Labeling apparatus for labeling receptacles and a method for operating such a labeling apparatus

A labeling apparatus for labeling articles, comprising:

• a transfer drum having at least one label retaining segment comprising a retaining section to retain the at least one label and a transition section to receive the at least one label and to slidingly guide the at least one label to the retaining section, the transfer drum being adapted to convey the at least one label along a path defined by rotation of the transfer drum around a central axis of the transfer drum;
• a glue applicator adapted to apply glue onto the at least one label at a glue application station, the glue applicator being arranged adjacent to the transfer drum at the glue application station;
• a cleaning device adapted to clean the transfer drum;
• and
• a controller adapted to selectively activate the cleaning device into
• a partial cleaning configuration in which the cleaning device is configured to clean the transition section of the label retaining segment and not the retaining section, wherein
• the controller is further adapted to control a reduction of a rotational speed of the transfer drum with respect to a nominal working speed of the transfer drum when activating the cleaning device into the partial cleaning configuration;
• the cleaning device comprises a cleaning roller adapted to rotate around a rotation axis and to clean partially or fully the at least one label retaining segment and is further adapted to move between an operative position in which the cleaning roller is designed to clean at least partially the at least one label retaining segment and at least one rest position in which the cleaning roller is disabled from cleaning the at least one label retaining segment;
• wherein the cleaning device further comprises an actuation assembly adapted to move the cleaning roller between the operative position and the at least one rest position, and wherein the controller is adapted to control the actuation assembly, in the partial cleaning configuration, such that the actuation assembly continuously moves the cleaning roller between the operative position and the at least one rest position.