Abstract: A sausage link forming machine having a rotating frame secured on a drivable axle and wherein the frame has opposed parallel discs. Control cams are secured to the axle intermediate the discs. A plurality of sausage grasping head assemblies are secured between the discs and equidistantly spaced apart along a circular path. A link forming pincer mechanism is secured between each of the grasping head assemblies. These head assemblies have rotatable support rollers which are displaceable towards one another from a sausage casing receiving position to a sausage casing engaging position. A first cam follower is associated with each of the grasping head assemblies and engages a first cam portion of the control cam to displace the support rollers. A second cam follower is associated with each of the link forming pincer mechanisms and engages a second cam portion to cause the fork members to pivot to and away from one another.

Abstract: A sausage link handling and packaging machine which comprises a feed conveyor for receiving individual sausage links from a link forming machine and for transferring them onto a main conveyor. These sausage links are transferred in a guided manner whereby to orient them on a predetermined ejecting path. When the sausage links arrive at the receiving end of the main conveyor, they are oriented in a side-by-side transverse alignment relationship. A transfer device is provided at a transfer station along the main conveyor to transfer a predetermined number of the transversely aligned sausage links off the conveyor and onto a package support element. The package support element with the predetermined number of sausage links thereon are then conveyed downstream of the transfer station for further handling.