GB2315203A - Apparatus for piercing cheese - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for piercing cheese 10 which are cylindrical comprises parallel rollers 16 positioned to support cheeses 10 with their axes X parallel with axes Y of rotation of the rollers 16. The rollers are indexed at intervals to rotate the cheeses 10 through a selected angle for each indexing step. Two sets 30, 32 of spaced parallel needles 34 are reciprocated in a direction lengthwise of the needles towards and away from the cheeses on the roller 16 in timed relation with the indexing to move the needles 34 whilst the cheeses 10 are stationary towards them to pierce the cheeses 10 and to withdraw the needles from the cheeses before the next indexing step of the rollers 16. A plurality of cheeses may be pierced simultaneously.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PIERCING CHEESE This invention is concerned with apparatus for piercing cheese which is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical. The invention is especially useful in the manufacture of Stilton cheese ("Stilton" is a certification trademark).

Stilton cheese is historically pierced when it is in an upright position - that is the axis of the cylindrical cheese vertical. The cheese is pierced by needles which enter through the cylindrical periphery of the cheese and are inserted to a substantial depth on a pre-arranged pattern where the holes formed by piercing extend approximately radially (although offset from the radius to some extent). Typical existing piercing patterns are shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

In piercing Stilton cheese using this previously known method, the cheese is placed on a flat table with a flat end face resting on the table and with its lengthwise axis A (see Figure 4) coaxial with the axis of rotation of the table on which it is placed. The cheese is then pierced by appropriately positioned needles to a desired depth and the needles are then retracted. The table mounting the cheese is then indexed through a selected angle of rotation to present the next region of the cylindrical periphery of the cheese for piercing. The table is indexed to rotate the cheese progressively through 360" so that the whole of the periphery of the cheese is pierced in a desired pattern.

This existing method of piercing cheeses is reasonably satisfactory in operation but it is fairly slow and labour intensive in that only a single cheese can be pierced at a time and that each cheese has to be carefully loaded onto the table, properly centred, for piercing.

One of the various objects of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for piercing cheeses.

In an apparatus for piercing cheeses which are cylindrical or substantially cylindrical in accordance with the invention instead of being supported on a flat table with its axis of rotation A vertical, a cheese is supported on a plurality of rollers with its cylindrical periphery resting on the rollers, so that the cheese is supported by the rollers. Preferably the cheese is supported with its axis of rotation horizontal (rather than vertical as in the case of the known apparatus).

In one aspect the invention may be considered to provide apparatus for piercing a cheese which is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical comprising a plurality of parallel rollers positioned such that a cheese can rest on the rollers and be supported by them with an axis of the cheese parallel with the axes of rotation of the rollers, means for indexing the rollers whereby to rotate a cheese supported by the rollers through a selected angle of revolution for each indexing step, and a set of spaced parallel needles mounted for reciprocation in a direction extending lengthwise of the needles towards and away from the cheese supported by the rollers and arranged to operate in timed relation to the indexing of the rollers to move the needles, whilst the cheese is stationary following each indexing step, towards the cheese to pierce the cheese and then to withdraw the needles from the cheese, the next indexing step of the rollers being made after the needles have been withdrawn from the cheese.

Preferably, in apparatus in accordance with the invention, the needles are mounted so that they are inclined at an oblique angle eg 75" relative to the axis of cheese supported by the rollers. Conveniently, all the needles of the set of needles lie in the same plane.

The set of needles may conveniently be mounted above or below the support rollers; where the set is mounted below the support rollers a preferred apparatus in accordance with the invention preferably comprises two parallel rollers spaced apart sufficiently to allow the needles of the set to pass between them from beneath.

A preferred apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of sets of needles.

Conveniently, two sets of needles are positioned at opposite sides of the support rollers but offset slightly from one another so that the sets are not directly opposite one another. Furthermore, considered in a direction extending parallel with the axes of the support rollers, the needles of one set preferably are staggered with respect to needles of the other set. This will give a piercing pattern generally similar to those shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Preferably in a machine in accordance with the invention the axes of the support rollers are horizontal, or substantially so; cheeses which are cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, supported by the rollers, are therefore supported with their axes horizontal.

Preferably apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of blades, one associated with each roller, each blade having an edge portion parallel with the axis of the associated roller urged against the roller to scrape debris from the roller as it is indexed.

Preferred apparatus in accordance with the invention is constructed so that the support rollers will support a plurality of cheese with their axes coaxial with one another and the sets of needles are sufficiently long as to pierce all of the plurality of cheeses simultaneously. Suitably, apparatus in accordance with the invention may support and pierce, simultaneously, two, three, four or even more cheeses, depending on the size of the apparatus and of the cheeses.

Where apparatus in accordance with the invention is constructed to pierce a plurality of cheeses simultaneously, tables preferably are provided at either side of the apparatus, extending generally parallel with the support rollers so that the number of cheeses to be pierced can be positioned on a first of the tables (which extends parallel to the support rollers and generally adjacent the rollers) so that the cheese can be readily transferred from the first table onto the support rollers. It is possible to assemble the cheeses on the second table ready for transfer to the rollers, whilst the preceding cheeses are being pierced by the apparatus; the pierced cheeses can then be rolled back onto the first table for subsequent handling and replaced by those assembled on the second table. Suitably the tables have a slightly concave surface sufficient to prevent cheese from rolling from the surface accidentally but sufficiently shallow that the cheeses can readily be rolled from the table surface onto the support rollers.

There now follows a detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of apparatus for piercing cheeses, embodying the invention. It will be realised that this apparatus has been selected for description to illustrate the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view showing apparatus embodying the invention with parts broken away; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end view of apparatus embodying the invention shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away; Figure 3 is a plan view viewed in a direction extending parallel with an axis A showing a previously known piercing pattern for a cheese, and; Figure 4 is a view in a direction at right angles to the axis A showing an existing piercing pattern.

The illustrative apparatus for piercing cheeses is arranged to pierce cheeses which are cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, for example Stilton cheese 10.

The illustrative apparatus is of such dimensions that three cheeses can be pierced simultaneously as seen in Figure 1. However, apparatus otherwise similar to the illustrative apparatus may be of such a size that four or more cheese may be pierced at the same time.

The illustrative apparatus comprises a frame 12 on which the operating integers of the apparatus are mounted, the operating integers being protected by panels 14 which are broken away or not shown in the drawings.

A pair of spaced, parallel rollers 16 are mounted for rotation in bearings 18 carried by the frame 12. The rollers 16 are positioned such that the cheeses 10 can rest on the rollers and be supported by them with their axes X coaxial and parallel with the axes of rotation Y and Z of the rollers 16. The axes Y, Z are horizontal, or substantially so.

Means for indexing the rollers is provided whereby to rotate the cheeses 10 supported by the rollers through a selected angle of revolution for each indexing step. The means for indexing the rollers comprises drive means, namely an electric motor 20 mounted on the frame driving the rollers through a chain 22 which passes round a sprocket 24 on the output shaft of the electric motor 20 and round sprockets 26 on drive shafts 28, driving the rollers 16. An electronic control system (not shown) is provided to cause the drive means 20 to drive the rollers 16 to rotate them through said preselected angle of revolution at each indexing step.

The illustrative apparatus further comprises two sets 30, 32 of spaced parallel needles secured to parallel mounting bars 36, 38. As can be seen viewing Figure 2 the set of needles 32 which is mounted below the support rollers is positioned so that the needles 34 of the set 32 pass between the support rollers 16 from beneath. Each set of needles lies in a plane which extends at right angles to the plane in which the parallel axes Y, Z of the support rollers 16 lie. The planes of the sets are parallel to one another and spaced slightly apart, that is the sets 30, 32 of needles are slightly offset from one another so that the sets are not directly opposite one another.

Furthermore, considered in a direction extending parallel with the axes Y, Z of the support rollers, the needles of one set 30 are staggered with respect to the needles of the other set.

The mounting bars 36, 38 have bearing means 40 at opposite ends thereof, the bearing means being slidably received on parallel columns 42 secured to the frame at opposite end portions. The mounting bars 36, 38 are arranged to be driven by a drive means (not shown), for example an electric motor, through a suitable crank mechanism (not shown). The bars 36, 38 lie parallel with the axes Y, Z of the rollers 16 and the needles 34 are secured to the bars 36, 38 so that they are parallel with the columns 42 and are inclined at an oblique angle relative to the axis of the cheeses 10 supported by the rollers 16.

The needles and the columns 42 may be mounted at any convenient angle, for example 75" relative to the axis X of the cheeses.

The illustrative apparatus further comprises parallel guide bars 44, 46 positioned at opposite sides of cheese 10 mounted on the support rollers but adjacent the cheeses. The needles 34 are slidingly received in holes in the guide bars 44, 46 so that the guide bars provide support for the needles 34, preventing undue flexing, as the needles 34 are reciprocated in the operation of the machine. The guide bars 44, 46 are mounted to the frame by brackets 48.

The mounting bars 36, 38 are arranged to reciprocate towards and away from one another in the operation of the machine. The mounting bars 36, 38 operate in timed relation with the indexing of the rollers 16 to move the needles 34, whilst the cheeses 10 are stationary following each indexing step, towards the cheeses 10 to pierce the cheeses 10 and then to withdraw the needles 34 from the cheeses 10. The next indexing step of the rollers 16 is made after the needles 10 have been withdrawn from the cheeses.

The rollers 16 may be arranged to index the cheeses through any selected angle. However, one suitable angle may be 11.25 which will allow for 32 reciprocations of the mounting bars 36, 38 and thus 32 piercing actions of the cheeses, for complete 360" of rotation of the cheeses.

The cheeses may be pierced in any desired pattern, depending upon the arrangement of the needles 36. For example piercing patterns generally similar to those shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings may be adopted and will arise where the sets 30, 32 are disposed generally as discussed above.

The illustrative apparatus further comprises blades 50, one associated with each of the rollers 16. Each blade 50 has an edge portion parallel with the axis Y, Z of the associated roller which is resiliently urged against the associated roller 16 to scrape debris from the roller 16 as it is indexed.

The illustrative apparatus further comprises support tables 52 positioned at either side of the support rollers 16. The support tables 52 each have a concave upper surface which extends parallel with the support rollers 16 and is dished to a slight extent. Thus the three cheese can be positioned on the concave surface 54 of a first of the support tables 52 (as shown in dash-line in Figure 2) so that the cheeses assembled on the table 52 can readily be rolled onto the support rollers by a single operator, and the already pierced cheeses 10 removed from the support rollers 16 onto the opposite, second one of the tables 54 as soon as the piercing operation on that set of cheeses has ceased. This facilitates efficient and rapid operation of the apparatus. Furthermore, because a plurality of cheese (three in the case of the illustrative machine) can be pierced simultaneously, the production rate is increased considerably over the rate achieved with the previously known piercing apparatus. In addition, because of the relative positioning of the support rollers 16, cheeses 10 rolled into place and supported by the support rollers are automatically centred so that they are in a correct position relative to the needles for best piercing operation.

It will be appreciated that, whereas in the illustrative apparatus an electronic control means is described to control operation of the motor 20 for indexing the rollers 16 and for coordinating the reciprocating operation of the mounting bars 36, 38 to pierce the cheeses, it is also possible to provide wholly mechanical or electromechanical coordination of the indexing step of the rollers 16 and the reciprocation of the needles 34.

Furthermore, the motor 20 may, with suitable gearing, be arranged to drive both the rollers 16 and to reciprocate the guide bars 36, 38 if desired. Whereas the motor 20 is an electric motor it will be appreciated that any suitable drive means may be employed to rotate the support rollers and to reciprocate the bars 36, 38.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus for piercing a cheese which is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical comprising a plurality of parallel rollers positioned such that a cheese can rest on the rollers and be supported by them with an axis of the cheese parallel with the axes of rotation of the rollers, means for indexing the rollers whereby to rotate a cheese supported by the rollers through a selected angle of revolution for each indexing step, and a set of spaced parallel needles mounted for reciprocation in a direction extending lengthwise of the needles towards and away from the cheese supported by the rollers and arranged to operate in timed relation to the indexing of the rollers to move the needles, whilst the cheese is stationary following each indexing step, towards the cheese to pierce the cheese and then to withdraw the needles from the cheese, the next indexing step of the rollers being made after the needles have been withdrawn from the cheese.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the needles are mounted so that they are inclined at an oblique angle relative to the axes of cheese supported by the rollers.

3. Apparatus according to either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein the needles of the set lie in the same plane.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the set of needles is mounted below support rollers which comprise two parallel rollers and the rollers are spaced apart sufficiently to allow the needles of the set to pass between them from beneath.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of sets of needles.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 comprising two sets of needles positioned at opposite sides of the support rollers.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of blades, one associated with each roller, each blade having an edge portion parallel with the axis of the associated roller urged against the roller to scrape debris from the roller as it is indexed.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the axes of the rollers are horizontal or substantially so.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support rollers are of sufficient length to support a plurality of cheeses with axes coaxial.

10. Apparatus for piercing cheese constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.