METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING PASTA FILATA CHEESE INTO FORM OF CORD

Abstract: The method includes extruding the pasta filata cheese in form of a cord (2) that is left hanging up to a belt (7) operated at a speed higher than the speed of the coming out of the cord (2) from said extruding means (1), so as to cause a stretching in the free strap of the cord comprised between the extruding means (1) and the transport belt (7). The stretched ribbon (2) is then transversally severed in single portions (18).

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHAPING PASTA FILATA CHEESE INTO FORM OF CORD TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention lies in the technical field concerning the production of pasta filata cheese, such as mozzarella and the like. BACKGROUND ART It is known that various types of pasta filata cheese are presently produced in form of a cord from which single portions are severed. In order to obtain such cord, the cheese paste going out of the moulding machine is let into a hopper. The cord that is then delivered from the hopper is subjected to manual tug that provokes a stretching of the same paste. Obviously, such manual processing brings to various inconveniences as far as hygiene and productivity. In order to overcome such disadvantages many apparatuses are known for carrying out stretching of the cheese cord by means of proper rolls (see JP-57- 206334) . The mentioned apparatuses have not resolved in a fully effective way the problems connected with shaping pasta filata cheese into form of cord. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a method that allows to obtain automatically stretched cords of pasta filata cheese. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that allows to carry outthe abovementioned method, in a simple and effective way, allowing in particular for an improved productivity. The objects are obtained by means of a method for shaping pasta filata cheese into form of cords, which includes: extrudingpasta filata cheese through extrudingmeans, in a way to obtain at least one cord of pasta filata cheese; bringing said pasta filata cord hanging up to transport means that are operated at a speed higher than the coming out speed of the same cord from said extruding means, in a way to cause a stretching in the free strap of said cord locatedbetween said extruding means and said transport means, as well as in the cord section situated on said transport means; transversal cuttting in single portions of said stretched pasta filata cord. Also an apparatus is claimed for shaping pasta filata cheese into form of cord, which includes: extruding means designed to deliver pasta filata cheese in form of at least one cord; transport means operated at a speed higher than the speed of the coming out of said cord from said extruding means, so as to cause a stretching in the free strap of the same cord comprised between said extruding means and said transport means, as well as in the cord section situated on said transport means; cutting means designed to sever transversally the single portions of the stretched pasta filata cord. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The characteristics of the invention are pointed out in the following, with particular reference to the enclosed drawing tables, in which: - fig. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of the apparatus for the shaping of pasta filata cheese into form of cord, to the subject method; - fig.2 illustrates a perspective view of part-of the apparatus; - fig. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section view of a different embodiment of the subject apparatus; - fig. 4 illustrates a plain enlarged view of the apparatus of fig. 3, with some parts taken away in order to highlight others. MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to the above mentioned figures, reference numeral 1 indicates means for extruding pasta filata cheese in form of a cord 2. The extruding means 1 include a screw feeder 3 departing from below a hopper 4, filled with the cheese paste, andthat delivers the cheese shaped into form of a cord 2 onto a conveyor 5. The screw feeder 3 is supported horizontal axis at a certain height, by a fixed framework 6; rotation of' the screw feeder 3 causes the cheese paste contained in the hopper 4 to be extruded. The cord 2 coming out of the conveyor 5 is fed to the inlet of the transporting belt 7, that is located downstream of the extruding means l, in a way that the strap situated between the extruding means and the belt 7 is hanging. The transporting belt 7 winds on rolls 8, placed, for example, at different height so that the upper run if is sloping upwards with reference to the advancement direction A. As it can be seen in fig. 2, the transporting belt 7 is formed by a continuous series of segments 9 linked to chain means not shown and provided with respective grooved blocks 10; the blocks 10 are designed to form a throat 11 in which the cord 2 lies while advancing. The cord 2 runs in the groove of a guide roll 12 that is rotatably supported idle b the fixed framework 13 of the transport belt in a position adjacent to the inlet. The operating speed of the transport belt 7 is higher than the one of the cord 2 coming out of the extruding means 1, so that the difference in speed causes the cord 2 to be stretched between the extruding means 1 and the transport belt 7. The cord is gradually stretched also along the transport belt 7. s a matter of fact the cord 2 takes the speed of the block 10 only when it reaches the final strap of the upper run of the transport belt 7. Because of gravity, the section of the cord between the extruding means 1 and the transport belt 7 describes a downwardly curved path thus forming a camber that can be detected by suitable means, e.g. optic means, indicated schematically with the hatched line 14 in fig. 1. The width of such camber indirectly indicates the stretching that concernes the cord 2, thus allowing to adjust properly the transport belt 7 operating speed, or, alternatively, the extruding means 1 delivery, or both. At the outlet of the transport belt 7, the cord 2 falls down onto a further transport belt 15, that is partially dipped in a basin 16 for cheese pre- hardening. At the outlet of the basin 16, the cord 2 is brought by the transporting belt 15 in correspondence with cutting means 17, that are designed to sever transversally single portions 18 from the cord. The single portion are then addressed to a subsequent phase of packing. Obviously, it is possible to provide for the cord 2 going out of the basin 2 along a horizontal straight path. Preferably, the detecting means 14 are connected to a control unit 19 designed to actuate the engines 20 and 21 that operate respectively the " screw feeder 3 and the transport belt 7. Figures 3 and 4 show another constructive form of the apparatus for the shaping of cheese into fom of a cord. This varied apparatus is designed in particular to bring about an improvement in production without excessively increasing the advancement speed of the cheese cords. A too high advancement speed could compromise the effectivness of stretching the cheese cords and the correct functioning of the cutting means. According to such solution, the apparatus provides at least one couple of extruding groups 22, placed side by side on a horizontal plane, each of which equipped with a couple of parallel screw feeders 3 (see fig. 4). The number of the extruding groups 22 depends obviously on the productivity rate that is desired. The conveyor 5 of the extruding groups has a head 23 equipped with a double outlet throat, for delivering two cheese cords 2. It is possible to obtain the same quantity of pasta filata cheese from both outlet throats, while with a larger number of cords this would be surely not happen. At the outlet of the extruding groups 22, the cheese cords 2 are taken over by the transport belt 7 and then carried as previously described, through the pre- hardening basin 16 and up to the cutting means 17, which are designed to sever transversally single portions 18 of cheese. The cheese cords 2 advance at the same speed, whether the transport means comprise only one belt, equipped with a plurality of grooved blocks, or single side by side belts both provided with grooved blocks. The extruding groups 22 are equipped with sensor means 24 designed to detect the extruding pressure value acting on the cheese paste. In fact, such pressure can vary in accordance with the cheese paste density, hence causing different quantities of cheese to go out of the extruding groups. The pressure values detected by the sensor means 24 are sent to the control unit 19 for actuating the engines 20, 21, so that to automatically adjust the operation speed of the screw feeders 3 in case of deviation of the prefixed pressure values. This way it is possible to maintain constant the cheese paste extruding pressure and therefore to obtain the feeding of equal and constant paste quantities from different extruding groups 22. Such regulation does not depend on the camber length, detected by the means 14, which instead gives an indirect measure of the entity of the cords 2 stretching, thus allowing in turn, to properly adjust the operation speed of the transport belt 7, or otherwise the speed of the extruding means 1, or both. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The described method allows to obtain, in a fully automaticway, stretchedcords ofpastafilata cheese, with clear advantages as far as the production, homogeneity and hygiene of the product are concerned. Moreover, the aforementionedmethod canbe carried out by means of a very simple apparatus and allows to adjust the paste stretching degree, by controlling the speed of the transport belt 7.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method for shaping pasta filata cheese into form of cords, characterized in that it includes: extruding pasta filata cheese through extruding means (1) , in a way to obtain at least one cord (2) of pasta filata cheese; bringing said pasta filata cord (2) hanging up to transport means (7) that are operated at a speed higher than the coming out speed of the same cord (2) from said extruding means (1) , in a way to cause a stretching in the free strap of said cord (2) located between said extruding means (1) and said transport means (7) , as well as in the cord section situated on said transport means (7) ; transversal cuttting in single portions (18) of said stretched pasta filata cord (2) . 2. Method according to claim 1, charaterized in that said free strap of pasta filata cord (2) is curved donwardly, due to gravity, so as to describe a camber that is detected by means (14) , the length of such camber giving an indirect measure of the said stretching, this stratching being varied by adjusting the operating speed of said transport means (7) and/or of said extruding means (1) . 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the stretching of the pasta filata cheese cord (2) is obtained in correspondence with said transport means (7) by providing said transport means being constituted by a transport belt formed by a continuous series of segments (9) equipped with grooved blocks (10) defining a throat (11) designed to receive and carry the cited pasta filata cord (2) . 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at the outlet of said transport means (7) , said cord (2) falls onto a further transport belt (15) that is partially dipped in a basin (16) for cheese pre- hardening. 5. Method according claim 1, characterized in that it includes measuring the pressure of the cheese paste inside said extrudingmeans (1) and accordingly adjust the operation speed of said extruding means (1) , so as to maintain constant the extruding pressure of said cheese paste. 6. Apparatus for shapingpasta filata cheese into form of cord, characterized in that it includes: extruding means (1) designed to deliver pasta filata cheese in form of at least one cord (2) ; transport means (7) operated at a speed higher than the speed of the coming out of said cord (2) from said extruding means (1) , so as to cause a stretching in the free strap of the same cord (2) comprised between said extrudingmeans (1) and said transport means (7) , as well as in the cord section situated on said transport means (7) ; cuttingmeans (17) designed to sever transversally the single portions (18) of the stretched pasta filata cord (2) . 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said extruding means (1) include at least a couple of extruding groups (22) , each of which is equipped with conveyor means (5) for at least one pasta filata cord (2) , said extruding groups (22) being equipped with respective sensor means (24) designed to detect the the extruding pressure for said cheese paste and which are joined to means (19) for controlling the same extruding means, so as to maintain said extruding pressure at a constant value.

Inventors: ALDROVANDI CLAUDIO, ALDROVANDI, CLAUDIO
Applicants: DIMA SRL, D.I.M.A. S.R.L.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A01J25
IPC codes: A01J25