To achieve automatic removal of a sausage link string 6 from a feeding device 3, 4 and to attain a delivery to curing rods 11, hooks 7 are supported at a revolving moving chain 8 to be rotatable in their longitudinal axis and to be pivotable transversely to the chain longitudinal direction. By means of appropriate control devices in the form of a rotary lever 18 which coacts with a control edge 20 and a disk 23, and a block-shaped guide link 19, which rests upon a guide rail 21, the hook 7 is moved into its different positions. Herein the hook 7 is in its lowermost pivoting position during reception of the individual loops of the sausage link string 6, and the bent-over hook end 16 is oriented towards the front in conveyance direction and grips a loop from beneath. In the delivery position the hook 7 is moved toward the top by the curing rods 11 which remove the sausage link string 6 and rotates therein in such a manner around its longitudinal axis that the hook end 16 is oriented towards the bottom and releases the sausage link string 6.