Abstract: An apparatus is provided for loading containers into a carrier tray having individual rows of cutouts for receiving the containers. The apparatus includes feed control conveyors for spacing the containers at a uniform predetermined distance and a gating mechanism for directing the containers into a plurality of feed lines. The feed lines include feed-control screws which cooperate to advance the containers so that a container is discharged from the end of each feed line simultaneously, the discharge containers being laterally aligned in a transverse row. A container conveyor advances the aligned containers discharged from the feed lines. A tray conveyor underlying the container conveyor receives and advances carrier trays so that the aligned containers reach the discharge end of the container conveyor simultaneously with a row of cutouts in a tray, the containers falling downwardly directly into the row of cutouts in the tray.