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Class 418 - Rotary expansible chamber devices

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287 Subclasses


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Definition

This class relates to devices which include a working chamber the volume of which is progressively variable into which fluid alternately enters and exhausts and which is formed by a surface (or surfaces) of a moving solid member having relative movement with another solid surface (or surfaces), a portion of the working chamber boundary being substantially fixed, and in which:

(1) The working member has rotary motion in a single direction about a fixed or movable axis thereby to expand and contract the volume of the working chamber, there being relative rotation between the said working member and surface at some time during the expansion and contraction of the working chamber.

(2) The working member is circular and causes a change in the volume of the working chamber as it is progressively tilted in a single direction about a point on its axis to progressively contact said other surface, the central axis of the working member describing a cone whose apex is the point about which the working member oscillates or wobbles.

(3) The working member causes a change in the volume of the working chamber but does not have absolute rotation, the working member being provided with means having an axis offset from and parallel to the central axis of the working member about which the central axis moves in an orbit whereby the working member has planetary movement within the working chamber.

Lines with other classes and within this class

COMBINATIONS WITH LOAD DEVICES

Inasmuch as a mechanical force output of a rotary expansible chamber device within the definition of this class is to operate or move a load the inclusion of the load in the claim by name only or in general terms will not exclude a patent from this class. An exception to this general rule exists where the load on the expansible chamber device is a valve. The combination of a rotary expansible chamber device and a valve as the load moved thereby even if claimed by name only, is excluded from this class. (See References to Other Classes, below.)

This line also applies where the load is a tool: that is, a named tool moved by a rotary expansible chamber device will not exclude a patent from this class if no tool details are recited. However, if a support for the work being acted upon by the tool is claimed, classification in the appropriate tool class results even though both the tool and the support are claimed by name only. Also see the Search Class notes, below for the line with regard to a nominally claimed tool driven by a rotary expansible chamber device combined with other features such as work cleansing or tool feeding.

No attempt has been made to review the classification of all patents found in classes relating to loads adapted to be moved by a rotary expansible chamber device. Thus, it is to be noted that the original classification of all patents is not consistent with the above statement as to nominally claimed loads and this particularly applies as to classes not recently reclassified. In those instances in which a body of art is known to exist in a given class in which the load adapted to be moved by the rotary expansible chamber device is claimed only nominally, and especially where the classification of that class provides for a fluid pressure actuator for the device, currently issuing patents will not be classified as original in this class (418) even though the load is only nominally claimed.

The means which transmits power from the working member of the rotary expansible chamber device to the load to be moved (e.g., linkage, gearing, etc.), is not considered to be the load to be moved by the expansible chamber device. Also see the Search Class notes below for a further discussion of this subject.

 
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