A case packer for packing bottles from an upright position to a necks down or upside down position in a case. A grid is provided for marshalling upright bottles and a conveyor is provided for bringing a case, to be packed, under the grid. A rotator, located between the grid and case, is adapted to receive a pattern of bottles from the grid, rotate the bottles to invert them, and then deposit the bottles into the case. Gripping devices are located above the grid to grasp the tops of the bottles on the grid and push them into the rotator. After a first pattern of bottles has been inserted into the rotator and held there by a frictional arresting device, the second set of bottles forces the first set through the rotator and into the case.