Abstract: A transport device includes an elongated housing consisting of parallel spaced bars and end blocks. The housing is mounted for rotation on a pair of conveyor chains by support structure including longitudinally projecting shafts and bushings journaled on the shafts for coupling to the conveyor chain. Adjacent edges of the two housing bars define a support surface for the sticks to be transported. An elongated inner bar is confined between the housing bars for reciprocation, and has an activator rod at one end, extending axially into one of the support shafts and bearing against a cam rotatably mounted transversely at the distal end of that shaft. A spring urges an inner rod into engagement with the cam. The cam is configured to be engaged by support structures associated with the conveyor mechanism, to effect the shifting of the inner rod against the force of the spring.

Abstract: A stick hopper box has a floor and dividers mounted on the floor defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single rows of wieners. A plunger assembly includes individual plungers for expelling the lowermost wiener from the several guide channels into aligned clamps of a wiener clamping mechanism. A stick hopper for round sticks includes a box and transversely spaced dividers defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single sticks, the stick hopper guide channels being aligned with the wiener hopper guide channels and wiener clamps. A push rod mechanism, including individual push rods for each stick hopper guide channel, expels the sticks from the channel and inserts the sticks into wieners clamped in the wiener clamping mechanism.