rods 128 130 gathering strips as it moves at the conveyor end tines 126 204 mate to securely hold the gathered strings fig3 c forward rake 150 contines to travel pushing accumulating rake 200 against a force exerted by spring 202 block 258 pivots freely to allow rake 200 to pass by fig3 d rakes 150 200 hold the string bundle at the tying apparatus a typical apparatus ties a paper or plastic laminated wire or a string around the bundle when tying is complete pressurized air is introduced into port 120 to drive rake 150 back towards conveyor 300 pressurized air is introduced to air cylinder 252 in order to retract shaft 262 thus block 258 prevents movement of accumulating rake 200 towards the conveyor as urged by spring 202 fig3 e accordingly the tied stringed tag bundle 341 is dropped out of the apparatus into a container 344 on a conveyor 346 below air pressure is next released from cylinder 252 allowing block 258 to pivot and thus rake 200 to be drawn back to the end of conveyor 300 by spring 202 upper support 100 is raised fig3 a as rake 150 is moved to the forward end of conveyor 300 whereby the cycle can be repeated for the next designated number of stringed tags the timing of introduction of air into ports 120 122 and to air cylinders 252 134 as well as the actuation of clutch 328 and the tying apparatus may be appropriately controlled by any of a variety of readily available mechanical or electronic programmable timers 348 it should be understood that a variety of frame structures may be employed to accommodate the elements of the invention pivots 135 136 are connected to.