Apparatus for packaging portions of elongate articles

Apparatus for packaging portions of elongate articles;

• comprising
• a frame,
• an elongate chute supported by the frame and having two side walls and a bottom sloping towards a lower front edge thereof,
• means for supplying a portion of articles to the chute,
• shaking means for imparting longitudinal oscillating movements to the chute,
• an elongate, upwardly open tray having a bottom wall, two side walls pivotally supported by extensions of the chute side walls, a rear wall and an open end opposite the rear wall,
• means for pivoting the tray between a loading position in which its bottom wall is substantially horizontal and its rear wall is located shortly in front of, and below, the front edge of the chute bottom, and a discharge position in which its bottom wall is substantially vertical and its open end is oriented downwards,
• means for positioning an open bag with the mouth thereof below the open end of the tray when the latter is in the discharge position,
• a substantially vertically oriented plate movable between an uppermost end position in which it obturates the open end of the tray when the latter assumes the loading position, and a lowermost end position in which the plate projects into the mouth of the open bag,
• and means for shifting the plate between its end positions in timed relationship with the pivoting of the tray.