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Class 209 - Classifying, separating, and assorting solids

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734 Subclasses


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Definition

The class comprises methods and apparatus for separating solid materials and assorting or segregating them in grades or classes according to physical characteristics.

(1) Note. The class includes in general separation of grains, fruits, vegetables, flour, minerals, and, when the assorting is automatic, various manufactured articles. It, however, does not include the separation of straw in threshing machines (see Search Notes below) or certain manufacturing articles the separation of which has attained a specialized status (for example, printing type and fraud preventives of check-controlled machines). (2) Note. This class does not include devices, either manually operated or automatic, for testing and separating of defective or leaky containers from perfect ones unless the separation is based upon some characteristics, generally dimensional, which forms the basis of some subclass of assorters in this class. (3) Note. This class provides for tanks or receptacles or methods involving their use which are adapted specially to separate different grades of solid material from each other, usually by differential transporting effect of flowing currents of liquid impinging on a mixture of such solid materials or by differential subsidence of the solids in liquid which may be stationary or flowing. (See References to The Current Class, below). Also see Lines With Other Classes below, for structure of process adapted for the separation of solids from the liquid in which they are suspended. (4) Note. Where an apparatus or method depends upon or is adapted specially for the separation of solid ingredients from other solids by chemical action, as by dissolution of certain of the ingredients to be separated, with or without subsequent precipitation, it is classifiable in other classes, according to the nature of the material treated or of the chemical action involved. (See Lines With Other Classes, below.) (5) Note. See Subclass References to The Current Class, below, for the so-called amalgamating apparatuses or methods when associated with other types of separation); when dependent upon the adhesion of amalgamable materials to surfaces coated with mercury or metallic equivalents; and when the metals to be recovered are collected within a body of liquid metal which may be mercury, lead, zinc, etc., or alloys, and the ingredients lighter than the metals sought are floated by the body of liquid metal. Where chemical or electrical action is involved, which is not directed to the chemical dissolution of the metals sought or formation of compounds thereof, such goes into other subclasses in this class, whether the "amalgamation" is adhesion to a coated surface of mercury or its equivalent or collection by a liquid metal body. (See Subclass References to The Current Class, below, for cites to all these areas.) When chemical dissolution of the metal or formation of compounds thereof is involved with subsequent amalgamation, it goes to other classes, for which see Lines With Other Classes, below. (6) Note. This class does not include apparatus or methods which involve the use of bowls or receptacles rotating at speed high enough to develop sufficient centrifugal force to separate one class of solids from others unless there is "amalgamation" involved, in which case such apparatus or methods are classifiable here (see References to This Class, below). Cases not falling within the exception noted are classifiable elsewhere. See Lines With Other Classes, below. (7) Note. This class provides for methods and apparatus for sorting special items. See Subclass References to This Class, below, for specific subclasses. Also see this latter section for a reference to examples of "special items." Bulk materials (such as grains and ore) are not considered special items and are generally sorted by methods and apparatus of the type classifiable in other subclasses. See Subclass References to This Class, below, for specific subclasses.

Lines with other classes and within this class

This class provides for tanks or receptacles or methods involving their use which are adapted specially to separate different grades of solid material from each other, usually by differential transporting effect of flowing currents of liquid impinging on a mixture of such solid materials or by differential subsidence of the solids in liquid which may be stationary or flowing. Where the structure or process is adapted for the separation of the solids from liquid in which they may be suspended, it is classifiable in Class 210, Liquid Purification or Separation, even though there may be incidental separation of one grade of solids from another, when there is no structure or process adaptation intended to promote separation of one grade of solids from the other. However, in relation to the magnetic separators in this class (209), subclasses 212 and 213+, when combined with magnetic separation of particles from a liquid with another type of separation to remove nonmagnetic particles for the disclosed purpose of clarifying the liquid is properly classifiable in Class 210, subclasses 222+.

Where an apparatus or method depends upon or is adapted specially for the separation of solid ingredients from other solids by chemical action, as by dissolution of certain of the ingredients to be separated, with or without subsequent precipitation, it is classifiable in Class 23, Chemistry: Physical Processes, Class 75, Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, etc.; Class 252, Compositions; Class 422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing; and Class 423, Chemistry: Inorganic, according to the nature of the materials treated or of the chemical action involved.

When chemical dissolution of the metal or formation of compounds thereof is involved with subsequent amalgamation, it goes to Class 75, Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, etc.; Class 423, Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds, or Class 204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, according to whether the action involved is merely chemical or also involves electrical or wave energy as provided for in Class 204.

Cases not falling within the exception noted in (6) Note above are classifiable in Class 494, Imperforate Bowl: Centrifugal Separators. This class, however, does include some borderline cases where it is not clear that the separation of the classes of solids is wholly dependent upon centrifugal force generated by high speed rotation of the receptacle.

Where the structure or process is adapted for the separation of the solids from liquid in which they may be suspended, it is classifiable elsewhere, in Class 210, Liquid Purification or Separation, even though there may be incidental separation of one grade of solids from another, when there is no structure or process adaptation intended to promote separation of one grade of solids from the other. However, in relation to the magnetic separators in subclasses 212 and 213+ of this class (209), the combination of magnetic separation of particles from a liquid with another type of separation to remove nonmagnetic particles for the disclosed purpose of clarifying the liquid is properly classifiable in Class 210, subclasses 222+.

 
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