Automatic labelling machine

Claim 1

A PACKAGE LABELLING MACHINE HAVING A BED OVER WHICH A SERIES OF SPACED PACKAGES ARE CONVEYED FROM A SOURCE OF UNLABELLED PACKAGES PAST A SERIES OF SPACED STATIONS AT WHICH VARIOUS OPRATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE PACKAGES ARE PERFORMED, SAID STATIONS INCLUDING A FIRST STATION HAVING MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING THE PACKAGES AND A SECOND STATION FOR APPLYING A PRICE LABEL TO A PREVIOUSLY WEIGHED PACKAGE, AND A CORRESPONDING SERIES OF SPACED SWEEP ARMS WHICH CONCURRENTLY PUSH RESPECTIVE PACKAGES IN SAID SERIES OF PACKAGES FROM ONE STATION TOWARD THE NEXT STATION, AND ACTUATING MEANS FOR CONCURRENTLY MOVING SAID SWEEP ARMS IN A CYCLE OF SWEEP ARM MOVEMENT IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE ARMS ADVANCE FROM AN INITIAL POSITION BEHIND RESPECTIVE PACKAGES ALONG THE BED AT A LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PACKAGES AND THEREAFTER RETRACT ALONG A PATH CLEAR OF SAID PACKAGE AND RETURN TO SAID INITIAL POSITION TO ENGAGE SUCCEEDING PACKAGE IN A SERIES OF PACKAGES IN A SUBSEQUENT CYCLE OF MOVEMENT.