Cheese processing

Claim 2

A cheese molding assembly for molding cheese under atmospheric conditions comprising: a vat having a closed bottom and upwardly directed sides and a plurality of perforated plates serially arranged in a closed loop around the interior sides of the vat; a first lower mold form presenting at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein, the mold form being spaced from the bottom of the vat and adapted to nest within the closed loop of perforated plates; a second mold form presenting at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein and which complements the surface of the first mold form to define a cylindrical mold cavity, the second mold form being free floating above the first so that the vat may be moved from place to place during the molding process, the second mold form being further adapted to nest within the closed loop of perforated plates in alignment with the first mold form to define a path of movement restricted to essentially the vertical plane and means adapted to be superimposed over the second mold form so as to urge the mold forms together under the influence of gravity.

Claim 3

A cheese molding assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising a cutting frame removably attachable to at least one of the first and second mold forms, the cutting frame comprising a plurality of cutting filaments adapted to traverse the mold cavity when the cutting frame is attached to a mold form.

Claim 4

A cheese molding assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a press plate adapted to be superimposed over the second mold form so as to exert a compressive force between the first and second mold forms.

Claim 5

A portable cheese molding assembly comprising: a lower mold form defining at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, the lower mold form being adapted to receive whey-bearing curd; a free floating upper mold form defining at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, the upper and lower mold forms being alignable to form a cylindrical mold cavity; and a portable vat for receiving the first and second mold forms in nesting relation, the vat being transportable from place to place wHile the weight of the upper mold form forces whey in the curd to pass through the apertures in the lower mold form, the vat comprising a closed receptacle spaced below the lower mold form for receiving the whey that passes from the mold cavity.

Claim 6

A portable cheese molding assembly comprising: a lower mold form defining at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, the lower mold form being adapted to receive whey-bearing curd; a free floating upper mold form defining at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, the upper and lower mold forms being alignable to form a cylindrical mold cavity; and a portable vat for receiving the first and second mold forms in nesting relation, the vat being transportable from place to place wHile the weight of the upper mold form forces whey in the curd to pass through the apertures in the lower mold form, the vat comprising a closed receptacle spaced below the lower mold form for receiving the whey that passes from the mold cavity.

Claim 7

A cheese molding assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the upper and lower mold forms are separated from the walls of the vat by perforated plates.

Claim 8

In a method of producing a cylindrical cheese comprising the steps of: preparing a cheese vat to receive a cylindrical cheese mold by placing a plurality of plates serially in a closed loop in the vat, at least some of the plates being perforated; obtaining a cylindrical cheese mold comprising a lower and an upper mold form, each mold form having at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein; nesting the lower mold form within the closed loop of perforated plates; superimposing a first layer of cheesecloth over the lower mold form so as to cover the apertures therein; placing a quantity of cheese curd on the lower mold form; superimposing a second layer of cheesecloth over the cheese curd; and lowering the upper mold form into mating relationship with the lower mold form so as to compress the cheese curd therebetween into a cylindrical form and expel whey from the cheese curd through the cheesecloth covered apertures.

Claim 9

In a method of producing a cylindrical cheese comprising the steps of: preparing a cheese vat to receive a cylindrical cheese mold by placing a plurality of plates serially in a closed loop in the vat, at least some of the plates being perforated; obtaining a cylindrical cheese mold comprising a lower and an upper mold form, each mold form having at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein; nesting the lower mold form within the closed loop of perforated plates; superimposing a first layer of cheesecloth over the lower mold form so as to cover the apertures therein; placing a quantity of cheese curd on the lower mold form; superimposing a second layer of cheesecloth over the cheese curd; and lowering the upper mold form into mating relationship with the lower mold form so as to compress the cheese curd therebetween into a cylindrical form and expel whey from the cheese curd through the cheesecloth covered apertures.

Claim 10

In a method of producing slices of cylindrical cheese comprising the steps of: preparing a cheese vat to receive a cylindrical cheese mold by placing a plurality of perforated plates serially in a closed loop in the vat; obtaining a cylindrical cheese mold comprising a lower and an upper mold form, each mold form having at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein; nesting the lower mold form within the closed loop of perforated plates; superimposing a first layer of cheesecloth over the lower mold form so as to cover the apertures therein; placing a quantity of cheese curd on the lower mold form; superimposing a second layer of cheesecloth over the cheese curd; lowering the upper mold form into mating contact with the lower mold form so as to mold the cheese curd therebetween into a cylindrical form and expel whey from the cheese curd through the cheesecloth covered apertures; exposing the upper surface of the molded cheese by removing the upper mold form and second layer of cheesecloth from the molded cheese; slicing the exposed cheese by forcing a plurality of cutting wires through the cheese, the cutting wires being attached to a cutting frame which is adapted to contact the lower mold form; removing the lower mold form and cutting frame from the cheese vat and inverting the lower mold form and cutting frame; removing the lower mold form and first layer of cheesecloth from the molded cheese; and raising the cutting frame so as to finish slicing the molded cheese with the cutting wires.

Claim 11

In a method of producing slices of cylindrical cheese comprising the steps of: preparing a cheese vat to receive a cylindrical cheese mold by placing a plurality of perforated plates serially in a closed loop in the vat; obtaining a cylindrical cheese mold comprising a lower and an upper mold form, each mold form having at least one semi-cylindrical surface having a plurality of apertures therein; nesting the lower mold form within the closed loop of perforated plates; superimposing a first layer of cheesecloth over the lower mold form so as to cover the apertures therein; placing a quantity of cheese curd on the lower mold form; superimposing a second layer of cheesecloth over the cheese curd; lowering the upper mold form into mating contact with the lower mold form so as to mold the cheese curd therebetween into a cylindrical form and expel whey from the cheese curd through the cheesecloth covered apertures; exposing the upper surface of the molded cheese by removing the upper mold form and second layer of cheesecloth from the molded cheese; slicing the exposed cheese by forcing a plurality of cutting wires through the cheese, the cutting wires being attached to a cutting frame which is adapted to contact the lower mold form; removing the lower mold form and cutting frame from the cheese vat and inverting the lower mold form and cutting frame; removing the lower mold form and first layer of cheesecloth from the molded cheese; and raising the cutting frame so as to finish slicing the molded cheese with the cutting wires.