Abstract: A loading apparatus may include a chute passageway, a gate, and a splitter. The chute passageway may include a chute surface positioned extending along at least a portion of a distance between an inlet opening of the chute and an outlet opening of the chute passageway. The gate may be moveable between a closed position obstructing passage through the outlet opening and an open position permitting passage through the outlet opening. The splitter may be mechanically coupled with the gate by a linkage configured to convert movement of the gate toward the closed position into movement of the splitter toward an away position so as to split a traveling wall of a receptacle away from a base wall of the receptacle when the receptacle is received with the base wall along the chute surface.