Abstract: The invention provides that labels are applied to containers. The labels have a pressure sensitive side and they are applied by a machine so as to lie tangentially to the bottle necks. The bottles then move through the machine and as they so move, a camming means which moves with the bottle engages the label and wraps it round the bottle neck. The camming means comprises a pair of arms which operate scissor like but in sequence as the bottles move through the machine.

Abstract: The invention provides that a vacuum drum with rows of vacuum ports over its surface is used to transport self adhesive labels from a first location at which the labels are applied (adhesive surface outwards) to the drum to a second location at which the labels are detached from the drum. The labels are held to the drum during the transport by applying vacuum to the ports until the label reaches the second location, when the first and second rows of ports at the leading edge of the label are applied with air under pressure, the pressure of the air supplied to the second row of ports being less than that supplied to the first row and slightly in advance in the time sequence, so that the edge of the label is slightly inwardly of the adjacent label extremity, initially lifted from the drum and then the extremity is blown sharply away from the drum providing effective, positive and reliable detachment of the labels from the drum.

Abstract: An inking pad assembly includes a support spindle on which a cylindrical inking pad is mounted. The inking pad is mounted on a sleeve which is a free rotating fit on the spindle apart from a central location where the clearance is relatively small. This central location enables limited pivotal movement of the ink pad about axes transverse to the axes of the rotation of the pad.The ink pad assembly has a knob by which it can be locked into a wall of apparatus in which the pad is incorporated.