Abstract: An apparatus for stacking substantially rigid food portions in preparation for packaging, and without human intervention, including a conveyor for receiving and moving food portions, at least one counter for counting each of the food portions as the food portion is moved by the conveyor, and a rotary transporter having multiple generally right-angled notches for receiving food portions from the conveyor and moving the food portions into a stack. The conveyor, counter, and rotary transporter are cooperatively interconnected by a programmable computer so that a predetermined number of food portions is moved from the conveyor onto the transporter, where the transporter moves the food portions into a substantially horizontal stack of vertically oriented food portions.

Abstract: An apparatus for the counting and stacking of food portions in preparation for packaging, and without human intervention, including a conveyor for receiving and moving food portions therealong to form rows of food portions, at least one counter, and a stacking rake positioned with respect to said conveyor as to moveably shuffle the rows of food portions into a horizontal stack for packaging. The conveyor, counter, and stacking rake are cooperatively interconnected by a programmable computer so that the rows of food portions are moved along the conveyor for stacking by the stacking rake.

Abstract: A collapser/collector and strapping apparatus for processing box partitions to place them in condition for shipment. The assembled partitions are collapsed and moved vertically into transversely indexed slots of a collector. From the indexed slots, the partitions are placed into bundles of a preselected number of partitions. The bundles are then delivered to a strapping section where straps are applied to hold each bundle together for further processing.

Abstract: A wire fishing line for deep water trolling comprises a length of stainless steel or Monel wire, with a first tough, substantially non-porous Formvar polyvinyl formal polymer coating layer adherently bonded to the peripheral surface of the wire, and a second, low-friction Nylon linear polyamide coating layer bonded to the peripheral surface of the first coating layer, whereby a polymer-coated wire is achieved which has high lubricity, is capable of smooth closely packed coiling in even helical layers on the spool of a fishing reel, and which is substantially impervious to salt water and fresh water immersion and capable of repeated immersions without significant loss of tensile strength.