Weighed, rod-like product is deposited into a receptacle having a bottom wall formed by an iris plate assembly, which may be vibrated and which opens on command to drop the product into one of two cylindrical holding canisters with clamshell doors on their sides. The canisters are mounted in an "L" configuration which toggles back and forth through a 90 degree rotation presenting each canister first in a vertical position to receive product from the receptacle and then in a horizontal position to release product via the clamshell doors into a pocket such as a timing hopper, or a paperboard tray carried by a conveyor to a packaging machine. Interlocks are provided to preclude release of the product or movement of the conveyor when synchronization is lost with respect to either the weighing or packaging machine.