Abstract: A carrier container having sides, ends and a bottom defining an open face holding chamber, is provided for loading a stack of tiers loaded on a pallet into the holding chamber. The stack of tiers comprises a plurality of tier sheets, each supporting a plurality of products aligned in groups on each tier. The tier sheets are disposed vertically, defining a stack. The stack is positioned on and secured to the pallet. Loading of the stack of tiers and pallet into the holding chamber is accomplished with the holding chamber in a vertical orientation. After loading the stack of tiers and pallet into the holding chamber the carrier container is rotated from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, securing the stack of tiers and pallet in the holding chamber. Each of the tier sheets is removed from the stack destroying the stack and displacing the products from the stack, the products retained in the holding chamber.

Abstract: Bottles are conveyed by a pair of side gripping belts, either neck leading or base leading in a direction parallel to an axis extending through the neck and the base of the bottle. In the path of the bottle and upstream therefrom is positioned a split ramp, inclined upward relative to the direction of travel. The split ramps interfere with the forward travel of a base leading bottle and cooperates with the gripping belts to cause the neck of the bottle to raise arcuately so as to orient the bottle to a standing position, on its base. Moving belts are disposed between the split ramp. The split ramp allows passage of part of a bottle conveyed in neck leading position such that the moving belts interfere with the forward travel of the neck leading bottle and cause the neck of the bottle to change its direction of travel to an arcuate, upward direction for orienting the bottle to a standing position, on its base.