Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring discrete articles at a receiving and packing station from a randomly supplied conveyor having articles with a plurality of characteristics to a take away conveyor having articles with only certain selected characteristics out of the plurality of characteristics. At each receiving and packing station, the articles having the selected characteristics are transferred from the supply conveyor to a collecting device to form therein a completed row of a certain number of articles. An endless transfer conveyor has a plurality of rows of article holders, each of which, at one point in its travel, is positioned to receive a completed row of articles from the collecting device. The collecting device will deliver a complete row of articles only into an empty row of holders in the transfer conveyor. The transfer conveyor then transfers a completed row of articles to containers on a take away conveyor.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for delivering articles to and discharging articles from a conveyor with differing motion characteristics. The conveyor comprises holders adapted to receive, deliver or handle articles from one or a plurality of supply devices adjacent to the conveyor, where each time only the part thereof which adjoins the supply device(s) stands still temporarily. One or more supply devices is or are arranged near one run of the conveyor, and one or more discharging or transferring mechanisms is or are disposed near the other run, the two runs of the conveyor following different motion characteristics.