Container transfer apparatus with automatic positioning compensation

An apparatus for transferring a specimen container from a departure support to a container carrier, comprising:

• a gripper supporting frame and a container gripper selectively movable with respect to said gripper supporting frame between an upper position and a lower position in which gripper fingers of the container gripper are able to catch a container in a departure support or to leave the container in a container carrier;
• and
• gripper blocking means movable between a work position, in which said gripper blocking means stops movement of the container gripper towards the lower position, in an intermediate position between said upper and lower positions, and a rest position in which said gripper blocking means allows the container gripper to reach the lower position sliding along a lateral surface of the specimen container if the bottom of said container touches an abutted surface of the container carrier before said container gripper reaches the lower position.