Apparatus for orienting sausages

An apparatus for orienting a plurality of sausages with respective curvatures, the apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor device configured to transport the sausages along a conveyor path, the conveyor device including a conveyor element on which the sausages can be placed at mutual spacings and with their longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to a conveyor direction of the conveyor element;
• and
• a turning device arranged over the conveyor element, the turning device configured to be brought into contact with each of the sausages and to orient the sausages oriented approximately transversely relative to the conveyor direction of the conveyor element in identical relationship in respect of the curvatures of the sausages.

A method of orienting curved sausages, the method comprising:

• moving the sausages at a spacing relative to each other along in a conveyor direction along a predetermined conveyor path, wherein each sausage has a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the conveyor direction;
• and
• bringing the sausages moved in the conveyor direction successively into contact with a turning device, wherein rotation of each sausage substantially about the longitudinal axis is produced by a relative movement prevailing between each sausage and the turning device.