The apparatus is for feeding semi-conductor devices to and from process machines.The apparatus includes a main frame 3 having a loading station 1 and an unloading station 2 each of which has a docking station for receiving carts 5. The carts are lifted by a jacking arrangement 40 into operative engagement with a loading or unloading system, 6 or 7 respectively, the loading/unloading means being movable relative to the main frame 3 when engaged by the cart, the movement of the loading means being detected by a fibre optic control system which initiates a signal to terminate lifting. In this way, a loading station of the cart is accurately aligned in three mutually perpendicular axes with the loading/unloading means to ensure reliable transfer of components from the carrier in the cart and a transfer conveyor by which the components are transferred to a machine for a processing operation or are transferred from the machine into an empty cart.