Patent ID: 6379734
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: A01J,A23C

Abstract:
An apparatus for cooling cheese blocks, said apparatus comprising:a tank for containing liquid and being divided into a plurality of cooling cells separated from each other by walls and with each cooling cell having a cheese inlet and a cheese outlet; a fluid circulation system connected to the tank and producing a flow of liquid through the cooling cells; a plurality of carousels with each one located in a different cooling cell, and each carousel having a plurality of receptacles for holding the cheese blocks and having a drive mechanism connected to the plurality of receptacles to submerge and move the cheese blocks through the liquid and flip over the cheese blocks; an inlet flume system connected to the cheese inlet of each of the plurality of cooling cells and having a control gate mechanism for selectively directing cheese blocks moving along inlet flume system into each of the plurality of cooling cells; and an outlet flume system connected to the cheese outlet of each of the plurality of cooling cells for receiving cheese blocks from the tank. 2.The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism of each carousel moves the plurality of receptacles in a closed path through a respective cooling cell.