A method for detecting and discriminating articles that are within a predetermined range of a specification into lots feeds a plurality of articles into an article portioning system having a counting head assembly that includes an article detecting unit located above and cooperatively controlling through generated signals an upper diverting gate and lower outlet gate which control the passage and/or accumulation of articles in adjacent channels to permit filling of article containers with predetermined article portions as containers are placed beneath, and removed from, the assembly outlet. The method for portioning discrete articles by feeding the articles and generating signals controlling the gates is suited for a combined plurality of such assemblies to provide high speed continuous container filling operations for simultaneous filling of groups of containers.