Definition

This class definition and Notes are divided into the following sections:

Combined Wireworking; Making Articles From Wire; Applying Wire; Assembling and Uniting Wire; Cutting Wire; Shaping Wire; Handling Wire; Making Wire.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF CLASS SUBJECT MATTER

(1) This is the generic class of:

Assembling and uniting, shaping and/or deforming wire.

Assembling and uniting one or more lengths of wire with other material.

Assembling and uniting plural lengths of wire.

Shaping or deforming lengths of wire by twisting, bending, kinking and looping.

Wireworking apparatus, i.e., machines and implements.

Patents for processes are classifiable along with the apparatus in all subclasses in this class where the participle form is used, e.g., subclass 93 "applying wire". However, subclasses not so limited, e.g., subclass 1 "combined machines" have no process patents therein.

(2) Because certain elongated or attenuated elements, not meeting the definition of a wire, can be both handled and worked like wire, such working of such elements is included in this class (140). For such apparatus combined with nonwireworking apparatus, see Miscellaenous Notes, below.

COMBINED WIREWORKING

Note. Mere transient wireworking, solely for the purpose of mounting or supporting the wire during nonwireworking (and after which the wire is substantially restored to its initial condition), combined with the nonwireworking is classified with the nonwireworking, the transient working not being considered wireworking for this class. (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.)

MAKING ARTICLES FROM WIRE

(1) Note. The making of textile-like fabrics from wire is classified both in this class (140) and in various textile classes. When the process of making includes a wire-working operation, classification is generally in this class (140), where only textile-like operations are involved, classification is generally in the various textile classes (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.) (2) Note. The winding or wire on forms or frames (i.e., as a template) is found in this class (140), when the article made does not include the template (or core) as a part thereof. The making of an electric lamp or electric space discharge device electrode, whether or not the core remains with the wound material as a part of the electrode, will be classified elsewhere in this class. Other winding of wire will be found in the class for Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.) APPLYING WIRE For apparatus and processes for applying wire and for miscellaneous wireworking implements, see References to This Class, below. Also see References to Other Classes, below. ASSEMBLING AND UNITING WIRE Uniting wires by soldering, welding and brazing will be found in this class (140), when peculiarly related to wireworking. The class of Metal Fusion Bonding is generic to bonding of metal by a metallurgical bond and includes welding, brazing and soldering, except that electric bonding apparatus and methods will be found in the class of Electric Heating, (See References to Other Classes, below.) CUTTING WIRE See References to Other Classes, below, for specific class references for cutting wire. SHAPING WIRE Forging or swaging of wire is classified in Class 72, Metal Deforming. Plastic deformation of metal wire and wire-like material will be found in both this class (140) and Class 72, which provides residually for any plastic metal-working operation, such as straightening, corrugating, stretching, coiling, drawing, rolling, etc., which does not involve assembly. Appropriate subclasses in Class 72 must therefore be investigated in connection with any plastic metal-shaping operation or apparatus. For instance, subclass 302 provides for linearly stretching a workpiece between two end clamps, and subclass 138 provides for a method of or an apparatus for deflectingly deforming metal into a conical spring element. Shaping wire by working it (other than by cutting) will also be found in certain functional or art classes; see the "SEARCH CLASS" notes below. Twisting of wire will be found in this class, subclass 149, and in Class 72; see the paragraph on forging or swaging of wire in this section, above. For intertwisting of wire, see sections on Making Articles from Wire and Assembling and Uniting Wire. HANDLING WIRE For winding of wire see (2) Note in Making Articles from Wire, above. Otherwise, see Refernces to Other Classes below. MAKING WIRE The making of wire is not in Class 140. See References to Other Classes, below. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES Certain subclasses in this class (140) have subject matter which is also classified in other main classes. Whether such subject matter constitutes wireworking for this class, so that such subject matter combined with nonwire-working apparatus will be classified in this class (140), in the subclass for Combined Machines, depends upon the status of the art. See the sections above for Making Articles from Wire, Assembling and Uniting Wire, and Shaping Wire. For wire stock, see References to Other Classes, below, the class of Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles.