the invention disclosed is a machine for applying in series a molded plastic shell - like carrier over a pre - arranged grouping of containers , such as bottles . the machine includes a storage magazine turret supplying the carriers in nested fashion to a hopper device at a feeding station . the magazine turret indexes a magazine to the feeding station and a cam - operated device releases the nested carrier stack in a magazine to the underlying hopper . a carrier feed device continuously separates the lowermost carrier and drops it to an underlying carrier delivery conveyor . bottles are advanced in parallel rows under the conveyor and past a carrier gate at the end of the carrier conveyor . first star wheel mechanism spaces the bottles on the conveyor to correspond as groups with compartment cavities in the carrier . bottles moving through the first star wheel pull carriers from the feed gate ; whereupon each such carrier falls over a group of bottles . a horizontal overhead guide rail holds down the carrier in a preliminary position of assembly whereat the bottles are each inserted into a compartment cavity of the carrier . the bottle conveyor moves bottles and carriers through a second star wheel device stabilizing the bottles under a rotary applicator wheel . the wheel has peripherally spaced pockets that coincide with the compartments of the carrier and the wheel , on a yieldable arm , bears against the carrier to seat the annular retaining bead in the carrier compartments over an enlarged end portion of the bottles . the grouping of bottles is held in the carrier as a packaged unit .