An article transfer device includes a rotating structure bearing cantilevered gripping tongs, each including two jaws each on one side of a longitudinal axis of the tongs and movable relative to each other to maintain a central axis of the cylindrical portion of the articles intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the tongs regardless of the transverse dimension. The jaws have ends in the same plane, provided with bearing surfaces facing one another to form together a centring V of the cylindrical portion and a length such that they extend back from a transverse axis of the cylindrical portion perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tongs and to a central axis of the cylindrical portion. The end of one of the jaws is extended by a first finger extending offset from the plane and is supported on the cylindrical portion beyond the transverse axis. A system includes such devices.