Abstract: A machine for gathering articles, such as fruit, from the ground without damaging them, by picking up the articles as the machine moves over the ground, has a forward belt and a rearward belt, journalled to a chassis about horizontal rollers that are transverse to the direction of travel X. The rearward belt has a taut upper run which lies face-to-face with a slack lower run of the forward belt, to form a nip. A loop of the forward belt rests loosely on the ground. This gently pins the articles to the ground before they are drawn into the nip. The articles are then discharged rearwardly from the top of the belts and are collected in a container. The belts move at the same speed relative to each other, and move at a speed which is non-positive relative to the ground speed of the machine so that the loop is stationary relative to the ground, or moves rearwardly to draw the articles towards the nip.