Abstract: An apparatus for filling containers with a substantially precise, predetermined weight of articles, such as fruit and the like, providing a frame mounting a first station, a second station, and a third station disposed serially of each other; an article-diverting assembly having a fast-fill chute adapted to direct articles toward a container supported on the second station and a slow-fill chute adapted to direct articles toward a partially-filled container on the second station; means for sensing the weights of the containers on the second and third stations; and means for moving the containers from the first to the second and third stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for assorting articles, such as fruits, according to size, the apparatus having a conveyor which includes a pair of belts disposed in transversely upwardly divergent, V-shaped relation for transporting articles rested on the belts through a plurality of assorting stations having individual rotationally driven rollers disposed axially parallel to the direction of travel of the articles and mounted adjacent to the belts for adjustable movement toward and from the belts with the rollers of each station being spaced progressively closer to the belt in the direction of travel to engage articles of correspondingly smaller size and displace them transversely from the belts, the relative speeds of the belts in the direction of travel being independently controllable so that non-spherical articles being transported along the belts are rotatable to select the attitude in which such articles are presented to the rollers.