Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes an upper movable carrier (1) having a plurality of guides or receptacles (7) which are transported at a predetermined speed and with a predetermined spacing along a predetermined path. The guides each have an open bottom and are each adapted to receive articles which are individually fed thereto. Over a first portion of its path, each guide (7) lies immediately above a lower carrier (11) which closes the bottom of and moves in synchronism with the guide (7), so as to allow one of the articles to become held within the guide (7) by the lower carrier (11) for a sufficient period of time as to allow the article to settle. Over a subsequent portion of the path, the guide (7) and the lower carrier (11) are separated from one another, thereby exposing the article on the lower carrier with accurately defined position and timing.

Abstract: In order to improve the accuracy of spacing, direction and velocity, a feeder for feeding discrete objects one by one has a belt which circulates at a controlled speed. The belt carries a series of buckets formed by four flaps which are normally closed but can be opened by a cam adjacent the path of the buckets. The objects are inserted one by one in the buckets adjacent the top of their vertical descent, and are discharged when the flaps are opened. In this way, the buckets define the spacing and velocity of the objects.