Abstract: A machine for placing groups of containers, preferably bottles, into cases. Successive groups of bottles are moved horizontally to a first station where they are releasably suspended on escapement bars. The bottles are suspended at enlarged neck flanges adjacent their finishes. A cam mechanism moves the bars apart to release bottles allowing them to be moved vertically downward to a second station. The bottles are releasably received within one of two horizontally movable chutes at the second station. The chutes are also pivotable relative to one another so that the bottles may be inverted piror to being loaded into a case at a case packing station below. The two chutes are reciprocated horizontally relative to the first station so one chute may be unloaded into an awaiting case while the remaining chute is being loaded through operation of the escapement mechanism. Each chute may be inverted as the chutes are horizontally reciprocated.

Abstract: An apparatus for unscrambling and erecting a plurality of non-vertical bottles includes a rotatable toothed cam wheel onto which bottles are dropped in an untimed sequence from a first conveyor table. The bottles are then conveyed by the rotatable toothed cam wheel in an erected condition to a second conveying table, with the alternate teeth of the toothed cam wheel simultaneously and directly urging the erected bottles from their stalls.