Method and apparatus for delivering sausages to a bar

In a method of producing a string of linked sausages or the like suspended from a bar in loops, a method of delivering the sausages to the bar, the steps comprising:

• (a) at an upstream position from a suspending means forming the sausage string into a series of spiral loops having a leading sausage loop,
• (b) suspending the series of spiral loops of sausage including its leading sausage loop from said suspending means,
• (c) removably fixing axially a bar such that the entire bar extends downstream of the leading sausage loop on the suspending means with the upstream end of the bar facing said leading sausage loop on said suspending means,
• (d) delivering the leading sausage loop on the suspending means onto the upstream end of the bar starting from the leading loop so that the bar supports the loop,
• (e) while maintaining the sausage loops spaced apart from one another, continuing to deliver successive loops of the sausage string on the suspending means to the upstream end of the bar end while simultaneously sliding the already-delivered loops along the fixed bar down toward its downstream end, and
• (f) removing the bar with its suspended string of sausage loops thereon.