A device for insertion of goods or goods in the form of stacks, shingling or the like into packaging troughs includes one or more jettison belts. In a method for operating such a device, the goods or goods stacks are vertically deposited by the jettison belt in a packaging trough.

A filling machine (M) for filling containers (1) with fruit or vegetables products, comprising transportation means (2) for the step-by-step conveying the said containers (1) to be filled along a horizontal determined direction (D1); primary plain belt conveyor means (3,4) for products feeding parallel to said horizontal direction (D1) and adapted to realize a main bulk filling of the said containers (1); secondary belt conveyor means (5,6) for singles products feeding parallel to said horizontal direction (D1) and adapted to cooperate simultaneously with said primary belt conveyor means (3,4) so as to complete the whole final filling of the said containers (1); motion means (7) applied to both said principal (3,4) and secondary (5,6) belt conveyor means for reciprocating moving said primary (3,4) and secondary (5,6) belt conveyor means in a direction (D2) parallel to said horizontal direction (D1); and at least a weighing station (8,9) for constant weighing the containers (1) during said filling steps.

System for placing elements in an orderly fashion, which comprises a conveyor belt (1) variable in length that projects or retracts itself to convey and deposit elements; a separator (3) for selecting an active container and separating at least the active container from a plurality of stacked containers, thus creating a gap that enables the insertion of the conveyor belt (1). The separator (3) and the conveyor belt (1) are coordinated such that, the conveyor belt (1) is designed to vary in length by either projecting or retracting itself as the elements pass from the conveyor belt (1) to the active container

A box-packing apparatus that reduces inefficiency attributable to the box-replacement process includes a first conveyance unit and a second conveyance unit. The first conveyance unit conveys articles. The second conveyance unit conveys the articles transferred from the first conveyance unit and feeds them into a box waiting downstream. When the second conveyance unit feeds a predetermined number of the articles into the box, the second conveyance unit retains the articles transferred from the first conveyance unit without feeding them into the box. Furthermore, in the box packing apparatus, the second conveyance unit may perform a back-feed operation when it retains the articles transferred from the first conveyance unit.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for handling items. A method may comprise transporting an item using a conveyance unit in a first direction to or towards a support, and placing the item onto or into the support by retracting the conveyance unit in a second direction that is different from the first direction when the item reaches a desired location relative to the support. Another method may comprise providing a container, placing an item into or onto the container, and extending or elongating the container in a direction so as to form an enclosure surrounding the item.