Abstract: A device for the intermittent conveyance of receptacles for receiving packing or filling material in an intermittently operating machine, particularly a tube filling and closing machine, comprising, first and second parallel spaced apart linear guideways facing at angles to each other and a plurality of sets, each adapted for receiving one of the receptacles, slidably mounted on the first and second guideways. A driving unit is provided for moving the cassettes linearly along the guideways and for tilting and displacing the cassettes from one guideway to the other when each cassette reaches the end of the one guideway. The cassettes thus execute a cyclic movement along the first and second guideways.

Abstract: A device for aligning a plurality of rows of articles, such as tea bags, on a receiving tray for subsequent packaging in a container, comprises, means for feeding a sheet of the material along a feed path. A first row of the articles is then aligned over the top of the sheet and a loop is formed directly adjacent the trailing edge of the row of articles using a first loop-forming arm which moves upwardly through the feed path to deflect the sheet upwardly into a loop behind the first row of articles and a second arm which moves downwardly behind the upwardly deflected sheet so as to form the other side of the loop. The tray thus formed includes a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced apart loops which are formed upwardly in the bottom of the sheet material.