Method and apparatus for packaging cloth articles

A packaging machine for inserting two or more light-weight cloth articles in a containment means, said machine comprising two or more loading conduits each having a loading end and a discharge end, controlled airflow means associated with said conduits for conveying said cloth articles therein, a retention housing at said discharge end of each of said loading conduits to retain therein a cloth article introduced at said loading end, transfer means to simultaneously transfer said cloth articles in said retention housing of each of said loading conduits into an associated discharge means, unloading means to discharge a predetermined number of cloth articles positioned in said discharge means into a containment means, said discharge means being comprised of three or more holding containers, means to displace said holding containers serially under said housings of said loading conduits and to a discharge position below said unloading means, said holding containers being oriented one adjacent said unloading means and the others disposed under a respective one of said housings of said loading conduits to receive said cloth article from all of said housings simultaneously.