26 by a coupling 28 two flat belt annuluses 30 have the narrow flat belts 31 trained therearound the annuluses 30 are concentric with and rigidly secured to the periphery of the tube 24 by support members 33 with the carriers 23 having arcuate container engaging surfaces 23 34 disposed therebetween as best shown in fig4 the discharge ends of the narrow flat belts 31 are trained around a tube fig1 34 that has a rough belt driving surface whereas the surface of the flat belt annuluses 30 have smooth surfaces which smooth surfaces permit the discharge belts 31 to slide on the annuluses the tube 34 includes end plates 36 which are secured to stub shafts 38 that are journaled in bearings not shown in a suitable frame 40 one of the stub shafts 38 is connected to a variable speed gear motor m2 which is similar to the motor m1 fig2 the three motors m m1 and m2 may include computer control gear boxes not shown to vary the speed of the feed conveyor 8 the starwheel 18 and the flat belts 31 in operation a plurality of articles having cylindrical surfaces and at least one substantially flat end for example glass jars or cans which may be arranged in batches of different sizes the containers c are arranged into lanes between guide bars.