METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR THE HANDLING OF CHEESE BLOCKS

Abstract

A method and device for handling cheese blocks. Compressed cheese curd is released from the inner wall of a mould and after a turning operation is evacuated from the mould, with the mould rotated, lowered and shaken or blown. A lifting gripper is guided as far as the stop on a pick-up device, and in the mould the cheese block is subjected to a shaking movement. The mould, that is to say, the cassette, is then raised, rotated and guided back into the cassette press, so that the cheese block can be fixed in position on the lifting gripper by a clamping means. The pick-up plunger with the cheese block is then lowered, that is to say, retracted, the lifting gripper is traversed towards a secondary mould for the cheese block, preferably downwards, the clamping means open, and the cheese block is positioned in a secondary mould.

Claims

1. A method for handling cheese blocks, in particular of cheese blocks, which have beforehand been pressed out of a cheese curd into moulds of a cassette press, which are preferably arranged in a cassette, the compressed cheese curd is then released from the inner wall of the mould and, after a turning operation, is evacuated from the mould, wherein the mould is rotated, lowered and shaken or blown, wherein, a) an operation of shaking or blowing onto a cheese curd compressed in the mould takes place, wherein the cassette and mould are rotated and lowered beforehand, and a pick-up plunger retracts into the mould as far as the cheese block, and after the shaking or blowing operation once again extends out of the mould so that the cassette can then be rotated back into its initial position, b) a lifting gripper is lowered as far as a stop on a pick-up device, c) the cheese block in the mould is subjected to a shaking movement, d) the cassette and mould are then raised, rotated and guided back into its initial position in the cassette press, and the lifting gripper is raised, e) the cheese block is fixed in position on the lifting gripper by a clamping device, f) the lifting gripper is traversed, preferably downwards, towards a secondary mould for the cheese block, and g) the clamping device opens, and the cheese block is positioned in the secondary mould.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein before step a), a pick-up device is retracted, predominantly vertically, into the device.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein after step c), the pick-up plunger with the cheese block located thereon is extended.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cassette is positioned above a pick-up device.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shaking movement is executed horizontally or vertically, and takes place at least once.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cheese block is slid or pushed into the secondary mould.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein before the shaking operation the pick-up plunger is guided into the mould.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein after step g) the lifting gripper is guided back into its initial position.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein after the lifting gripper has been traversed towards the secondary mould the pick-up device retracts, and after pushing the cheese block into the secondary mould an ejector is retracted into its initial position.

10. A device for the handling of cheese blocks, in particular cheese blocks that are pressed from a cheese curd into moulds of a cassette press, wherein at least one and preferably a plurality of moulds are arranged in a cassette, and the device is assigned to the cassette press, and wherein devices are provided for shaking, raising, lowering and rotating the cassette and moulds, wherein the devices for shaking are assigned to a horizontally arranged tray or conveyor track, wherein, the device comprises a gripper assigned to the conveyor track, mounted such that the gripper can be lifted, which is provided with at least one pick-up plunger and a device for purposes of clamping the cheese block.

11. The device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the gripper is a lifting gripper, which is arranged, mounted such that the lifting gripper can be moved in the vertical direction, between the conveyor track and the cassette and moulds.

12. The device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the devices for clamping the cheese block comprise clamping jaws and are arranged on the lifting gripper.

13. The device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the lifting gripper, the pick-up device, the clamping jaws and the ejector can be actuated pneumatically or electrically.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In what follows an example of embodiment of the invention is described in more detail with the aid of figures. In the figures:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a cassette press in a partial view;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows an inventive lifting gripper with a pick-up device;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows an inventive lifting gripper with a pick-up device and a pick-up plunger;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a clamping bar of the inventive device with clamping jaws;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an inventive lifting gripper with a pick-up device and an ejector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] A cassette press 1 for purposes of compressing a cheese curd so as to reduce the fluid content, taking into account the disclosures of CH-A-704208 A and/or CH 706999 A, comprises: [0033] a pan 2 that is rectangular in plan view and open upwards (FIG. 1), with cassettes 3 that are rectangular in plan view and open upwards; the latter are arranged side-by-side in rows transverse to the longitudinal direction of the pan 2, [0034] moulds 4 for purposes of accommodating the cheese curd to be compressed, which are arranged in the cassettes 3, wherein a mould 4 can be a part of the cassette 3 and has at least one floor and one casing, with at least one outlet for the fluid that is to be pressed out, [0035] on the upper edges, which form the outer sides of the cassette block in the pan 2 in the longitudinal and transverse directions, edge plates with a height of several centimetres can be arranged, to enable the cheese curd to be floated in (e.g. by means of a pipe distributor, or other means), up to above the upper edge of the cassette, [0036] a press head, mounted on end columns, with a multiplicity of compression rams, aligned with the moulds 4, and not explicitly represented, for purposes of compressing the cheese curd, designed e.g. in accordance with the disclosure of EP-B-543899, together with a hold-down device for purposes of releasing the press head from the cassettes 3, [0037] a pipe distribution system, that is to say, a filling apparatus, for purposes of floating in the cheese curd, [0038] at least one handling unit 5, which, driven by a motor, can travel along the longitudinal sides of the pan 2 for purposes of raising, traversing and handling a cassette 3 outside the pan 2 in particular also from and to a device 18 for purposes of removal from a mould, or placement in a mould, on the end face of the pan edge (FIG. 1).

[0039] A device 18 for purposes of handling the cheese block K is assigned to the cassette press 1; this has a device for purposes of rotating/turning the cassette 3 about its longitudinal axis (turning unit 8) and it is moreover provided with a shaker 7 arranged near to the turning unit 8. It also comprises a conveyor track 6 for secondary moulds 14.

[0040] The device 18 moreover comprises a lifting gripper 12 assigned to the conveyor track 6, mounted such that it can be traversed vertically, which is provided with at least one pick-up device 13 and devices for purposes of clamping the cheese blocks K.

[0041] The device 18 for purposes of handling the cheese block K with a lifting gripper 12 in accordance with FIG. 2 comprises a frame 9 for purposes of accommodating the shaker 7 and the turning unit 8. The handling unit 5 of the cassette press enables the raising and lowering of the cassette 3. The lifting gripper 12 can be moved vertically between the cassette 3 and the conveyor track 6. The clamping devices of the lifting gripper 12 are clamping jaws.

[0042] The pick-up device 13 is located between the conveyor track and the lifting gripper 12, and can be traversed horizontally.

[0043] The lifting gripper 12, the pick-up device 13, and the clamping jaws 11 can, for example, be actuated pneumatically or electrically.

[0044] For purposes of handling of cheese blocks K removed from the cassette press 1 the pick-up device 13 firstly retracts under the lifting gripper 12, which is raised beforehand, into the workspace 10 of the device 18, and the already supplied cassette 3 with the moulds 4 is turned through 180, lowered into the shaker 7, and positioned over the pick-up device 13.

[0045] Synchronously with the lowering movement of the cassette 3, that is to say, of the moulds 4, the lifting gripper 12 is lowered until it comes into contact with the pick-up device 13, and the shaking or blowing operation is executed. The cheese blocks K are released from the mould wall and lie on the pick-up device 13.

[0046] In a form of embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5, the cassette 3 with the moulds 4, is then raised, again rotated through 180 into the initial position, and is traversed to the cassette press 1.

[0047] If, in a further possible configuration of the inventive device 18, push-in plungers are present, the lifting gripper 12 is raised up to a point at which the pick-up device 13 can extend under the latter, and the clamping jaws of the clamping frame 17 can clamp the cheese blocks K.

[0048] The lifting gripper 12 is then traversed towards the conveyor track 6 up to a point at which the pick-up device 13 can once again retract into the workspace 10, and the cheese blocks K can be pushed with the push-in plungers into the secondary moulds 14, for which purpose the clamping jaws 11 are also opened once again beforehand. The lifting gripper 12 is then raised up to its initial position and the pick-up device 13 can extend out of the workspace 10.

[0049] The secondary moulds 14 are traversed on the conveyor track 6 to another workstation and empty secondary moulds 14 are supplied.

[0050] The device 18 for purposes of handling the cheese block K with a lifting gripper 12 in a form of embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3 comprises a frame 9 for purposes of accommodating the shaker 7 and the turning unit 8. The handling unit 5 enables a raising and lowering of the cassette 3. The lifting gripper 12 can be moved vertically between the cassette 3 and the conveyor track 6. The clamping devices of the lifting gripper 12 are clamping jaws.

[0051] The pick-up device 13 is fitted with pick-up plungers 16, and is located between the conveyor track 6 and the lifting gripper 12, and can be traversed horizontally.

[0052] The lifting gripper 12, the pick-up device 13, the pick-up plungers 16, and the clamping jaws 11 can, for example, be actuated pneumatically or electrically.

[0053] For purposes of handling cheese blocks K removed from the cassette press 1, the already supplied cassette 3 with the moulds 4 is turned through 180 and lowered into the shaker 7.

[0054] The pick-up device 13 then retracts into the workspace 10 of the device 18, the pick-up plungers 16 are extended into the moulds 4 of the cassette 3, and the shaking or blowing operation is executed. The cheese blocks K are released from the mould wall and lie on the pick-up plungers 16. The cassette 3 is then raised, again rotated through 180 into the initial position, and is traversed to the cassette press 1.

[0055] The pick-up plungers 16 are traversed vertically (lowered) with the cheese blocks K lying on them, in the direction of the secondary moulds 14, and the clamping jaws 11 can now clamp the cheese blocks K.

[0056] The pick-up device 13 is then extended out of the workspace 10, and the lifting gripper 12 is traversed downwards towards the conveyor track 6 to a point at which the cheese blocks K can slide into the secondary moulds 14, for which purpose the clamping jaws 11 are also opened once again beforehand.

[0057] The lifting gripper 12 is then raised up to its initial position.

[0058] The secondary moulds 14 are traversed on the conveyor track 6 to another workstation and empty secondary moulds 14 are then supplied.

[0059] The device 18 for purposes of handling the cheese block K with a lifting gripper 12 in accordance with FIG. 5 comprises a frame 9 for purposes of accommodating the shaker 7 and the turning unit 8. The handling unit 5 enables a raising and lowering of the cassette 3.

[0060] The device 18 also has an ejector 15 for each mould 4. The lifting gripper 12 can be moved vertically between the cassette 3 and the conveyor track 6. The clamping devices of the lifting gripper 12 are clamping jaws 11.

[0061] The pick-up device 13 is located between the conveyor track and the lifting gripper 12, and can be traversed horizontally.

[0062] The pick-up device 13 is fitted with the ejectors 15, one for each of the moulds 4, that is to say, each of the cheese blocks K.

[0063] The lifting gripper 12 is driven by an electric motor, while the pick-up device 13, the ejectors 15, and the clamping jaws 11 can, for example, be actuated pneumatically or electrically.

[0064] For purposes of handling cheese blocks K removed from the cassette press 1 the pick-up device 13 firstly retracts under the lifting gripper 12 into the workspace 10 of the device 18, and the lifting gripper 12 is then lowered until it comes into contact with the pick-up device 13.

[0065] The already supplied cassette 3 with the moulds 4 is turned through 180, lowered into the shaker 7, and positioned above the pick-up device 13, and the shaking or blowing operation is executed.

[0066] The cheese blocks K are released from the mould wall and lie on the pick-up device 13.

[0067] The cassette 3 is then raised, again rotated through 180 into the initial position, and is traversed to the cassette press 1.

[0068] The lifting gripper 12 is raised up to a point at which the pick-up device 13 can extend under it. The clamping jaws 11 can now clamp the cheese blocks (K).

[0069] The lifting gripper 12 is then traversed downwards towards the conveyor track 6 up to a point at which the pick-up device 13 can once again retract into the workspace 10, and the cheese blocks K can be pushed with their ejectors 15 into the secondary moulds 14, for which purpose the clamping jaws 11 can also (optionally) be opened once again beforehand.

[0070] The ejectors 15 then retract once again into the pick-up device 13, and the pick-up device 13 extends out of the workspace 10, and the lifting gripper 12 is raised up to its initial position.

[0071] The secondary moulds 14 are traversed on the conveyor track 6 to another workstation, and empty secondary moulds 14 are supplied.

[0072] The clamping jaws 11 can be arranged in a clamping beam 10 and are actuated collectively via the clamping beam 10 (FIG. 4).

[0073] The shaking movement is preferably executed horizontally, and takes place at least once.

[0074] Both on the pick-up device 13 and also in the secondary moulds 14, the cheese blocks K are located in a defined manner, and no manual access is necessary.

[0075] The lifting grippers 12 can in principle be employed for all cheese shapes.

REFERENCE LIST

[0076] 1 Cassette press

[0077] 2 Pan

[0078] 3 Cassette

[0079] 4 Mould

[0080] 5 Handling equipment

[0081] 6 Conveyor track

[0082] 7 Shaker

[0083] 8 Turning unit

[0084] 9 Frame

[0085] 10 Workspace

[0086] 11 Clamping jaw

[0087] 12 Lifting gripper

[0088] 13 Pick-up device

[0089] 14 Secondary mould

[0090] 15 Ejector

[0091] 16 Pick-up plunger

[0092] 17 Clamping frame

[0093] 18 Device

[0094] K Cheese block