referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views , and referring particularly to fig1 and 3 it is seen that the invention includes a horizontal conveyance section 11 and a vertical lifting section 20 . the horizontal section 11 includes lower conveyor belts 13 , a first set of side conveyor belts 15 , and a second set of side conveyor belts 17 . product packages 9 are placed on lower conveyors 13 which continuously urge the packages in the direction of arrow a towards the lifting section 20 . side conveyors 15 engage the sides of packages 9 also continuously urging the packages towards lifting section 20 . the second set of side conveyors 17 are designed to travel at a speed that is faster than the first set 15 . the higher speed of conveyors 17 creates a time and space gap between each product package 9 that is received from conveyors 15 . the speed of conveyors 17 may be selectively adjusted , with faster speeds providing larger gaps , and slower speeds providing smaller gaps . once the speed of conveyor 17 is selected , it operates at this speed continuously , providing the same time and space gap between each package 9 that is delivered to the lifting section 20 . the selected speed for conveyor 17 should be sufficient to provide a large enough gap between packages 9 to allow lifting panels 35 & amp ; 37 or 36 & amp ; 38 enough time to raise the delivered package ( s ) 9 before the next package ( s ) 9 are delivered . the illustration of fig1 shows an example delivery of two packages per row , although any number of packages can be delivered per row . in this example , after two packages have been delivered in a row by conveyors 17 , the gap after delivery of the second package ( which is the same as the gap between every package ) gives the lift enough time to raise them up and out of the way , making room for delivery of the next row of two packages . referring to fig1 and 3 , it is seen that the lift section 20 includes a generally rectangular area 25 bounded by adjustably positioned posts 21 , 22 , 23 and 24 . two pairs of continuous chains , bands or belts are provided on each side of area 25 . referring specifically to the end view of fig3 a first pair of belts 31 and 31a are provided on the left side of area 25 , and a corresponding pair of belts 32 and 32a are provided on the right side of area 25 . because the end view of fig3 is cut away , it only shows belts 31 and 32 of each pair ( compare to fig1 ). the movement of belts 31 and 31a is identical ; similarly , the movement of belts 32 and 32a is identical ; accordingly , the following description of belts 31 and 32 is intended to also describe belts 31a and 32a . it is to be noted that the positioning and motion of the group made up of belts 31 , 31a , and their associated parts and panels are mirror images of the group made up of belts 32 , 32a , and their associated parts and panels . left side belt 31 is continuous , and is engaged around upper wheel 61 and lower wheel 64 . motion is imparted to upper wheel 61 by a controllable start / stop motor 71 . corresponding right side belt 32 is also continuous , and is engaged around upper wheel 62 and lower wheel 65 . motion is imparted to upper wheel 62 by a controllable start / stop motor 72 . in an alternative embodiment , a set of linkages may be provided to allow a single motor 71 to impart motion to belts 31 and 31a as well belts 32 and 32a , thereby eliminating the need for motor 72 . the illustrations of belts 31 and 32 in fig3 show the use of chains engaged around upper and lower sprockets ; however , any suitable continuous belt and wheel combination may be used . at least two lifting panels 35 are pivotally attached at regular intervals to belt 31 , one end of panel 35 being pivotally attached to belt 31 , the other end being pivotally attached to belt 31a . similarly , at least two correspondingly positioned lifting panels 37 are pivotally attached at the same intervals on belt 32 , one end of panel 37 being pivotally attached to belt 32 , the other end being pivotally attached to belt 32a . one of the mounts supporting each panel 35 includes a follower 43 which fits into a groove 45 along the path of belt 31 ( or 31a ). similarly , one of the mounts of each panel 37 includes a corresponding follower 44 which fits into a groove 46 along the path of belt 32 ( or 32a ). the path of belt 31 ( and groove 45 ) is in the form of a modified oval which is generally vertical on the inside of lift area 25 , and more arcuate on the outside of area 25 . the corresponding path of belt 32 ( and groove 46 ) is also in the form of a modified oval which is a mirror image of the path of belt 31 . from the view of fig3 it is seen that belt 31 rotates in a counter - clockwise direction , and belt 32 rotates in a clockwise direction . as each of belts 31 and 32 rotate , panels 35 and 37 are raised vertically as they travel through the inside of area 25 . this movement causes panels 35 and 37 to lift containers 9 which have been delivered into area 25 upward in the direction of arrow b . the illustration of fig3 shows panels 35 and 37 having reached the uppermost position in area 25 holding packages 9 . as this upward movement is taking place , conveyor 17 continues its spaced delivery of packages , the space ( gap ) between deliveries providing sufficient time for panels 35 and 37 to move out of the way . with proper adjustment of the speed and timing of all conveyors and belts , by the time panels 35 and 37 have been raised to just above the height of a package 9 ( high enough to allow the next package or row of packages to be brought in under them ), a subsequent package is being moved through conveyors 17 for delivery to lift area 25 . the moment panels 35 and 37 are high enough , conveyors 17 deliver the next package or row of packages 9 to lift area 25 . panels 35 and 37 continue moving in an upward direction as the subsequent package or row of packages 9 is brought in below them . when panels 35 and 37 reach their uppermost position ( as shown in fig3 ) they stop momentarily . by this time , the new package or row of packages 9 is now in position below panels 35 and 37 , and is ready to be raised . a second group of pairs of continuous belts 41 , 41a and 42 , 42a having pivotally attached corresponding lifting panels 36 and 38 , respectively , are provided to raise alternate packages or rows of packages 9 . the positions of belts 41 and 41a are slightly offset from belts 31 and 31a ( see fig1 ), and the timing of operation of belts 41 and 41a is staggered in relation to that of belts 31 and 31a , but otherwise belts 41 and 41a operate in an identical fashion to belts 31 and 31a . similarly , the positions of belts 42 and 42a are slightly offset from belts 32 and 32a ( see fig1 ), and the timing of operation of belts 42 and 42a is staggered in relation to that of belts 32 and 32a , but otherwise belts 42 and 42a operate in an identical fashion to belts 32 and 32a . it is to be noted that the positioning and motion of the group made up of belts 41 , 41a , and their associated parts and panels 36 are mirror images of the group made up of belts 42 , 42a . and their associated parts and panels 38 . left side belts 41 and 41a are continuous , and are engaged around upper and lower wheels ( not shown ). motion is imparted to these wheels by a controllable start / stop motor 73 . corresponding right side belts 42 and 42a are also continuous , and are engaged around upper and lower wheels ( not shown ). motion is imparted to these wheels by another controllable start / stop motor 74 . in an alternative embodiment , a set of linkages may be provided to allow a single motor 73 to impart motion to belts 41 and 41 a as well as belts 42 and 42a , thereby eliminating the need for motor 74 . panels 36 and 38 are rotated into position below the new package or row of packages 9 while panels 35 and 37 are in the process raising the previous package or row of packages 9 upward . as noted previously , panels 35 and 37 stop momentarily when they reach the uppermost position shown in fig3 . during this pause , panels 36 and 38 begin to raise the new package or row of packages upward . as the upper edges of the new packages 9 being raised by panels 36 and 38 reach stopped panels 35 and 37 , panels 35 and 37 are again activated and moved out of the way . this results in the packages previously being held by panels 35 and 37 coming to rest on top of the new packages being held by panels 36 and 38 , creating a stack . the tops of the interior vertical sections of the paths of belts 31 and 32 ( and grooves 45 and 46 ) turn sharply to the outside of lift area 25 , making a turn of approximately ninety degrees . grooves 45 and 46 are formed to work in conjunction with followers 43 and 44 to keep the surfaces of panels 35 and 37 level ( i . e . horizontal ) while the panels are pulled to the outside by belts 31 and 32 . thus , panels 35 and 37 are pulled laterally out from under packages 9 after they have been raised ( as shown in fig3 ), enabling a smooth transition as the packages are stacked . without the control of the grooves and followers , the removal of panels 35 and 37 ( and 36 and 38 ) from under the raised packages could jostle and unsettle them , and potentially disrupt the upwardly formed stack . an identical set of grooves and followers are provided for panels 36 and 38 . alternatively , panels 35 and 37 may share the same grooves as panels 36 and 38 , each panel having its own followers . because multiple panels 35 and 37 are attached to belts 31 and 32 , as some of said panels are moving laterally out from under packages , other panels on the same band are moving into position under the next incoming package or row of packages , etc . similarly , the plurality of panels 36 and 38 on belts 41 and 42 allow some to be raising packages upward while others are moving down the outside of area 25 . the movements and actions of the first belts 31 and 32 and their corresponding panels are staggered from ( although slightly overlapping ) the movements and actions of the second belts 41 and 42 in order to provide a continuous stacking operation , generally alternating between the first and second belts . an electronic or other suitable may be used to activate the motors , belts and panels in this overlapingly alternating operation . the first belts and panels raise a first set of packages upward , the second belts and panels come in from underneath to raise a second set of packages upward ; the first belts remove their panels from under the first packages ( while the second set is raising its packages ) and move other panels into position underneath to raise a third set of packages ; the third set is raised and the second belts remove their panels from under the second packages while moving other panels in underneath a fourth set of packages , and so on . it is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof . it is also to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein , but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification .