follower plate is placed on top of the cheese curd, on which an increasing pressing force is exerted. The mould is cooled during at least part of the time period of increasing pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus suitable for use in the substantially continuous production of cheese from milk retentate (A) in which there is at least one, preferably several, coagulator tubes (I) having an inlet end and an outlet end. The retentate is admitted to the tube (I) from a feed system (E) via the inlet, forms a coagulum inside the tube and is discharged from the outlet whereupon it is cut or sliced into appropriately sized pieces, preferably small cubes by a blade assembly (K, L) mounted at or near the outlet. The feed system (E) comprises a distribution manifold for delivering retentate to the inlet or inlets via a valve (G) located between the manifold and tube(s) and a pump (F) for circulating the retentate in the feed system at such a rate that the feed system is substantially free of coagulum.

Abstract: A device for pressing and molding curd includes a mold reverser (1) in the form of an endless conveyor (16) transporting cheese molds (2) along a horizontal upper run on which the molds stand upright with their fill apertures at the top, and a horizontal lower run on which the molds are upside down. The conveyor supports transverse mold bottoms (17) to which rows of molds are fixedly attached. Mold lids (20) which are open when the molds are on the upper run are automatically closed when the molds are moved down to the lower run, are maintained closed along most of the lower run, are opened for emptying the finished cheeses into a water basin (4), and are opened when the molds are moved back up onto the upper run. The arrangement makes possible the automatic filling of the molds by a filling device (3) located above the conveyor, and forced pressing of the curd by a pressing device (5) above the conveyor and downstream the filling device.

Abstract: A separator for reclaiming valuable nutrients not digested by livestock has an inclined bed with closely spaced slots therein and delivery means for a mixture of liquid and solid animal waste material to the bed's upper part for gravity flow along the inclined surface of the bed. The slots are spaced for removal of liquid from the mixture while at the same time preventing the passage of solids. A traveling spray head is positioned over the bed's inclined surface and periodically advanced therealong to clean the screen and remove any solid particles from the slots. A flexible sheet overlies the bed and has means suspending the upper end of the sheet in predetermined spaced relation to the bed to form a delivery entrance for the mixture downwardly between the sheet and bed. The separated liquid is carried into a treatment pond, and the solid material taken off the screen's lower discharge end is advanced into a screw feed conveyor for removal of additional moisture.

Abstract: An oblong cheese mould (1) having a substantially constant cross-section has in its side wall (3) slits (2) for drainage of whey from the cheese mass received by the cheese mould. According to the invention, the slits (2) extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the mould, and their width, measured internally in the longitudinal direction of the cheese mould (1), is smaller than the cheese particles in the cheese mass, and the bottom (14) of the slits (2) facing the exterior of the mould is substantially closed, apart from channels (4) for drainage of the whey. This causes the cheese to be movable longitudinally of the mould because of its own weight so that the cheese obtains a very smooth surface, and thus the mould easily releases the cheese.

Abstract: A filtration/separation apparatus in which a filter cloth is arranged to travel and face a rotor so that a partitioned space chamber defined by the cloth and rotor is gradually narrowed in accordance with the rotation of the rotor. The space chamber defined is partitioned by vanes provided on the rotor, so that the positional relations in contact between the tip ends of the vanes and the filter cloth are maintained desirable with a high accuracy.

Abstract: Apparatus for molding curd in calibrated portions, a mixture of curds and whey, introduced into a hopper, fills perforated tubes in which the whey is separated from the curd and becomes compact. A plate closing off the base of the tubes retracts periodically and the curd drops abruptly by a predetermined height onto a subjacent plate, which is sliced by the first plate returning to its original position. The slices of curd are then transferred into one of the molds with a plurality of cells. This is applicable to the manufacture of cheeses of small size.

Abstract: To reduce manual handling of a pressing plate in a cheese-making vat and to facilitate its operation and maintenance, the plate is constituted by a case whose inner surface is covered by a series of rigid filtering panels. These panels are pivotal between an operating position and an open position which permits washing the panels.

Abstract: A plastic cheese mold comprising on its inner wall a non woven of thermoplastic fibers heatsealed to the walls of the mold, said cheese mold comprising two shell halves forming an elongate cheese mold of a substantial equal cross-section over the length of the mold.The shell halves engage movable clamping sledges and the bottom of the shell halves may be provided with a pivot.The mold also comprises an outer bottom recess for coupling a follower.