Rotating device for supporting containers in labelling machines

A rotating device for supporting containers in labelling machines which incorporate a plate rotating about a vertical axis, comprising at least one tubular body rotatably supported parallel to the axis of rotation of the device at the periphery of said plate and provided at its top with a cap for supporting the bottom of a container, a rod rotatably guided in said tubular body and provided at its top with means, for peripherally retaining the container bottom, an elastic member arranged to urge said rod in the sense of bringing the retaining means beyond the container support plane on the cap, a gear wheel keyed on said tubular body and provided with elements angularly distributed on it and engaging with a stationary guide concentric with the axis of rotation of said device so as to keep the gear wheel fixed with respect to the plate, and a toothed sector arranged to engage with said gear wheel and concentrically rigid with said guide at the portion where the label passes to the container, there being further provided cam means for accelerating the gear wheel to a speed such that there is no relative movement between the gear wheel periphery and the toothed sector when these are in engagement, and cam means for braking the rotation of the gear wheel at the end of the toothed sector.