Abstract: In a labeling machine having a rotatable carrier and at least one pickup element rotatably mounted on the carrier, the drive for each pickup element comprising a four-way toggle mechanism including a crank, a connecting rod, a swinging link, with the connecting rod being joined to the crank and swinging link at two respective joints. Two cam followers are connected to the connecting rod by lever arms and are disposed outside the joints of the swinging link and the connecting rod on the one hand and the connecting rod and crank on the other hand. The four-way toggle mechanism and lever arms fixed to the connecting rod of the followers are adjusted to one another such that during a revolution of the carrier, the field swept by the swinging link does not encompass the axis of rotation of the carrier.

Abstract: A bottle labeling machine is provided with a rotating support which carries a pickup element past a gluing station, a label magazine to pick up a label and a label transfer station. Supplementary means are provided to rotate the pickup element either clockwise or counterclockwise so as to speed it up or slow it down relative to the stations for matching its speed to that required at each station to effect a smooth pass at each station. A pair of cam followers are provided operating on two independent tracks with two lever arms connecting them to the supplementary means for rotating the pickup element. The lever arms may be rigid as one and have an intermediate axis about which they pivot or they may be independently pivoted at one end about one of the cam followers, the other end of one arm being connected to the second cam follower and the other end of the second arm being connected to the supplementary rotating means.