Abstract: A method for determining the quantity of items in a container is described, where each item has the same nominal weight located between upper and lower weight limits. The method comprises the following steps: (a) attempting to pack a pre-determined quantity, n, of the items to the container, the predetermined quantity, n, being selected such that the product of (n+1) and the lower weight limit exceeds the product of n and the upper weight limit and such that the product of n and the lower weight limit exceeds the product of (n?1) and the upper weight limit; (b) measuring the weight of the actual quantity of items packed in the container in step (a); and, (c) dividing the value of the weight ascertained in step (b) by the nominal weight to determine the actual quantity of items packed in the container in step (a).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing misalignment of articles, such as lightweight packets of snack food, conveyed on a conveyor. A conveyor conveys articles in a conveying direction along a predetermined conveying path. The conveyed articles have a desired direction of alignment relative to the conveying direction and are conveyed so that a misaligned article tends to project laterally from the conveying path. An aligning device includes at least one projection traveling cyclically adjacent to the conveying path so as to contact a conveyed, misaligned article and thereby rotate the conveyed, misaligned article to reduce misalignment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing misalignment of articles, such as lightweight packets of snack food, conveyed on a conveyor. A conveyor conveys articles in a conveying direction along a predetermined conveying path. The conveyed articles have a desired direction of alignment relative to the conveying direction and are conveyed so that a misaligned article tends to project laterally from the conveying path. An aligning device includes at least one projection traveling cyclically adjacent to the conveying path so as to contact a conveyed, misaligned article and thereby rotate the conveyed, misaligned article to reduce misalignment.