Container-handling apparatus

A container-handling apparatus for closing containers with a closure cap, the apparatus comprising:

• a first transporter being a linear conveyor, a fixed position central column extending along a vertical machine axis, and a rotor disposed circumferentially around said vertical machine axis and downstream of said first transporter in a conveying direction, said rotor being driven by a motor to circulate around said central column;
• a plurality of container closing stations disposed at a circumference of said rotor for rotating around said central column, said container closing stations being configured for closing the containers with respective closure caps received from a closure cap delivery conveyor;
• said first transporter being configured to convey the containers, not yet closed and standing upright with container bases on a transport plane, and to transfer the open containers to respective container closing stations of said rotor;
• each of said container closing stations having at least one punch device, arranged at said rotor so as to be lowered and raised, and a container carrier disposed beneath said punch device;
• a carrier ring, driven by a motor to circulate around said central column beneath said rotor, said container carrier being configured to carry out rotational movements and raising movements at said carrier ring;
• and
• at least one transfer element disposed between at least two adjacent container closing stations, at least partially enclosing a circumference of the respective container carrier, said transfer element being configured to rotate together with said container closing stations, and said transfer element having an upper side forming a transfer plane for a planar transfer of the containers standing upright from said transport plane onto said transfer plane spanned by said transfer element, with the transfer plane and the transport plane spanning a common plane.