Abstract: The apparatus feeds products in mutually spaced relation to a work station such that successive products are received thereby at substantially the same point of successive working cycles. The apparatus comprises a first conveyor arranged to receive a longitudinal row of products in which adjacent products are touching, and a second conveyor receiving products from the first conveyor and driven at a speed greater than that of the first conveyor. A plurality of photocell devices sense the position of products on the second conveyor relative to their theoretical desired positions appropriate to cause the products to be successively fed to the work station at the desired point of successive working cycles. Upon the difference between the actual and theoretical desired positions of the products on the second conveyor exceeding a predetermined value, the speed of the first conveyor is appropriately adjusted.

Abstract: A conveyor installation has a principal line of conveyance from which products are removed at a plurality of spaced locations. Between each removal location, the principal line of conveyance comprises a haltable, two-speed accumulation conveyor and a step-advance conveyor advanceable at two different frequencies. The installation is arranged to monitor the presence of products at the loading and discharge ends of each accumulation conveyor and at the loading end of each step-advance conveyor, whereby to appropriately control the conveyors to compensate for the randomness of product distribution on the principal line of conveyance resulting from random product removal therefrom.

Abstract: Feeding apparatus comprising an elevator, with a general structure similar to that of an escalator, having shelves of size proportioned for receiving articles; the shelves move continuously along an ascending active run of the elevator between fixed lower and upper platforms; a feed belt feeds the articles onto the lower platform and ejection means operate in synchronism with the elevator to eject the articles from the upper platform and feed them to the packaging machine, spaced apart axially at intervals by a predetermined spacing.

Abstract: In an installation for distributing food products such as sweets from a primary conveyor line to respective transverse conveyors leading to packaging machines. A secondary conveyor line having two successive bunching conveyors is arranged to receive intermittently rows of products from the primary conveyor line, through the operation of a deflecting device, and to bunch and align the products prior to transferring them in rows to the transverse conveyor, at a conveying speed which can be matched to the demand of the packaging machines, even though this may differ from the speed of the primary conveyor line.