Cheese brining apparatus

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/981,640, filed Oct. 17, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cheese brining apparatus in general, and in particular to automated cheese brining systems.

The production of many types of cheese requires that after the cheese blocks or loafs have been formed, they be exposed to a salt solution for a period of hours. This brining process has been practiced for centuries, sometimes on individual loafs, and in more recent times on large quantities of cheeses in batch or continuous processing apparatus.

In one widely used process, the molded cheese blocks, which usually have a density slightly less than the salt water in which they are floated, are advanced along brine filled flumes along a serpentine path. The submerged portions of the cheeses are thus exposed to brine, while the portions of the cheese which float above the fluid are subjected to a continuous spray of brine. One drawback to the use of brine sprays is the wide dispersion of the corrosive saltwater throughout the plant environment, imposing significant cleaning burdens, and creating a difficult work environment. In addition, to provide for a smooth flow of the blocks, a generous quantity of brine is required, imposing additional space and brine processing demands.

Another common process advances the cheese blocks from the flume into a rack composed of multiple stacked porous shelves. The rack is suspended over a brine tank and positioned with the lowermost shelf to receive a series of cheeses. As each shelf is filled, the rack is indexed downward to receive additional cheese blocks, until all the shelves have been filled, at which point the rack is entirely submerged for a period of time until the desired brining has been achieved. The process is then reversed with the rack being elevated one shelf at a time until all the cheeses have been discharged. However, since the last cheeses loaded will be the first unloaded, this process does not yield complete uniformity of cheese residence time within the brine. Moreover, the rack systems are often raised and lowered by hydraulic actuators, which must be carefully maintained to avoid contamination of the food product.

Cheese is produced in a variety of sized blocks or loaves. Although many established facilities will be dedicated entirely to brining of cheese of only a certain controlled size. Facilities which serve a variety of markets may be called upon to handle the brining of cheeses of different sizes. However, brining facilities designed to handle larger cheese blocks, may provide space for small cheese blocks to be turned or to double up in the flumes or other flow passages, requiring time-consuming manual dislodgement.

What is needed is a compact and easily maintained cheese brining apparatus which facilitates uniform brining of the cheese. In addition, a system which is readily adaptable to different cheese block sizes is desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cheese brining apparatus of the present invention has a series of narrow and tall above-ground stainless steel tanks which define independent brining cells into which cheese blocks are floated by common inlet and outlet flumes. Each cell receives a conveyor assembly having a looped belt formed of plastic links which is driven around a frame by an attached electric motor. The belt has evenly spaced outwardly protruding plastic flights. The infeed flume delivers a stream of cheese blocks to a cell. Once the entire length of a flight is filled, the belt is advanced one increment such that a belt flight engages the array of cheese blocks, causing them to submerge within the brine contained in the cell. The cell then receives another row of cheese blocks, and is again incremented, until all the submerged flights engage cheese blocks. The belt has a downward run which joins an upward run, such that the two runs diverge as the loop extends upwardly. The flights, which are approximately perpendicular to the belt itself, are thus always inclined downwardly, helping to retain the cheese blocks between the flight and the main body of the belt. The conveyor is halted once the cell is fully loaded, and gates are operated in the infeed flume to direct subsequent cheese blocks to another cell. After the desired residence time of a load of cheese blocks within a cell, the cell is opened to the outlet flume, a brine current is introduced and the conveyor is operated to successively bring each row of cheese blocks into position to be discharged. The flights may be perpendicular projections, cylindrical tubes, or hinged assemblies of two segments to accommodate different size blocks of cheese. To enable the system to better control cheese blocks of different size under automation, the brine flumes may be formed with a lower segment which is of a smaller width than the upper segment. When the flumes are filled to a first level the flume is wider than a large block of cheese, but not so large that two blocks can fit abreast or become jammed. By draining the brine to a second, lower level, the width of the active channel is narrowed, and smaller cheese blocks may in a like manner be controlled automatically.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system in which the first cheese blocks into the brine tank are also the first cheese blocks out of the brine tank.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system which permits segregation of treatment of cheese blocks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system which permits tracking of individual cheese blocks.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system which may be entirely automated, and may be adapted for different sizes of cheese blocks.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system requiring reduced quantities of brine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system which reduces opportunities for foreign material to enter the brine.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a cheese brining system with high densities of cheese blocks.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a fragmentary isometric view of the conveyorized cheese brining system of this invention, showing one conveyor assembly being removed from a brine tank for service.

FIG. 2

is a top plan view of the conveyorized cheese brining system of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional view of two brine tanks of the system of

FIG. 2

taken along section line

3

—

3

.

FIG. 4

is an enlarged fragmentary view of the conveyor assembly of FIG.

3

.

FIG. 5

is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment conveyor for the cheese brining system of this invention employing cylindrical tubes.

FIG. 6

is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment conveyor for the cheese brining system of this invention having pivoting lifts which can accommodate cheese blocks of different size, shown with larger blocks.

FIG. 7

is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the conveyor of

FIG. 6

shown with smaller blocks.

FIG. 8

is a cross sectional view of a flume system which can be readily adapted to smaller cheese blocks by lowering the water level, with larger blocks shown in phantom view with a deeper water level.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring more particularly to

FIGS. 1-8

, wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, the conveyorized cheese brining system

20

of this invention is shown generally in FIG.

2

. The system

20

has a sequence of aboveground brine tanks

22

which receive cheese blocks

24

from a common inlet flume

26

and which discharge the cheese blocks after brining to a common outlet flume

28

. Each brine tank

22

has a conveyor assembly

30

which operates independently of the other conveyor assemblies and which is driven by its own electric drive

32

.

As shown in

FIG. 1

, the brine tanks

22

are preferably positioned side-by-side in pairs and are supported by a support structure

34

, shown schematically in

FIG. 3

, on the factory floor

36

. The dimensions of the assembly

20

described hereafter are for purposes of example, although it should be noted that installations of varying sizes and capacities may be formed depending upon the requirements of the particular cheese production facility. The brine tanks

22

have a semicylindrical bottom wall

38

with two upwardly extending side walls

40

which diverge as they extend upwardly to an opening of about 32 inches. The side walls

40

are preferably formed of T316 stainless steel. The side walls

40

will typically be reinforced with exterior bars or trusses, not shown, and may be insulated. The tanks may extend to about 12 feet above the factory floor

36

. The pairs of brine tanks

22

are preferably spaced about two feet apart to permit ready access to the tank exteriors for inspection, cleaning, and maintenance. Catwalks, not shown, are preferably supported between the tops of the tanks

22

to permit ready access to the tank interiors from above. The brine tanks

22

are preferably located in a sump type set up, that is, they are erected within a below grade excavated structure, but are not themselves submerged directly in the ground. This arrangement provides comfortable working and viewing height from the main floor. In addition, the sump configuration allows available ceiling height in the room to be used for an overhead crane

90

, described below.

Each tank

22

has a drain pipe

42

, as shown in

FIG. 1

, and is provided with brine supply piping, not shown, which provides a motive force for discharging cheese blocks

24

as described more fully below. Each tank

22

receives a conveyor assembly

30

and, when filled with brine, defines a single cell

44

in the assembly

20

. As shown in

FIG. 2

the common inlet flume

26

and common outlet flume

28

are parallel to one another, with the brine tanks

22

positioned between the two flumes, and generally perpendicular to the flumes. As shown in

FIG. 1

, the flumes

26

,

28

are connected to the individual brine tanks at the upper levels of the tanks. The inlet flume

26

has curving inlet segments

46

which connect the flume to each of the brine tanks

22

at fluid inlets. Each inlet segment

46

may be provided with a controllable inlet gate

48

for selectively introducing a flow of cheese blocks

24

into a particular tank

22

. Similarly, outlet segments

50

extend from each brine tank

22

to the outlet flume

28

on an end opposite the inlet segments. The outlet segments

50

extend from fluid outlets in the tanks, and provide for the discharge of the cheese blocks. Outlet gates

52

may be provided in each outlet segment

50

for controlling discharge of cheese blocks

24

from the tanks

22

. The inlet gates and outlet gates preferably are provided with pneumatic actuators which allow a controller, such as a PLC, to operate the gates to control the flow of cheese blocks. The flumes

26

,

28

, and inlet segments

46

and outlet segments

50

have a narrow design configuration to prohibit the turning of the blocks of cheese as they navigate the system. The blocks flow the sweet way, i.e., the long axis of each block is aligned with the direction of travel. Thus the width of the flumes

26

,

28

is preferably less than the length of the cheese blocks to be handled by the system.

The conveyor assembly

30

is substantially submerged within the brine within a tank. As shown in

FIG. 3

, each conveyor assembly

30

has a stainless steel tubular frame

54

to which a continuous looped belt

56

is mounted. The frame has end flanges

57

which extend outwardly over the tank, and engage against the upper lip of the tank to support the conveyor assembly

30

. The belt

56

may be a series 800 INTRALOX™ modular plastic belt having straight flights and EZ Clean sprockets available from Intralox, Inc., see www.intralox.com. The belt is preferably a flush grid type of the brine compatible variety. The frame

54

has upper end plates

58

on each end which are connected by upper struts

60

and which support two square axles

62

which turn in bearings, not shown. Sprockets

64

are fixed to the axles

62

along the length of the frame at regular intervals. One of the axles

62

is driven by an electric motor drive

32

which is mounted to the frame and which may extend exterior of the tank

22

. And it should be noted that although two spaced axles and sprockets are illustrated, a single axle with larger sprockets may be substituted. Because the INTRALOX™ sprockets are available only with even numbers of sprocket teeth, if two upper axles are employed, an odd number of links

74

should extend between the sprockets on the two upper axles. The frame

54

has lower end plates

66

which are connected by a lower strut

68

and which support a lower axle

70

to which sprockets

64

are mounted corresponding to the positions of the upper sprockets. The upper struts

60

are connected by a vertical struts

72

to the lower strut

68

.

As shown in

FIG. 4

, the modular belt

56

forms a continuous loop which is assembled from the modular plastic components. Each plastic component is formed of some food grade material such as polypropylene or nylon. The belt

56

has rigid plastic links

74

which are pivotably connected to one another at interdigitating hinged knuckles and secured with plastic pins

76

. Flight links

78

are similar to the links

74

, but have a plastic flight

80

which projects outwardly from the body

82

of the flight link

78

. The flight

80

is a plastic barrier, shelf or protrusion, which extends approximately perpendicular to the body

82

of the flight link

78

, and which serves both to separate one row of cheese blocks from another, and also to urge the blocks downwards along the downward run of the conveyor, and to resist the upward buoyant forces on the cheese blocks along the upward run of the conveyor. The frame

54

is contained within the belt

56

so that the flights always protrude outwardly away from the frame, with the flights being positioned between the belt and one or the other of the tank side walls. The flights

80

may project about 6-8 inches from the body

82

, and are preferably provided with ribbed surfaces to minimize surface contact with the cheese blocks

24

. The flight links are evenly spaced from one another, for example being connected by three standard links. The belt

56

has numerous molded perforations or openings that allow brine to flow around the backside of the cheese blocks. The flights

80

are fixed in orientation with respect to the link body

82

from which they extend. Thus, as a link travels from a position on the downward run

84

of the conveyor to a position on the upward run

86

, the cheese blocks will not remain engaged by the same flight. A dedicated brine recirculation flow system with its own pump works to move fresh chilled brine through the brine cells. The flow of brine across the stationary cheese blocks enhances the heat rejection of the cheese. It should be noted that additional fittings or flow restriction panels could be incorporated in the tank walls and conveyor frame to create zoned cooling or brine densities within each tank.

As shown in

FIG. 3

, the conveyor assembly

30

defines a downward run

84

where the flights

80

are moved toward the tank bottom wall

38

, and a subsequent upward run

86

where the flights

80

move away from the tank bottom wall. The downward run

84

of the belt converges towards the upward run

86

at the bottom of the tank

22

. Because of this convergence, each run of the belt is inclined from the vertical about 4.5 degrees. However, this inclination could be greater depending on the type, size, and style of the cheese.

As a result, the plastic flights

80

, which extend perpendicular to the belt, are all angled downwardly. This downward angling of the flights

80

helps to urge the cheese blocks toward the belt and keep the blocks from jamming against the tank side walls

40

. As the belt progresses through the tank, the cheese blocks are restrained between the belt and one of the side walls. Because the belt loops around the frame, the cheese blocks are prevented from coming into contact with the frame. The operation of the conveyor assembly advances cheese blocks from the inlet of the tank to the outlet of the tank, over a circuitous route that passes beneath the conveyor assembly.

The cheese brining system

20

is installed as part of a cheese manufacturing facility, such as one for the production of mozzarella cheese. Cheese blocks

24

from the facility's molding system discharge conveyor are dropped into the high flow capacity common brine inlet flume

26

as best shown in

FIG. 2. A

flow rate sufficient to motivate the cheese blocks

24

is generated by a sanitary centrifugal pump, not shown.

The cheese blocks

24

may be of various sizes and weights, for example about 21 inches long, four inches tall, and 7½ inches wide. Such a block weighs about twenty pounds. A central controller, for example a PLC, not shown, controls the gates

48

with pneumatic actuators to divert the flow of cheese blocks into a designated cheese-brining cell

44

. The PLC may be a conventional Allen Bradley industrial controls, and will be provided with sensors and view panels. All brine contact areas, plumbing, and pumps should be T316 stainless steel with a passivated finish.

A typical cheese brining system

20

may employ eight pairs of brine tanks

22

positioned parallel to one another. A row cavity for the reception of cheese blocks is defined between each pair of submerged belt flights

80

. In the illustrated conveyor assemblies

30

, each having thirty flights

80

, twenty-nine submerged row cavities are defined. For 20 pound cheese blocks, twelve blocks are received within each row cavity. Hence, about 348 cheese blocks may undergo brining within each brine tank

22

. Each tank

22

is filled with cheese blocks

24

one row cavity at a time. The belt

56

is advanced such that the topmost flight

80

is submerged within the brine within the tank below the level of the floating cheese blocks

24

.

The cheese blocks

24

are then carried into the brine tank

22

above the submerged topmost flight

80

until such time as a full-load sensor determines that the maximum number of cheese blocks for that row cavity have entered. The full-load sensor may be a vision system, or an electric eye sensor detecting the passage of each cheese block into the tank, or an adjustable capacitance cell sensor which is able to detect the passage of a cheese block through the brine, and which permits the counting of cheese blocks entering the brine tank. Such sensors are described at http://www.ab.com/sensors/sensorstoday/capsensors.html and are available from Allen-Bradley.

A signal from the full-load sensor is conveyed to the controller indicating that a particular row cavity is filled. The controller then actuates the drive

32

to advance the belt to bring the next flight

80

down on top of the cheese blocks

24

and to submerge them within the tank

22

. Once submerged, the cheese blocks

24

are trapped between the belt

56

on the inside, the side wall

40

on the outside, and a plastic flight

80

above and below. The advancement of the belt

56

to submerge the first row cavity opens up the surface of the tank to receive additional cheese blocks, and the loading is repeated until all the row cavities are filled.

When the conveyor assembly

30

is halted, the flights

80

on the downward run of the belt and the flights on the upward run

86

of the belt are each restraining an array of cheese blocks. It should be noted that the loads imposed on the belt are fairly low, because a typical cheese block is about 2 percent buoyant. Therefore, on the downward run the force required to submerge the blocks is a small fraction of the weight of the blocks, and on the upward run a similar small force is resisted by the flights. It will be noted that, as the belt turns around the lower axle

70

, the cheese blocks move from being restrained on the underside of a downward run flight, to being restrained on the underside of an upward run flight, which was in its previous location the top side of a downward run flight.

Once the controller detects that a particular cell

44

is fully loaded, the inlet gate into that brine tank

22

is closed and the subsequent incoming cheese blocks from the molder are diverted to the next available cheese-brining cell. The loading sequence is repeated until all available cells

44

are filled. Once the cheese blocks have resided within the brine tanks the required period of time, usually about four to eight hours, the controller operates the outlet gate

52

connecting the cell to the outlet flume

28

. The conveyor assembly is indexed to uncover the uppermost row cavity of cheese blocks on the upward run

86

allowing the cheese blocks to float on the surface of the tank. The floating cheese blocks are discharged from the tank

22

through the outlet segment

50

to the outlet flume

28

. Motivation flow is provided by a high flow pump plumbed through a manifold with valves controlled by the controller. If new green cheese blocks are available at the time of unloading, loading may occur simultaneously on the downward run as the upward run flights are unloaded. The loading and unloading cycles are then repeated for each cell throughout the day. It will be noted that the entire operation of the cheese brining system

20

may be carried out automatically without manual intervention.

Cheese that has completed the brining sequence travels along the outlet flume

28

and to a discharge conveyor, not shown, which forwards the cheese blocks for processing and packaging.

Each frame

54

has upwardly protruding hooks

88

which may be engaged by an overhead crane

90

for removal of a conveyor assembly

30

from a tank and displacement of the removed assembly to a clean-in-place tank

92

. The crane may be a small overhead gantry crane. The clean-in-place tank

92

may be similar in structure to one of the tanks

22

, and is provided with internal manifolds to discharge fresh water and cleaning solution onto the conveyor assembly that is disposed therein. The clean-in-place tank

92

is preferably positioned parallel to the other tanks

22

.

The far downstream end of the assembly

20

has an exposed maintenance support structure

94

which may also receive from the crane a particular conveyor assembly

30

for convenient access. The maintenance support structure

94

may be as little as elevated brackets supported on vertical beams which support the conveyor assembly in the same fashion as it would be supported within a tank

22

, but which allow free access to conveyor assembly for maintenance. To minimize system downtime an additional conveyor assembly

30

may be kept on hand to be substituted into a tank when that tank's conveyor assembly is required to be cleaned or serviced.

A level sensor is provided in the system

20

to allow for makeup brine to be added as cheese blocks are removed from the system, or for brine to be removed as cheese blocks are added to the system.

The system

20

offers a number of advantages: The first cheese block into a tank is the first cheese block out of the tank, making possible consistent residency times. Because of the segregated brining cells, it is a simple matter to treat different batches of cheese differently. Preferably, each cell is sized to accommodate all the cheese blocks from a particular cheese batch. Moreover, this segregation permits the controller to track individual blocks and blocks from a particular vat and to notify packaging equipment of lot and vat identification. The narrow, tall tanks reduce the pumpage required to create high flow rates over the cheese and in the system. Because of the modular brining cells, it is possible to add additional capacity to the system with minimal downtime, since construction on additional tanks can be undertaken while continuing to operate some or all of the original installation, until the time comes to connect the flumes. In addition, if desired, the sump may be omitted, and the entire system may be erected above grade eliminating the need for excavation. Moreover, the system lends itself to modular prefabrication, reducing the construction time on site. Furthermore, because the brine tanks are not within the ground, the possibility of the leakage into the subsoil is minimized. In addition, the system requires less brine than prior art serpentine systems, reducing filtering, pasteurization, and refrigeration requirements. The system provides high storage density, eliminates overhead brine sprays, and thereby keeps the installation floors dry.

If desired, the individual cells may be provided with covers to keep foreign objects out of the brine and to limit contamination of the brine and to protect the room. It should be noted that, although a single belt has been illustrated for each conveyor assembly, the frame may support multiple side by side belts. Moreover, although the frame may be supported entirely from above the belt, structure may be provided in the end walls of the brine tanks to engage with structure on the frame for additional support.

The cheese units treated within the brining assembly of this invention have been referred to herein as cheese blocks. By such term is meant any discrete unit of cheese, of whatever exterior shape, and includes cheese loafs of any size and configuration.

It should be noted that in place of two side-by-side brine tanks

22

, as illustrated, a single vessel may be formed with a divider in between which will receive two conveyor assemblies.

An alternative embodiment cheese brining system

100

, shown in

FIG. 5

, employs a conveyor assembly

102

having tubular flights

104

. The tubular flights

104

may be constant diameter cylindrical tubes

106

, formed of PVC or stainless steel, or other USDA approved food grade material. Transparent plastic may be used for the tubes. The tubes

106

are evenly spaced and are fastened to a single belt or to two spaced chains

108

. The chains

108

may be formed of plastic. Each tube

106

defines a single row cavity. The ends of the tubes

106

are open and permit the loading and unloading of cheese blocks

110

therein. The diameter of the tubes

106

is selected for the size cheese block to be brined. The cheese blocks may rotate about their long axis, but the diameter is small enough to prohibit the cheese blocks from turning end for end, or from becoming wedged two abreast with a neighboring cheese block. For example, a PVC tube with a diameter of approximately six inches would be adequate for a cheese loaf or block having a square cross section of 4 by 4 inches. An eight inch square cheese block may be accommodated within a tube about ten inches in diameter.

Because the cheese blocks

110

are fully constrained within the tubular flights

104

, the tank

112

within which the conveyor

102

is contained may have parallel side walls

114

. Other than the parallel sides, the tank

112

and the brine supply system may be as discussed above with respect to the system

20

. The downward flights

116

of the chains

108

may be approximately parallel to the upward flights

118

, and the chains

108

are supported on a frame

120

which has a single upper sprocket

122

on an axle, and a single lower sprocket

124

on another axle. As in the system

20

, the tubular flights are fixed in orientation with respect to the portions of the belt or chains from which they extend. However, because the tubular flights enclose the cheeses contained therein, a cheese will remain engaged by the same tubular flight as it travels through the tank

112

. Because of the narrow width of the spacing between the downward flights

116

and the upward flights

118

, the frame should be stiffened with an interior truss, not shown, which may use conventional truss bracing. It should be noted that, although cylindrical tubular flights are shown, other tubular shapes may also be employed that are non-round in cross section.

In many cheese brining applications, only cheese blocks of a common size are treated. However, in facilities which produce a wider variety of product, it may be desirable to brine both smaller cheese blocks and larger ones. The embodiments shown in

FIGS. 6-8

are cheese brining apparatus of this invention which are readily configurable to different size cheese blocks.

The cheese brining assembly

126

shown in

FIGS. 6-7

has a tank

128

and conveyor frame

130

generally similar to those shown in

FIGS. 1-4

. However, the conveyor assembly

132

has a link belt

134

with hinged flights

136

which may assume two different configurations, depending on the size of the cheese blocks to be treated.

As shown in

FIG. 6

, each flight link

138

has a protruding flight

136

which is comprised of a first segment

140

which is fixed to the link base

142

and which extends about one half the length of the flight

136

. The first segment

140

has a series of protruding knuckles

144

which are hingedly pinned to interdigitating knuckles on a knuckle protrusion

146

on a second segment

148

. The second segment

148

is connected to the knuckle protrusion

146

by a spacer

150

such that an inside edge

152

of the second segment

148

lies adjacent the first segment

140

when the flight links

138

are configured for use with larger cheese blocks

154

. The spacer

150

is approximately the thickness of the first segment

140

, to allow the second segment

148

to extend approximately parallel to the first segment.

In operation, when the conveyor assembly

132

is used with larger blocks

154

, it operates in much the same way as the conveyor assembly

30

. When the flights are moving downwardly within the tank

128

the overlapping first and second segments

140

,

148

face the buoyant cheese blocks

154

, and the upward force of the cheese block tends to restrain the segments from pivoting with respect to one another. When the flights are moving upwardly within the tank

128

, the buoyant cheese blocks

154

engage against the knuckles

144

and knuckle protrusions

146

, tending to keep the segments in their extended positions.

If smaller cheese blocks

158

are used in a system with flights providing cavities which are as wide as the blocks are long, there is the possibility for blocks to rotate, and for two blocks to travel abreast. These possibilities are undesirable, as they may result in losing control of the flow of cheese blocks. The conveyor assembly

132

is readily convertible to handle small cheese blocks

158

, as shown in FIG.

7

. In a second configuration, the second segment

148

of each two-part hinged flight

136

is pivoted to extend approximately perpendicular to the first segment

140

. The result is a smaller cavity for the retention of the cheese blocks

158

, with the pivoted second segments

148

serving as restraining exterior walls which prevent multiple smaller blocks

158

from traveling abreast one another.

To retain the second segments

148

in their hinged orientation, guides bars

160

are positioned within the tank

128

which extend vertically and prevent the second segments from being pushed away from their perpendicular orientation with respect to the first segments

140

. In one arrangement, the guide bars

160

may be mounted on pivoting arms

162

to an exterior wall

164

of the tank. When larger cheese blocks

154

are being treated, the guide bars

160

may be swung against the exterior wall

164

and retained flush with the wall, as shown in FIG.

6

. When it is desired to treat smaller cheese blocks

158

, the guide bars

160

are swung away from the wall and locked in place as shown in FIG.

7

. At least one guide bar

160

may be mounted to both vertical side walls of the tank, and a curved guide bar, not shown, may be positioned along the bottom of the tank where the flights turn from their downward travel to their upward travel. Depending on the length of the tank, two or more parallel guide bars

160

may be mounted on each tank wall. The guide bars

160

may be formed of cylindrical tubes of stainless steel or plastic. For reduced part count in manufacture, the first segment and the second segment may be pivotally joined by conventional links or portions of links, such as are used in the plastic belt from which the flights extend. The links may be bonded or mechanically fastened to each flight segment.

Alternatively, the two segments of each link may be provided with a detent or releasable catch which allows them to be fixed in the perpendicular orientation.

Another concern when using a cheese brining system with blocks of cheese of different size, is that the smaller blocks not become uncontrolled within the brine-carrying flumes which are wide enough to handle the larger cheese blocks. A flume

166

which can be converted for use with larger cheese blocks

154

or smaller cheese blocks

158

is shown in FIG.

8

. The flume

166

has a horizontal base wall

168

, with upwardly extending first side wall sections

170

which are spaced a first distance apart. This first distance is the appropriate width for conveying smaller cheese blocks. Second side wall sections

172

extend upwardly from the first side wall sections

170

, but are spaced a second distance apart which is substantially greater than the first distance spacing of the first side wall sections

170

. The second distance is the appropriate width for conveying larger cheese blocks. The flume

166

may have a continuous wall

174

which extends vertically from the base wall

168

and defines both a first side wall section

170

and a second side wall section

172

, and a stepped wall

176

which includes a first side wall section

170

extending upwardly from the base wall

168

, an intermediate side wall section

178

which extends outwardly from the first side wall section

170

, and a second side wall section

172

which extends upwardly from the intermediate side wall section

178

. The flume

166

is preferably formed of sheet metal.

When it is desired to employ the flume

166

with larger cheese blocks

154

, the flume is filled with brine until there is sufficient volume to float the larger blocks between the second side wall sections

172

. When it is desired to employ the flume

166

with smaller cheese blocks

158

, the brine level is drained until the brine is fully contained between the first side wall sections

170

. The narrower channel defined between the first side wall sections

170

is too narrow to allow the smaller blocks

158

to rotate about a vertical axis, and thus prevents the single file cheese blocks from becoming uncontrolled.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction room and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.