Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for continuous in-line labeling of flexible walled bottles of predetermined height, having a pair of substantially continuous lower and upper conveyor members substantially longitudinally aligned to provide an inlet end and an outlet end. The upper conveyor member includes a substantially endless chain supporting a plurality of downwardly depending compression wedges spaced therealong, whereby successive bottles to be labeled are received at the inlet end in partially compressed relationship between the top surface of the lower conveyor and the compression wedge. The apparatus can be selectively adjusted such that the vertical spacing between the top surface of the lower conveyor and the wedges of the upper conveyor appropriately compressively accommodate bottles of various heights.

Abstract: A rotary decorating machine for bottles having an alignment structure formed adjacent their bottom periphery, wherein the machine has at least one decorating station. A rotating table is provided with a plurality of independently rotatable bottle receiving cups spaced from one another adjacent the outer periphery of the table. The rotating table is driven by a first motor, and the bottle receiving cups are independently rotatable by pinion gears attached thereto for enabling planetary rotation of the bottles relative to the rotating table. A lower gear is provided with a second drive motor for rotation independent of the rotating table, and the pinion gears attached to individual bottle receiving cups are intermeshed with that gear. Rotation of the lower gear independently effects the rotation speed and direction of the bottle receiving cups independent of the planetary rotation resulting from movement of the rotating table.