Patent ID: 7527079

Claim:
Apparatus for delivering a plurality of containers to a plurality of filling machines for filling of the containers with a substance, said apparatus comprising: a feeding assembly comprising a first staging area aligned with a first filling machine of the plurality of filling machines for facilitating delivery of containers of the plurality of containers from said first staging area to the first filling machine, a second staging area aligned with a second filling machine of the plurality of filling machines for facilitating delivery of containers of the plurality of containers from said second staging area to the second filling machine, and a receiving area adjacent a supply of the plurality of containers, wherein said feeding assembly is configured to move containers of the plurality of containers from said receiving area to said first staging area and to move containers of the plurality of containers from said receiving area to said second staging area, and wherein each of said first and second staging areas are configured to receive containers of the plurality of containers from said receiving area; and a transfer assembly configured to remove a container of the plurality of containers from at least one of said first and second staging areas of said feeding assembly and deliver the container to at least one of said first and second filling machines, said transfer assembly comprising a body and an arm, said arm being movable with respect to said body and said body being movable with respect to said feeding assembly and said first and second filling machines for removing a container of the plurality of containers from at least one of said first and second staging areas and delivering the container to at least one of said first and second filling machines.