Direct to container system with on-line weight control and associated method

A system for filling a plurality of containers with material-filled pouches, each of the plurality of containers having sidewalls and a concave bottom surface curved inward toward an interior volume defined by the container, the system comprising:

• a pouch providing station comprising a plurality of lanes for providing a predetermined number of pouches to each of a plurality of containers when aligned at the pouch providing station;
• a tamping station comprising a plurality of tamp heads for tamping the pouches of each container of the plurality of containers when aligned at the tamping station;
• a conveyor system structured and arranged to move the plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes at the pouch providing station and to move the plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of tamp heads at the tamping station;
• and
• a container support assembly operative at the tamping station and structured and arranged to temporarily support each bottom surface of the plurality of containers during tamping, the support element comprising a plurality of protrusions conforming with the concave bottom surfaces of the plurality of containers, the support element being moveable between a first retracted position and a extended second position, the retracted position providing a clearance between the plurality of protrusions and the plurality of containers as the plurality of containers are being moved into and away from the tamping station by the conveyor system, the extended position placing the plurality of protrusions in contact with the concave bottom surfaces for tamping;
• whereby a tendency of tamping to damage containers at the tamping station is abated.