Patent ID: 8852662

Claim:
An apparatus for producing sections of extruded cheese comprising: a series of tubular sleeves of substantially constant cross-section having first ends adapted to receive cheese from an extruder; a series of pistons slidably fitting within corresponding tubular sleeves, the pistons having first ends contacting cheese filling the tubular sleeves from the extruder and second ends moving in a direction of extrusion as the tubular sleeves are filled with cheese; at least one blocking element stopping movement of the pistons when the tubular sleeves are filled with cheese to a predetermined volume; and an ejector operating upon a filling of the tubular sleeves to the predetermined volume to eject cheese from the tubular sleeves as molded cheese; further including set of forming tubes positioned between the extruder and the first ends of respective ones of the series of tubular sleeves, each forming tube having a cross-section substantially equal to the cross-section of a corresponding tubular sleeve, each forming tube positionable so that cheese passes through the forming tube from the extruder to be conducted to the corresponding tubular sleeve in filling the corresponding tubular sleeve and positionable so that cheese does not pass through the forming tube when cheese is ejected from the corresponding tubular sleeve by the ejector.