A sausage loop forming machine that includes a series of hooks of novel configuration on an endless horizontal conveyor. The operation of the conveyor is controlled by a novel sensor that senses the number of sausage joints which pass the sensor, thereby controlling the number of sausage links in the loop formed on each hook, i.e., the size of the loop on each hook. A rotating wheel feeder mechanism cooperates with the conveyor and the sensor to supply continuously a link sausage chain in vertical fashion to the conveyor's hooks.