Method and apparatus for clamping a container during processing operations

A processing turret, comprising:

• a drive shaft;
• a starwheel having a plurality of pockets configured to hold a respective article, the plurality of pockets having a respective push plate at a first end and a rotatable processing device at a second, generally opposing end, each of the push plates being configured to contact a closed end of an article;
• and
• a generally circular-shaped guide assembly positioned at the second end, the guide assembly having at least two guide pins adjacent thereto and extending therefrom in a generally transverse direction, the at least two guide pins having a respective at least two resilient devices positioned thereover, the guide assembly further including a generally central aperture configured to receive an open end of the article to be processed,
• wherein when the processing turret is in a first position, the at least two resilient devices are compressed, and wherein when the processing turret is in a second position, the at least two resilient devices are generally uncompressed,
• the distance between the push plate and the rotatable processing device being greater in the second position than in the first position.