System for alphabetically labelling articles

Claim 1

A process for labelling a system of file folders comprising printing labels for the system where each printed label is different from other printed labels, each label having first and second fields extending its length and printed in a first field a first set of indicia and printed in a second field a second set of indicia where said second set is printed backwards and upside down relative to the first set, the first and second set of indicia being the same and peculiar to that printed label, in the same operation printing in said first label field a machine readable indicia code representative of a portion of said first set of indicia and oriented for machine reading along label's length, applying such label to a file folder by folding and locating it on a folder flap with said first label field located for application to the rear side of such folder flap; each set of indicia having been printed to appear upright in its respective field with said label folded along a fold line between said fields as applied to such folder flap, machine reading such machine readable indicia code on the label and controlling by such reading step a labeller's application to such file folder flap of individual colour coded labels, each colour coded label as applied having an indicium corresponding to one of such coded indicia, said process making all file folders of said system distinguishable from one another by their labelling.